Prologue: John Brown's raid -- Slavery comes to America -- Slavery's great foe -- and unintended friend -- The first Emancipation Proclamation -- One head turning into thirteen -- The forgotten emancipator -- Thomas Jefferson's nightmare -- New England preaches -- and almost practices -- secession -- How not to abolish slavery -- New England rediscovers the sacred Union -- Another Thomas Jefferson urges Virginia to abolish slavery -- The abolitionist who lost his faith -- Abolitionism divides and conquers itself -- Enter Old Man Eloquent -- The slave patrols -- The trouble with Texas -- Slave power paranoia -- From Uncle Tom to John Brown -- The real Uncle Tom and the unknown South he helped create -- Free soil for free (white) men -- The whole world is watching -- An ex-president tries to save the Union -- The anguish of Robert E. Lee -- The end of illusions -- The third Emancipation Proclamation -- Hunt after the captain -- Epilogue: Lincoln's visitor.
Summary
Fleming looks at the reasons of why the Civil War was fought.