Reconstruction's Ragged Edge: The Politics of Postwar Life in the Southern Mountains (Civil War America)

Setting the stage: antebellum and Civil War western North Carolina -- Mountain masters without slaves: the aftermath of slavery, 1865-1867 -- Great time for the Tories and Negroes: loyalty, race, and power, 1865-1868 -- Agents of change: the Freedmen's Bureau, 1867-1868 -- Every thing that the devil can suggest: Klan violence and the Republicans' failure, 1868-1872 -- The beginning of a "new" mountain South: agriculture, railroads, and social change, 1872-1880.;"Nash analyzes the unfolding of Reconstruction in the mountain counties of southern Appalachia, focusing on the particular ways that region's patterns of development, relatively low levels of prewar slaveholding, political allegiances, histories of violence, etc., shaped the era politically and socially. Nash chronicles the region's political transformation, first as a new politics predicated on wartime loyalty rose in place of the prewar partisan system. He argues this first transition was followed by a further transformation as anti-Confederates relied on the federal government (mostly in the form of the Freedmen's Bureau) to establish a coherent party and platform in the region. Finally, Nash shows how the Conservative resurgence toppled this new regime, with conservatives aggressively courting new economic development schemes in order to connect the region into the burgeoning national markets"-- Nash Analyzes The Unfolding Of Reconstruction In The Mountain Counties Of Southern Appalachia, Focusing On The Particular Ways That Region's Patterns Of Development, Relatively Low Levels Of Prewar Slaveholding, Political Allegiances, Histories Of Violence, Etc., Shaped The Era Politically And Socially. Nash Chronicles The Region's Political Transformation, First As A New Politics Predicated On Wartime Loyalty Rose In Place Of The Prewar Partisan System. He Argues This First Transition Was Followed By A Further Transformation As Anti-confederates Relied On The Federal Government (mostly In The Form Of The Freedmen's Bureau) To Establish A Coherent Party And Platform In The Region. Finally, Nash Shows How The Conservative Resurgence Toppled This New Regime, With Conservatives Aggressively Courting New Economic Development Schemes In Order To Connect The Region Into The Burgeoning National Markets-- Setting The Stage: Antebellum And Civil War Western North Carolina -- Mountain Masters Without Slaves: The Aftermath Of Slavery, 1865-1867 -- Great Time For The Tories And Negroes: Loyalty, Race, And Power, 1865-1868 -- Agents Of Change: The Freedmen's Bureau, 1867-1868 -- Every Thing That The Devil Can Suggest: Klan Violence And The Republicans' Failure, 1868-1872 -- The Beginning Of A New Mountain South: Agriculture, Railroads, And Social Change, 1872-1880. Steven E. Nash. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 12 INTRODUCTION 18 CHAPTER ONE: Setting the Stage: Antebellum and Civil War Western North Carolina 26 CHAPTER TWO: Mountain Masters without Slaves: The Aftermath of Slavery, 1865–1867 45 CHAPTER THREE: Great Time for the Tories and Negroes: Loyalty, Race, and Power, 1865–1868 71 CHAPTER FOUR: Agents of Change: The Freedmen’s Bureau, 1867–1868 106 CHAPTER FIVE: Every Thing That the Devil Can Suggest: Klan Violence and the Republicans’ Failure, 1868–1872 135 CHAPTER SIX: The Beginning of a “New” Mountain South: Agriculture, Railroads, and Social Change, 1872–1880 166 Conclusion 195 Notes 202 Bibliography 256 Index 280 A 280 B 281 C 281 D 282 E 282 F 282 G 283 H 283 I 284 J 284 K 284 L 284 M 285 N 285 O 286 P 286 R 286 S 287 T 288 U 288 V 288 W 288 Y 289 In this illuminating study, Steven E. Nash chronicles the history of Reconstruction as it unfolded in the mountains of western North Carolina. Nash presents a complex story of the region's grappling with the war's aftermath, examining the persistent wartime loyalties that informed bitter power struggles between factions of white mountaineers determined to rule. For a brief period, an influx of federal governmental power enabled white anti-Confederates to ally with former slaves in order to lift the Republican Party to power locally and in the state as a whole. Republican success led to a violent response from a transformed class of elites, however, who claimed legitimacy from the antebellum period while pushing for greater integration into the market-oriented New South. Focusing on a region that is still underrepresented in the Reconstruction historiography, Nash illuminates the diversity and complexity of Appalachian political and economic machinations, while bringing to light the broad and complicated issues the era posed to the South and the nation as a whole. "Nash analyzes the unfolding of Reconstruction in the mountain counties of southern Appalachia, focusing on the particular ways that region's patterns of development, relatively low levels of prewar slaveholding, political allegiances, histories of violence, etc., shaped the era politically and socially. Nash chronicles the region's political transformation, first as a new politics predicated on wartime loyalty rose in place of the prewar partisan system. He argues this first transition was followed by a further transformation as anti-Confederates relied on the federal government (mostly in the form of the Freedmen's Bureau) to establish a coherent party and platform in the region. Finally, Nash shows how the Conservative resurgence toppled this new regime, with conservatives aggressively courting new economic development schemes in order to connect the region into the burgeoning national markets"-- Provided by publisher