William Lowndes Yancey and the Coming of the Civil War

William Lowndes Yancey (1814-63) was one of the leading secessionists of the Old South. In this first comprehensive biography, Eric H. Walther examines the personality and political life of the uncompromising fire-eater. More than a portrait of an influential political figure, this study also presents a nuanced look at the roots of Southern honour, violence, and understandings of manhood.