A Raid on the Southland

Book excerpt: A century after the close of the Civil War, Yankees stage another foray into Dixie, this time the objective is control of a venerable beloved insurance company-The Southland. In terms reminiscent of Sherman's assault on Atlanta, Baltimore stockbrokers attempt to gain control of an institution as emblematic of southern culture and manners as Tara in Gone With the Wind. Fought this time with proxies and ballots instead of musket balls, this conflict puts to the test the hearts and minds of a generation who thought they had outgrown the biases and prejudices of the survivors of the War Between the States.