Race, War, and Remembrance in the Appalachian South

413 Pages·2008·2.407 MB·English

by  John C. Inscoe

Praise for Race, War, and Remembrance in the
Appalachian South
“Deftly combining telling detail with cautious generalization, Inscoe
offers us a nuanced interpretation of race, war, and remembrance in
the era of Appalachia’s ‘discovery’ and describes how ideas born in
this era survive today to shape Appalachia’s problematic but persis-
tent identity, both as a region apart and as a part of the South. The
book is essential reading for anyone fascinated by this special and
complicated part of the world.”
—John Alexander Williams, Appalachian State University
“No historian better captures the complex conjunction of Appala-
chia, race, and the American South before and after the Civil War
than does John Inscoe. His greatest contribution in this fine volume
of essays lies in his ability, amidst lucid analysis and explication, to
illuminate the contradictions and ambiguities inherent in this fasci-
nating region.”
—Durwood Dunn, Tennessee Wesleyan College
“For a quarter of a century John Inscoe has dedicated himself to res-
cuing nineteenth-century Appalachia, and its involvement in the sec-
tional conflict in particular, from the disdain of history. Each essay
makes essential reading; together they provide a compelling overview
of the political, racial, and familial imperatives governing upcoun-
try survival in the crucible of war.”
—Martin Crawford, Keele University
“Over the last two decades, John Inscoe’s pathbreaking scholarship
did nothing less than redefine what scholars think and write about
life in antebellum and Civil War Appalachia. Consistently exciting
and enlightening, these essays not only represent penetrating histori-
cal research at its best, but stand as milestones in an ongoing revision-
ist conversation that continues to revolutionize southern history.”
—Kenneth W. Noe, author of Perryville: This Grand Havoc of Battle
Praise for Race, War, and Remembrance in the
Appalachian South, continued
“Meticulously researched, unfailingly judicious and balanced, these
essays highlight Inscoe’s defining strengths as a scholar.”
—Robert Tracy McKenzie, University of Washington
“John Inscoe’s broad imagination, deep research, and engaging writ-
ing over the past two decades have given us new ways to think about
Appalachia and the South. He has led the way in shaping how we
understand race and the Civil War in these contexts. His deep empa-
thy for the people he studies is balanced by a careful analysis of their
thoughts and actions. Inscoe clarifies the complex history of Appala-
chia and, by extension, enables us to see more clearly the South and
the United States.”
—David C. Hsiung, author of Two Worlds in the Tennessee Moun-
tains: Exploring the Origins of Appalachian Stereotypes
Race, War, and
Remembrance in the
Appalachian South

Race War
, ,
and
Remembrance

in the
Appalachian
South
John C. Inscoe
The University Press of Kentucky
Copyright © 2008 by The University Press of Kentucky
Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth,
serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre
College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University,
The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College,
Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University,
Morehead State University, Murray State University,
Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University,
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville,
and Western Kentucky University.
All rights reserved.
Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008
www.kentuckypress.com
12 11 10 09 08 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Inscoe, John C., 1951–
Race, war, and remembrance in the Appalachian South / by John C. Inscoe.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8131-2499-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Appalachian Region, Southern—Race relations—History—19th century.
2. Slavery—Appalachian Region, Southern—History—19th century. 3. Mountain
life—Appalachian Region, Southern—History—19th century. 4. Community life—
Appalachian Region, Southern—History—19th century. 5. United States—History—
Civil War, 1861–1865—Social aspects. 6. Appalachian Region, Southern—History,
Military—19th century. 7. Guerrilla warfare—Appalachian Region, Southern—
History—19th century. 8. United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—
Underground movements. 9. Appalachian Region, Southern—In literature. 10.
Appalachian Region, Southern—In motion pictures. I. Title.
F217.A65I57 2008
973.7'115—dc22
2008013170
This book is printed on acid-free recycled paper meeting
the requirements of the American National Standard
for Permanence in Paper for Printed Library Materials.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Member of the Association of
American University Presses
To Meg and Clay

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Race
1. Race and Racism in Nineteenth-Century Appalachia: Myths,
Realities, and Ambiguities 13
2. Between Bondage and Freedom: Confronting the Variables of
Appalachian Slavery and Slaveholding 46
3. Olmsted in Appalachia: A Connecticut Yankee Encounters
Slavery in the Southern Highlands, 1854 65
4. Mountain Masters as Confederate Opportunists: The Slave
Trade in Western North Carolina, 1861–1865 80
War
5. The Secession Crisis and Regional Self-Image: The Contrasting
Cases of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee 103
6. Highland Households Divided: Familial Deceptions, Diver-
sions, and Divisions in Southern Appalachia’s Inner Civil War
with Gordon B. McKinney 124
7. Coping in Confederate Appalachia: Portrait of a Mountain
Woman and Her Community at War 144