En Virginie, épisode de la guerre de sécession Précédé d'une étude sur l'esclavage et les punitions corporelles en Amérique, et suivi d'une bibliographie raisonnée des principaux ouvrages français et anglais sur la flagellation

A sober, investigative voice opens the work, declaring an ambition to lay bare the harsh realities of slavery and corporal punishment in nineteenth‑century America. The author treats these subjects with a clinical frankness, avoiding sensationalism while insisting that truth, however uncomfortable, must be presented to a mature readership. The introductory essay also critiques the moral pretensions of contemporary societies that hide such brutality behind a veil of propriety.

The narrative then turns to a vivid episode set in Virginia during the height of the Civil War. Through the eyes of ordinary people caught in the conflict, the story reveals how the institution of slavery permeates daily life, shaping decisions, loyalties, and acts of violence. The account balances stark description with a broader reflection on how these practices echo larger cultural tensions of the era.

Concluding with a carefully assembled bibliography, the volume offers listeners a pathway to further scholarship on the history of flagellation and its literary treatment, making it both a compelling story and a useful reference for those interested in the darker corners of the past.