The Countryman: Joseph Addison Turner and the Cultural

142 Pages·2015·1.02 MB·English

by  Christina Lea Smith

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Theses and Dissertations
3-18-2015
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Christina Lea Smith
Illinois State University, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd
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Smith, Christina Lea, "The Countryman: Joseph Addison Turner and the Cultural Construction of
Confederate Nationalism" (2015). Theses and Dissertations. 358.
https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/etd/358
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THE COUNTRYMAN: JOSEPH ADDISON TURNER AND THE CULTURAL
CONSTRUCTION OF CONFEDERATE NATIONALISM

Christina Lea Smith
133 Pages May 2015
This master’s thesis starts from the premise that Confederate nationalism was not
just a political entity, but a cultural project. It examines the role of print culture in
shaping a distinctive and unified Confederate community. Emerging on the eve of the
Civil War, Confederate nationalism flourished due to the creation and dissemination of
southern print culture through newspapers and magazines. This thesis approaches the
development of Confederate cultural nationalism through a case study of Joseph Addison
Turner, who wrote and edited a weekly journal, The Countryman, from 1862 to 1866.
Through The Countryman, Turner advocated and shaped white southern beliefs and
perceptions in an effort to unite southerners around a common goal of an autonomous
nation. By showing how Joseph Turner fostered a southern cultural movement to forge a
patriotic bond amongst white southerners, this research highlights the importance of print
culture in the construction of Confederate nationalism.
THE COUNTRYMAN: JOSEPH ADDISON TURNER AND THE CULTURAL
CONSTRUCTION OF CONFEDERATE NATIONALISM

CHRISTINA LEA SMITH

A Thesis Submitted in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
Department of History
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY
2015
Copyright 2015 Christina Lea Smith
THE COUNTRYMAN: JOSEPH ADDISON TURNER AND THE CULTURAL
CONSTRUCTION OF CONFEDERATE NATIONALISM

CHRISTINA LEA SMITH

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Amy L. Wood, Chair
Stewart Winger
Ronald Gifford
Linda Clemmons
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This project has taken on a life of its own. Writing anything this substantial and
complex over the last couple of years becomes consuming, not only for myself, but for
those who contributed in countless ways to the final product. Foremost, I would like to
express my sincere gratitude to my committee chair, Dr. Amy Wood, for her continuous
support of my study and research, for her patience, motivation, and immense knowledge.
Most importantly, I appreciate her constructive critique of my writing. She has taught me
invaluable lessons through constant revisions. I could not have imagined having a better
advisor or mentor for this project.
Additionally, I would like to thank each of my committee members: Dr. Linda
Clemmons, whose knowledge of the northern antebellum era provided me with the much
needed balance in my thesis; Dr. Stewart Winger, whose insightful comments and hard
questions helped me dive deeper into those tough religious topics; and Dr. Ron Gifford
for his valuable time in reviewing my many chapter revisions.
This project was, by far, the most challenging I have completed to date. And I am
certainly wiser in so many ways as a result. I cannot express my gratitude enough for
being able to work with such a professional, knowledgeable, and wonderful committee,
department, and university.
C.L.S.

i
CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i
CONTENTS ii
FIGURES iv
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION 1
The Southern National Anthem 1
Confederate Nationalism 4
Imagined Community 7
Historiography 9
Turner’s Early Literary Career 15
The Countryman 17

II. SOUTHERN LITERATURE 23
The Cultural Movement for Intellectual Independence 25
A Truly Southern Culture 29
Practical Challenges 34
Conceiving a Native Literature 40
The Failure of Confederate Print Literature 52

III. RELIGION 56
The Folly of Fanaticism 61
Turner’s Religiosity 64
Sectional Discord 67
God’s Divine Plan 69
Sinning and Appeasement 73
Death and Suffering as God’s Will 78
Virtue 85
Post-War 89

ii
IV. SLAVERY 92
Defending Slavery 93
Class Struggles 105
The Emancipation Proclamation 108
Sherman’s March through Georgia 110
Slaves in the Confederate Army 113
The Poor Free Slave 117

V. CONCLUSION 123
REFERENCES 128
iii
FIGURES
Figure Page
1. The Countryman 19
2. The Confederate Seal 73
3. Five slaves from Joseph Addison Turner’s Turnwold Plantation in
Eatonton, Georgia. Several of Turnwold Plantation slaves became
models for Uncle Remus, Aunt Tempy, and other figures in the
African American animal tales immortalized by Joel Chandler Harris. 101

iv
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The Southern National Anthem
“God save the South!
God save the South,
Her Altars and Firesides!
God save the South!
Now that war is nigh,
Now that we’re armed to die,
Chanting our battle cry,
Freedom or Death!

God be our shield,
At home or in field:
Stretch thine arms over us,
Strengthen and save!
What though they’re three to one,
Forward each sire and son,
Strike till the battle’s won,
Strike to the grave!

God make the right,
Stronger than might!
Millions would trample us,
Down with their pride!
Lay Thou their legions low,
Roll back the ruthless foe,
Let the proud spoiler know
God’s on our side!

Fame! Honor call,
Summoning all,
Summoning all of us
Unto the strife.
Sons of the South, awake,
Strike till the bounds shall break!
Strike for dear honor’s sake,
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