A close analysis of North Carolina's dominant politician in the second half of the 19th century; Vance is presented as a consummate manipulator of public opinion and a dynamic executive who maximized Raleigh's contribution to the Confederacy. Further, in the process of tracing Vance’s evolution as a politician, the author also traces the evolution of the American party system, as Whigs such as Vance joined the secession movement (with varying degrees of reluctance) and in the course of Reconstruction became Lost Cause Democrats. Finally, there is particular emphasis on the breaking down of political conflicts that were for years masked and muted by Lost Cause ideology. ( )