DIXIE & THE DOMINON; CANADA, THE CONFEDERACY, AND THE WAR FOR THE UNION

Dixie & the Dominion is a compelling look at how the U.S. Civil War was a shared experience that shaped the futures of both Canada and the United States. The book focuses on the last year of the war, between April of 1864 and 1865. During that 12-month period, the Confederate States sent spies and saboteurs to Canada on a secret mission. These agents struck fear along the frontier and threatened to draw Canada and Great Britain into the war.

During that same time, Canadians were making their own important decisions. Chief among them was the partnership between Liberal reformer George Brown and Conservative chieftain John A. Macdonald. Their unlikely coalition was the force that would create the Dominion of Canada in 1867, and it was the pressure of the war - with its threat to the colonies’ security - that was a driving force behind this extraordinary pact.

Adam Mayers is a senior editor at thestar.com, the Toronto Star's website, and a frequent contributor to Civil War Times Illustrated, the largest general interest magazine on the Civil War. His articles focus on Canadian connections to the conflict.

Mr. Mayers has a degree in psychology from McMaster, a graduate degree in journalism from the City University of London, and an MBA from McMaster. He lives in Oakville, Ontario.