This award-winning study presents an engaging account of the attempt at reconstruction that occurred in the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the beginning of the Civil War. Serving as a kind of dress rehearsal for Reconstruction, the Port Royal Experiment not only helped to shape federal policy for Reconstruction, but it also influenced the nation by adding to the initial war aim of the Union, the eventual commitment to freedom, and the still-unfulfilledcommitment to equality.
"Rare and delightful....A sensitive, perceptive, and beautifully written account."--American Historical Review"A contribution to both Civil War and Reconstruction history. It is richly deserving of the recognition accorded it."--North Carolina Historical Review