This text presents a study of the American Civil War and its effects on Canada. It places particular emphasis on the movement towards confederation, and this second edition includes an introduction which offers an overview of Civil War studies since 1960.

While the Yankees and the Confederates fought a ruthless civil war in the United States, Britain and the northern states waged a "war in anticipation" as British North America waited and wondered whether the federal army of the United States would invade. Robin Winks's classic study is a dramatic examination of the impact of the American Civil War on Canada, especially on the movement toward Confederation.