City of Ruin: Charleston At War, 1860-1865

City of Ruin is the story of Charleston's pivotal role in the American Civil War, told largely from the point of view of the local newspaper that stoked the fires of secession, the Charleston Mercury. It began as a 20-part serial by historian, author and columnist Brian Hicks that ran in the pages of the Charleston Post and Courier from December 2010 to April 2011. Hicks has expanded the series, incorporating additional stories and the perspectives of people on both sides of the fighting. The book not only details the military actions around the city but also how the conflict affected life in Charleston for residents and storekeepers, as well as the city's sizeable population of slaves and freedmen. This is, in total, the story of Charleston at war.