"Victory is our only road to peace": Texas, wartime morale, and Confederate nationalism, 1860-1865

Abstract

This thesis explores the impact of home front and battlefield morale on Texas's civilian and military population during the Civil War. It addresses the creation, maintenance, and eventual surrender of Confederate nationalism and identity among Texans from five different counties: Colorado, Dallas, Galveston, Harrison and Travis. The war divided Texans into three distinct groups: civilians on the homefront, soldiers serving in theaters outside of the state, and soldiers serving within Texas's borders. Different environments, experiences, and morale affected the manner in which civilians and soldiers identified with the Confederate war effort. This study relies on contemporary letters, diaries, newspaper reports, and government records to evaluate how morale influences national dedication and loyalty to the Confederacy among various segments of Texas's population.