The Civil War In North Carolina Volume 1 The Piedmont

“I think that we can hold our position here against any force that the enemy can bring against us, as we have an admirable position & are all ready. I can give you no idea when the general attack will take place. It may be this evening, tomorrow or at any moment as both parties are apparently ready & we have nothing to do but pitch in.”—Captain Charles C. Blacknall, “Granville Rifles,” Company G, 23rd North Carolina Troops, Yorktown, Virginia, April 22, 1862 This work is a compilation of letters and diary entries (and a few other documents) that tell the Civil War experiences of soldiers and citizens from 29 North Carolina counties: Alamance, Alexander, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Catawba, Chatham, Cleveland, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Gaston, Granville, Guilford, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Orange, Person, Randolph, Richmond, Rockingham, Rowan, Stanly, Stokes, Union, and Yadkin. The book is arranged chronologically, 1861 through 1865, and a chart at the beginning of each chapter tells the date, subject, document type (letter, diary entry, or other), author, recipient, and the home county and unit of soldiers.

“You will perceive by this I am at least in the Confederate service.... Since I have been here I have had a severe sickness but am glad to say at present I am well though I fear my sickness would have incapacitated me for active service.... In all probability our regiment will be stationed here permanently for the winter to guard the bridge across the Watauga River...”—Private John H. Phillips, Company E, 62nd Regiment NC Troops, Camp Carter, Tennessee, October 13, 1862 This work presents letters and diary entries (and a few other documents) that tell the Civil War experiences of soldiers and civilians from the mountain counties of North Carolina: Alleghany, Ashe, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey. The book is arranged chronologically, 1861 through 1865. Before each letter or diary entry, background information is provided about the writer.

You will perceive by this I am at least in the Confederate service.... Since I have been here I have had a severe sickness but am glad to say at present I am well though I fear my sickness would have incapacitated me for active service.... In all probability our regiment will be stationed here permanently for the winter to guard the bridge across the Watauga River...--Private John H. Phillips, Company E, 62nd Regiment NC Troops, Camp Carter, Tennessee, October 13, 1862. As with volume 1 (The Piedmont), this work presents letters and diary entries (and a few other documents) that tell the experiences of soldiers and civilians from the mountain counties of North Carolina during the Civil War. The counties included are Alleghany, Ashe, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey. The book is arranged chronologically, 1861 through 1865. Before each letter or diary entry, background information is provided about the writer.

As centuries turn and decades pass, many wars and major historical events fade into the national memory as bold-face words in our history textbooks. However, the Civil War is unique, in that it still remains a heavily discussed, published, and debated topic in todays society. No other war has struck such a chord in our countrys consciousness, combining romantic notions of glory and chivalry with horrific images of death and devastation, both of the landscape and its people. Entire libraries of books are devoted to discussing the battles, the tactics, and machines of warfare, the strategies of notable and eccentric commanders, and the biographies of the many larger-than-life personalities conducting the war, both civilian and military. But like most wars, the Civil War was a rich mans war, but a poor mans fight. It is the story of the common soldiers plight that is most engaging, for it is in those stories in which one sees the true effects the war had on the people and time. The Tar Heel State provided much of the manpower behind the Confederate armies and thus, sacrificed many of its fathers and sons for the Confederate cause. An eclectic scrapbook of sorts, Piedmont Soldiers and Their Families details, in word and image, the lives of some of those common soldiers and their families in Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin, and Davidson Counties, allowing todays readers an opportunity to explore the lives of their ancestors affected by the war.

The American Civil War had a devastating impact on countless numbers of common soldiers and civilians. This book shows how average Americans coped with despair as well as hope during this vast upheaval.

