Pollard laid out a Confederate history of the war, as well as a narrative that proved useful to white southerners reeling from defeat and the devastation of their world. Not only did he coin the term Lost Cause, but he also provided former Confederates with a rhetorical balm to soothe their psychological wounds. In doing so, he helped to lay the foundation of a mythology that reassured them that their cause was just and their values were worth fighting for even in the face of a thoroughly crushing defeat.
