The legacy of the Negro, free and slave, in the War for Southern Independence, says Brewer (d. 1974), has too often been ignored by the historian. He documents the extensive involvement of the Virginia Negro in the South's war efforts, showing how their skilled manpower was used to close a huge gap in the state's technological labor needs. The 1969 edition was published by Duke University Press. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)