Although North Carolina was a "home front" state rather than a battlefield state for most of the Civil War, it was heavily involved in the Confederate war effort and experienced many conflicts as a result. North Carolinians were divided over the issue of secession, and changes in race and gender relations brought new controversy. Blacks fought for freedom, women sought greater independence, and their aspirations for change stimulated fierce resistance from more privileged groups. Republicans and Democrats fought over power during Reconstruction and for decades thereafter disagreed over the meaning of the war and Reconstruction. With contributions by well-known historians as well as talented younger scholars, this volume offers new insights into all the key issues of the Civil War era that played out in pronounced ways in the Tar Heel State. In nine essays composed specifically for this volume, contributors address themes such as ambivalent whites, freed blacks, the political establishment, racial hopes and fears, postwar ideology, and North Carolina women. These issues of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras were so powerful that they continue to agitate North Carolinians today. Contributors: David Brown, Manchester University Judkin Browning, Appalachian State University Laura F. Edwards, Duke University Paul D. Escott, Wake Forest University John C. Inscoe, University of Georgia Chandra Manning, Georgetown University Barton A. Myers, University of Georgia Steven E. Nash, University of Georgia Paul Yandle, West Virginia University Karin Zipf, East Carolina University

A comprehensive, illustrated history of North Carolina spanning from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. When first released in 2005, The Tar Heel State was celebrated as a comprehensive contribution to North Carolina’s historical record. In this revised edition, historian Milton Ready brings the text up to date, sharpens his narrative on the periods surrounding the American Revolution and the Civil War, and offers new chapters on the 1920s; World War II and the 1950s; and the confrontation between Jim Hunt, North Carolina’s longest-serving governor, and Jesse Helms, a transformational, if controversial, political presence in the state for more than thirty years. Ready’s distinctive view of the state’s history integrates tales of famous pioneers, statesmen, soldiers, farmers, and captains of industry; as well as community leaders with often-marginalized voices, including those of African Americans, women, and the LGBTQ+ community that have roiled North Carolina for decades. This beautifully illustrated volume gives readers a view of North Carolina that encompasses perspectives from the coast, the Tobacco Road region, the Piedmont, and the mountains. From the civil rights struggle to the building of research triangles, triads, and parks, Ready recounts the people, events, and dramatic demographic shifts since the 1990s, as well as the state’s role in the rise of modern political conservatism and subsequent emergence as a modern megastate. In a concluding chapter Ready assesses the current state of North Carolina, noting the conflicting legacies of progressivism and conservatism that continue to influence the state’s political, social, and cultural identities. “Ready provides a skillful and well-written addition to the state’s historical literature.” —Jeffrey Crow, author of New Voyages to Carolina: Reinterpreting North Carolina History” “An eminently readable, fast-paced, and thorough survey of North Carolina’s past.” —Alan D. Watson, University of North Carolina at Wilmington “A scholarly and compelling story of the divergent experiences of the state’s masses—full of interesting facts and details that are often absent in other studies on the same subject.” —Joyce Blackwell, president, The Institute for Educational Research, Development and Training “It is essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand the history of North Carolina and will be of immense benefit to those interested in the roles African Americans have played throughout the history of the state.” —Olen Cole Jr., North Carolina A&T State University

“More than yet another drums and bugles account of a Civil War battle . . . Smith and Sokolosky fully understand the importance of logistics in warfare.” —The Civil War Monitor The Battle of Wise’s (Wyse) Forks, March 7–11, 1865, has long been thought of as nothing more than an insignificant skirmish during the final days of the Civil War and relegated to a passing reference in a footnote if it is mentioned at all. Mark A. Smith’s and Wade Sokolosky’s “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming” erases this misconception and elevates this combat and its related operations to the historical status it deserves. By March 1865, the Confederacy was on its last legs. Gen. William T. Sherman was operating with nearly complete freedom in North Carolina on his way north to form a junction with Union forces in Virginia. To divert troops away from Sherman, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston executed a bold but risky plan. The Confederates stood for four days and successfully halted advancing Union troops at Wise’s Forks. This delay provided Johnston with the precious time he needed to concentrate his forces and fight the large and important Battle of Bentonville. “The clear and crisp writing, supplemented with original maps, photos, and wonderful research, means this book deserves a place on the bookshelf of any student of the Carolinas Campaign.” —Eric J. Wittenberg, award-winning Civil War historian and author of Holding the Line on the River of Death “ ‘To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming’ will remain the definitive work on the battle for many years to come.” —Mark L. Bradley, author of Bluecoats & Tar Heels