My ancestors were FPC in Mobile and I noticed that on the 1860 census
it shows a column listed as 'Value of Real Estate' and another Value of Personal Estate'. Does Personal estate mean value of slaves?
Many people who were listed on the 1860 and earlier census as Farmers with real estate were shown on the 1870 census as Laborers without land.

Was they land taken away, especially since some went to fight in the Civil War?

If anyone can recommend a good up-to-date book written about that time period I would like to read it.

Anne