The Kirkland BushwhackersThe Kirkland Bushwhackers
This week, we tell a story from the lawless mountain border between western North Carolina and east Tennessee during the Civil War. As great battles raged elsewhere, outlaws and deserters
Category: The Civil War
The Long-Haired Red-Bearded Beast of Georgia: John Pemberton GatewoodThe Long-Haired Red-Bearded Beast of Georgia: John Pemberton Gatewood
John Pemberton Gatewood was a notorious Confederate bushwhacker/guerrilla leader. Born in Fentress County, Tennessee, in 1844, Gatewood’s life took a dark turn after a Union attack on his family
The Confederate Exodus: The Story of Ezekiel Pyles And The ConfederadosThe Confederate Exodus: The Story of Ezekiel Pyles And The Confederados
After the Civil War, thousands of defeated Confederates refused to live under the Union flag. Instead, they packed up their families and headed for new lives in South America in
Bloody Vengeance in Appalachia: The Battle of Dug Hill/The Officer House MassacreBloody Vengeance in Appalachia: The Battle of Dug Hill/The Officer House Massacre
In March 1864, Union Colonel William B. Stokes and his cavalry were ambushed at Dug Hill, in Tennessee, leaving dozens of his men dead. Enraged, Stokes led a brutal raid
Tennessee’s Pivotal Step Toward ReconstructionTennessee’s Pivotal Step Toward Reconstruction
On this day in 1865, Tennessee took a critical step in rejoining the Union by ratifying a new state constitution. Under the leadership of Military Governor Andrew Johnson—appointed by President
From Union to Secession: Tennessee’s Dramatic Shift in 1861From Union to Secession: Tennessee’s Dramatic Shift in 1861
In early 1861, Tennessee appeared to be firmly committed to the Union. On February 9, a statewide vote rejected holding a secession convention, with 54% of Tennesseans voting against the
Chief Nimrod Jarrett Smith: How One Cherokee Leader Changed HistoryChief Nimrod Jarrett Smith: How One Cherokee Leader Changed History
Nimrod Jarrett Smith, born in 1832 near Murphy, North Carolina, was a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee who played a crucial role in shaping the tribe’s future.