Civil War Lawyers: Constitutional Questions, Courtroom Dramas, and the Men Behind Them

The Civil War Lawyers is a comprehensive and fascinating look at the underappreciated role of the law—and of lawyers—during the United States' Civil War. Great Constitutional issues were addressed by the Supreme Court in tense courtrooms where individual lives were at stake. Presidents struggled with the legality of their actions, including questions on habeas corpus and military commissions that still have vital relevance today. The key members of Lincoln's cabinet were all lawyers, as were Lincoln's key diplomatic appointees and the five men who tried to end the War at the Hampton Roads Peace Conference in February 1865.

The book also includes an appendix containing more than 100 biographies of the lawyers of the time, a look at the cases in which the lawyers crossed paths before the War, a detailed timeline of Civil War events, and period photos and editorial cartoons. The Civil War Lawyers is an indispensable addition to the bookshelves of all lawyers, historians, and Civil War buffs.