Kentucky Rebel Town

Kentucky Rebel Town
Author: William A. Penn
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2016-10-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 0813167736

On April 22, 1861, within weeks of the surrender at Fort Sumter, fresh recruits marched to the Cynthiana, Kentucky, depot—one of the state's first volunteer companies to join the Confederate army. The soldiers boarded a waiting train as many sympathetic city and county officials cheered. A Confederate flag was raised at the Harrison County courthouse but it was taken down within six months, as the influence of pro-Southern officials diminished. However, this "pestilential little nest of treason" became a battlefield during some of the most dramatic military engagements in the state. In this fascinating book, William A. Penn provides an impressively detailed account of the military action that took place in this Kentucky region during the Civil War. Because of its political leanings and strategic position along the Kentucky Central Railroad, Harrison County became the target of multiple raids by Confederate general John Hunt Morgan. Conflict in the area culminated in the Second Battle of Cynthiana, in which Morgan's men clashed with Union troops led by Major General Stephen G. Burbridge (the "Butcher of Kentucky"), resulting in the destruction of much of the town by fire. Penn draws on dozens of period newspapers as well as personal journals, memoirs, and correspondence from citizens, slaves, soldiers, and witnesses to provide a vivid account of the war's impact on the region. Featuring new maps that clearly illustrate the combat strategies in the various engagements, Kentucky Rebel Town provides an illuminating look at divided loyalties and dissent in Union Kentucky.

Kentucky Rebel Town

Kentucky Rebel Town
Author: William A. Penn
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 618
Release: 2016-10-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 0813167728

This unique Civil War history chronicles the hard-fought battles and divided loyalties of a pro-Southern county in Union Kentucky. When the Civil War broke out, Kentucky was officially neutral—but the people of Harrison County felt differently. Volunteers lined up at the train depot in Cynthiana to join the Confederate Army, cheered on by pro-Southern local officials. After the state fell under Union Army control, this “pestilential little nest of treason” became a battlefield during some of the most dramatic military engagements in the state. Because of its political leanings and strategic position along the Kentucky Central Railroad, Harrison County became the target of multiple raids by Confederate general John Hunt Morgan. Conflict in the area culminated in the Second Battle of Cynthiana, in which Morgan's men clashed with Union troops led by Major General Stephen G. Burbridge—known as the “Butcher of Kentucky”—resulting in the destruction of much of the town by fire. In this fascinating Civil War history, William A. Penn draws on dozens of period newspapers as well as personal journals, memoirs, and correspondence from citizens, slaves, soldiers, and witnesses to provide a vivid account of the war's impact on the region.

Kentucky’s Rebel Press

Kentucky’s Rebel Press
Author: Berry Craig
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 245
Release: 2018-01-05
Genre: History
ISBN: 0813174600

Throughout the Civil War, the influence of the popular press and its skillful use of propaganda was extremely significant in Kentucky. Union and Confederate sympathizers were scattered throughout the border slave state, and in 1860, at least twenty-eight of the commonwealth's approximately sixty newspapers were pro-Confederate, making the secessionist cause seem stronger in Kentucky than it was in reality. In addition, the impact of these "rebel presses" reached beyond the region to readers throughout the nation. In this compelling and timely study, Berry Craig analyzes the media's role in both reflecting and shaping public opinion during a critical time in US history. Craig begins by investigating the 1860 secession crisis, which occurred at a time when most Kentuckians considered themselves ardent Unionists in support of the state's political hero, Henry Clay. But as secessionist arguments were amplified throughout the country, so were the voices of pro-Confederate journalists in the state. By January 1861, the Hickman Courier, Columbus Crescent, and Henderson Reporter steadfastly called for Kentucky to secede from the Union. Kentucky's Rebel Press also showcases journalists who supported the Confederate cause, including editor Walter N. Haldeman, who fled the state after Kentucky's most recognized Confederate paper, the Louisville Daily Courier, was shut down by Union forces. Exploring an intriguing and overlooked part of Civil War history, this book reveals the importance of the partisan press to the Southern cause in Kentucky.

