Challenging Misconceptions:

Dorvall's Southern Cross Rewrites Civil War History

Often cited by Civil War scholars as a major turning point, the Battle of Gettysburg proved to be a crucial victory for the Union, one that greatly diminished the Confederacy’s chances of winning what was perhaps the most tragic of all American wars. The questions then remain: what if the Union was unable to defeat the Confederate forces at Gettysburg? Would a Southern triumph at this one skirmish been enough to change the course of the war?

This is where French native and writer Dorvall steps in to answer the seemingly unanswerable in his new graphic novel series, “CSA Confederate States of America.” Volume one of the series, “Southern Cross: Annuit Coeptis,” was released in December of 2013 by Sekwana Comics and begins with the pivotal moments at Gettysburg, retelling the story of that battle with a slight twist.

For his account of the conflict, Dorvall focuses on the third day of battle. Historians have often noted that prior to this day in history, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s right-hand man, General James Longstreet, urged him to change his battle strategy of attacking the Union Army’s 3^rd Corps head on to a more defensive flanking movement against the opposition. Of course, as the annals of history have it, Lee ignored this advice, which arguably led to the crippling loss his forces suffered thereafter. Dorvall saw this misstep in Lee’s leadership as an opportunity to play with the timeline, to change the events and develop an alternate history where a Confederate win at Gettysburg has far-reaching consequences.

When asked about his fascination with the subject, Dorvall says, “I have always been interested in the American Civil War, even as a child. I remember reading about the various battles, replaying them in my mind, and reenacting them with my toys.” It was a childhood interest that grew into a career, and as he got older, the writer’s love of history quickly blossomed from a boyhood infatuation into a serious scholarly pursuit. Dorvall holds graduate-level degrees in history from the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France, and he went on from there to teach the subject for several years. Professional qualifications aside, Dorvall has a true passion for his chosen area of study and he feels that the implications of a Southern victory in the Civil War are ones that need to be discussed, not only by Civil War Scholars, but everyone who wants to know more about that era.

“For me, ‘CSA’ is about more than just Gettysburg, it’s about more than just the South winning the war,” Dorvall remarks, “It’s more about setting the record straight, about taking all of the issues that America faced as a nation back then, and planting them in a world where the outcomes have changed to see how they would play out.” He goes on to say, “I really want the ‘CSA’ series to challenge readers to rethink their opinions on 19^th-century America. Too many people look at the South and North in terms of black and white, and I’m not sure that perspective is accurate.”

The “CSA” series consists of seven volumes, spanning the six years and starting with that fateful day at Gettysburg. Featuring full color illustrations by veteran illustrator Philip Renne and a beautiful 9”x12” laminate hardcover, it is sure to please students of Civil War history and fans of graphic novels alike. Volume one, “Southern Cross: Annuit Coeptis” is available now for purchase or free preview at SekwanaComics.com and Amazon.  You can learn more about Dorvall and his work at the publishers website and on Dorvall.com.