美國內戰前，莫比爾市為阿拉巴馬州第一大城與全國第三大港。莫比爾市的商業都會特色強列，其與北方關係密切的商業貿易往來、兩黨政治型態、多元的人口結構以及較低比例的奴隸數量，都使得該市與以農業為主的阿拉巴馬州產生明顯的差異。莫比爾在政治上一向走溫和路線，分析其發展歷程，莫比爾市民一方面支持聯邦體制的完整性，另一方面卻未放棄堅守南方社會制度與主權的獨立性。一八五O年代，當南、北區域衝突日益激烈，莫比爾市民既有的南方意識也隨之升高，至一八六O年林肯當選總統後達於顛峰。當莫比爾必須在與北方維持經貿往來，或是維護南方主權兩者之間做出抉擇，莫比爾市民於一八六O年十二月二十四日投票贊成阿拉巴馬州脫離聯邦。對他們而言，莫比爾的經濟榮景，唯有在南方主權獲得充分保障的情況下方能持續，而脫離聯邦，則正是符合全體民眾期待的雙贏局面。

Mobile, the only port and largest city in Alabama, a state dominated by agriculture, had a multi-ethnic population, a low proportion of slaves, and a highly commercial atmosphere. The city was in some ways less southern than its hinterlands, and its citizens maintained a long and close commercial connection with the North. Nevertheless, Mobilians eventually backed immediate secession and merged their fortunes with that of the Confederacy. This paper provides a careful examination of many of the factors that linked Mobile to the North and weighs the importance of these connections in shaping Mobilians’ decision-making during the sectional crisis of the 1850s and the secession movement of 1860-61.The paper argues that Mobilians’ support for secession was not simply a function of massive resistance to northern economic predominance, although the city had its grievances against the North. White Mobilians fundamentally valued what they perceived to be southern rights in the territories and in the Union. They fought for these rights for many years before they recognized an irresolvable conflict between their rights and interests and the intentions of a menacing northern Republican party. Mobile endorsed secession during one of the most prosperous periods in its history. Mobilians were confident that secession would breed further progress. As long as slavery and cotton were secure, as they that they would be in a new Confederacy, Mobilians thought that their futures would be also.