While Hugo's novel has elements of the struggle as you suggest, the overiding themes that are present as undercurrents throughout Valjean's transformation are Courage and Self-sacrifice... that which the Southerners saw as preeminent in their cause... rightly or wrongly.
It mus be remembered that the vast msjority of soldiers on the side of the south were volunteers but backwoodsmen, farmers and more akin to the peasantry in Les Miserables. They saw the struggle as, principally, one for States rights...