Kentuckians in Gray

Kentuckians in Gray
Author: Bruce S. Allardice
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2014-10-17
Genre: History
ISBN: 0813159873

Perhaps more than any other citizens of the nation, Kentuckians held conflicted loyalties during the American Civil War. As a border state, Kentucky was largely pro-slavery but had an economy tied as much to the North as to the South. State government officials tried to keep Kentucky neutral, hoping to play a lead role in compromise efforts between the Union and the Confederacy, but that stance failed to satisfy supporters of both sides, all of whom considered the state's backing crucial to victory. President Abraham Lincoln is reported to have once remarked, "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." Kentucky did side with Lincoln, officially aligning itself with the Union in 1861. But the conflicted loyalties of Kentucky's citizens continued to impact the state's role in the Civil War. When forced to choose between North and South, Kentuckians made the choice as individuals. Many men opted to fight for the Confederate army, where a great number of them rose to high ranks. With Kentuckians in Gray: Confederate Generals and Field Officers of the Bluegrass State, editors Bruce S. Allardice and Lawrence Lee Hewitt present a volume that examines the lives of these gray-clad warriors. Some of the Kentuckians to serve as Confederate generals are well recognized in state history, such as John Hunt Morgan, John Bell Hood, and Albert Sidney Johnston. However, as the Civil War slips further and further into the past, many other Confederate leaders from the Commonwealth have been forgotten. Kentuckians in Gray contains full biographies of thirty-nine Confederate generals. Its principal subjects are native Kentuckians or commanders of brigades of Kentucky troops, such as Morgan. The first complete reference source of its type on Kentucky Civil War history, the book contains the most definitive biographies of these generals ever assembled, as well as short biographical sketches on every field officer to serve in a Kentucky unit. This comprehensive collection recognizes Kentucky's pivotal role in the War between the States, imparting the histories of men who fought "brother against brother" more than any other set of military leaders. Kentuckians in Gray is an invaluable resource for researchers and enthusiasts of Kentucky history and the American Civil War.

Burn the Town and Sack the Banks

Burn the Town and Sack the Banks
Author: Cathryn J. Prince
Publisher: Basic Books
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2006-09-15
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780786717514

On a dreary October afternoon, bands of Confederate raiders held up the three banks in St. Albans. With guns drawn, they herded the townspeople out into the common, sending the people of the North into panic. Operating out of a Confederate stronghold in Canada, the raiders were young men, mostly escapees from Union prison camps, who had been recruited to inaugurate a new kind of guerilla war along the Yankees' unprotected border. The raid, though bungling at times, was successful — the consequent pursuit of the rebels into Canada. The celebrity-like trial it sparked in Montreal and resulting diplomatic tensions that arose between the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain, left the Southern dream of a second-front diversion in ruins. What survived, however, is a fascinating tale of the South's desperate attempt to reverse the course of the war. Burn the Town and Sack the Banks is a tale filled with dashing soldiers, spies, posses, bumbling plans, smitten locals, lawyers, diplomats, and an idyllic Vermont town, set against the backdrop of the great battles far from the Northern border that were bringing the Civil War to its bloody conclusion.

A Brief History of Northern Kentucky

A Brief History of Northern Kentucky
Author: Robert D. Webster
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 345
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: History
ISBN: 081317788X

Thousands of years ago, the land that would become Northern Kentucky emerged above sea level when a large portion of the continental plate bulged upward. Today, the region rests on the crest of that uplift, known as the Cincinnati Arch. And just like the fascinating geology of this region, Northern Kentucky continues to grow and develop. From the arrival of the Native Americans, to the first European settlers in the late 1700s, to the building of Ark Encounter at Williamstown in 2016, Northern Kentucky's landscape and population have changed dramatically. This encompassing study delves into the region's unique past and considers its ever-evolving future. Provided is a wide-ranging overview of Northern Kentucky's rich history, including details about its early pioneers such as James Taylor Jr., Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone, who knew the potential of the incredibly beautiful territory they had discovered at the mouth of the Licking River. The collection also chronicles significant historic moments, like the Battle of Blue Licks, the building of the Roebling Bridge, and tragedies such as the Ohio River Flood of 1937 and the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire of 1977. Famous Northern Kentuckians, such as singer and actress Rosemary Clooney, artist Frank Duveneck, and performer Kenny Price, are also featured. This well-rounded study also addresses the revitalization of the region—including the recent multi-billion-dollar riverside developments in Covington, Newport, and Bellevue—and how Northern Kentucky has evolved into one of the most desirable places in the country.

