Kirk's Civil War Raids Along the Blue Ridge

by Michael C. Hardy

Overview

In the Southern Appalachian Mountains, no character was more loved or despised than George W. Kirk.

This inured Union officer led a group of deserters on numerous raids between Tennessee and North Carolina in 1863, terrorizing Confederate soldiers and civilians alike. At Camp Vance in Morganton, Kirk's mounted raiders showcased guerrilla warfare penetrating deep within Confederate territory. As Home Guards struggled to keep Western North Carolina communities safe, Kirk's men brought fear and violence throughout the region for their ability to strike and create havoc without warning. Civil War historian Michael C. Hardy examines the infamous history of George W. Kirk and the Civil War along the Blue Ridge.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625858467
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	03/05/2018
Series:	Civil War Series
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	1,038,539
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Michael Hardy has authored twenty-two books, and his articles have appeared in Civil War Times, America's Civil War, North and South, Gettysburg Magazine, the Tar Heel Junior Historians and Confederate Veteran. Since 2014 he has reviewed books for Blue and Gray magazine. Michael is also the past chair of the Yancey Historical Association and the Avery County Historical Society and Museum. Since 2011, he has been a volunteer-in-parks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, providing historic interpretation about the Civil War in the mountains. In 2015, the Hardy family was named as volunteers of the year for the Pisgah District, Blue Ridge Parkway. Hardy was awarded the 2010 historian of the year award by the North Carolina Society of Historians. Michael lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife Elizabeth, and children Nathaniel and Isabella. You can learn more through his blog Looking for North Carolina's Civil War or his web page, www.michaelchardy.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 1861: "We Are All Terribly Excited Here" 11

2 1862: "This County Is a Perfect Den of Thieves and Tories" 34

3 1863: "There Is No Doubt a Considerable Amount of Renegades Scattered Over the Mountains" 51

4 1864: "Time Will Suffice to Tell You of All the Horrors to Which They Are Exposed" 87

5 1865: "Depredations of Guerrillas, Bushwhackers and Similar Assassins" 124

6 Postwar: "Take Your Damn Family…and Never Come Back Here Again" 150

7 Looking for Kirk's War 158

Appendix: The Role of African Americans in the Border War 165

Notes 169

Index 185

About the Author 191

Editorial Reviews

"Hardy illuminates through words, photos and intricately conducted research the defining moments of the Civil War in the southern Appalachians. Hardy draws on more than 200 sources to reconstruct this history book that reads like a novel." Mountain Xpress


"For any student of Civil War history, this well-researched volume will make a fine addition to the enthusiast's library. On a broader scale, this book will also have appeal to those interested in learning more about the history of this area. For those wanting to go beyond the highway markers, "Kirk's Civil War Raids along the Blue Ridge" is an excellent place to start." Watauga Democrat




"Southern Unionism and the irregular war on the home front have been popular topics of late, and it looks like the book will be a great resource for those wishing to know more about Southern Appalachia's "inner war." Before Hardy's book came along, options beyond Matt Bumgarner's Kirk's Raiders (2000), which I haven't read, seem to have been pretty slim." Civil War Books and Authors

From the Publisher