At five feet, five inches tall, weighing not much more than 100 pounds, squeaky-voiced Billy Mahone did not cut an imposing figure, but no one had a greater impact on Virginia in the two decades after the Civil War than he. During the war his leadership skills had elevated him to a generalship in the Confederate army, and he achieved fame as the “hero of the Crater”. One of his soldiers called him “the biggest little man God Almighty ever made.” After the war Mahone’s efforts to expand his railroad business were thwarted by economic depression, competition, and political opposition. He then challenged the ruling Conservative Party by creating a Readjuster party that aimed to reduce the state debt and adequately fund education. With the support of many blacks, Mahone and the Readjusters won several elections and introduced liberal reforms into the state–more money for schools, an end to the poll tax, establishment of a black college–but they were challenged and defeated by a new Democratic party in 1883 that used the race issue against them.
Further Reading
Nelson Blake, William Mahone of Virginia.
This Vignette Provided By
Ronald Heinemann, Old Dominion, New Commonwealth: The History of Virginia, 1607-2007