History of the 112th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry

History of the 112th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry
Author: Bradford F. Thompson
Publisher:
Total Pages: 490
Release: 1885
Genre: Illinois
ISBN:

Escape from the prison at Andersonville: Charles T. Goss -- Capture, prison life and escape: George W. Nicholas -- Belle Isle and Andersonville, escape from Andersonville: Francis J. Liggett. Includes "Regimental roster": pages [334]-430.

New Perspectives on Civil War-Era Kentucky

New Perspectives on Civil War-Era Kentucky
Author: John David Smith
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
Total Pages: 359
Release: 2023-07-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 0813197813

As a Unionist but also proslavery state during the American Civil War, Kentucky occupied a contentious space both politically and geographically. In many ways, its pragmatic attitude toward compromise left it in a cultural no-man's-land. The constant negotiation between the state's nationalistic and Southern identities left many Kentuckians alienated and conflicted. Lincoln referred to Kentucky as the crown jewel of the Union slave states due to its sizable population, agricultural resources, and geographic position, and these advantages, coupled with the state's difficult relationship to both the Union and slavery, ultimately impacted the outcome of the war. Despite Kentucky's central role, relatively little has been written about the aftermath of the Civil War in the state and how the conflict shaped the commonwealth we know today. New Perspectives on Civil War–Era Kentucky offers readers ten essays that paint a rich and complex image of Kentucky during the Civil War. First appearing in the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, these essays cover topics ranging from women in wartime to Black legislators in the postwar period. From diverse perspectives, both inside and outside the state, the contributors shine a light on the complicated identities of Kentucky and its citizens in a defining moment of American history.

Occupied Vicksburg

Occupied Vicksburg
Author: Bradley R. Clampitt
Publisher: LSU Press
Total Pages: 380
Release: 2016-10-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 0807163406

During the Civil War, Vicksburg, Mississippi, assumed almost mythic importance in the minds of Americans: northerners and southerners, soldier and civilian. The city occupied a strategic and commanding position atop rocky cliffs above the Mississippi River, from which it controlled the great waterway. As a result, Federal forces expended enormous effort, expense, and troops in many attempts to capture Vicksburg. The immense struggle for this southern bastion ultimately heightened its importance beyond its physical and strategic value. Its psychological significance elevated the town’s status to one of the war’s most important locations. Vicksburg’s defiance dismayed northerners and delighted Confederates, who saw command of the river as a badge of honor. Finally, after a six-week siege that involved intense military and civilian suffering amid heavy artillery bombardment, Union forces captured the “Gibraltar of the Confederacy,” ending the bloody campaign. While many historians have told the story of the fall of Vicksburg, Bradley R. Clampitt is the first to offer a comprehensive examination of life there after its capture by the United States military. In the war-ravaged town, indiscriminate hardships befell soldiers and civilians alike during the last two years of the conflict and immediately after its end. In Occupied Vicksburg, Clampitt shows that following the Confederate withdrawal, Federal forces confronted myriad challenges in the city including filth, disease, and a never-ending stream of black and white refugees. Union leaders also responded to the pressures of newly free people and persistent guerrilla violence in the surrounding countryside. Detailing the trials of blacks, whites, northerners, and southerners, Occupied Vicksburg stands as a significant contribution to Civil War studies, adding to our understanding of military events and the home front. Clampitt’s astute research provides insight into the very nature of the war and enhances existing scholarship on the experiences of common people during America’s most cataclysmic event.

Presidents, Battles, and Must-See Civil War Destinations

Presidents, Battles, and Must-See Civil War Destinations
Author: Cameron M. Ludwick
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 67
Release: 2019-03-01
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 0253038987

As a border state and strategic territory, Kentucky was fiercely contested by the Union and the Confederacy and had ties to both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Kentucky natives and adventure aficionados Cameron M. Ludwick and Blair Thomas Hess plot the course for a fun-filled road trip through history and across the Bluegrass State in Presidents, Battles, and Must-See Civil War Destinations. Ludwick and Hess make planning a trip to historic Kentucky easy by exploring the history and stories behind each major site and highlighting nearby attractions you won't want to miss. Featuring step-by-step guidelines and exclusive tips on sites, monuments, and attractions from presidential homes to the best modern re-enactments, Presidents, Battles, and Must-See Civil War Destinations helps the whole family experience and enjoy history together.