The idea for this book was born in the faculty lounge of the History Department at Tennessee Tech University in the spring of 2006. My fellow historians Larry Whiteaker and Calvin Dickinson and I were sitting around discussing the fact that, despite the historical ties between Kentucky and Tennessee, little has been written focusing exclusively on these two states during the Civil War period. We agreed that a collection of essays on the subject was warranted and would constitute an important contribution to Civil War scholarship. After brainstorming among ourselves on the names of historians who had written on the war in either of these states, we soon found ourselves with an impressive list of potential contributors—long-established historians as well as up-and-comers. We promptly contacted the names on our list, and the response to our query was overwhelmingly positive. Most of those we contacted agreed to contribute essays; a handful declined but submitted the names of other scholars who might be interested. All, however, thought the project was a good idea. Our next step was to contact Joyce Harrison, then editor-in-chief at the University Press of Kentucky, who immediately and enthusiastically expressed interest in the project. We all agreed to move forward. The rest is, as they say, history.
There is to be found in this volume a wealth of material not previously published. Those looking for an account of the military campaigns in these states will not find it here. The essays in this volume focus instead on the political, economic, and social conditions in Kentucky and Tennessee before, during, and immediately after the Civil War. But, as they demonstrate, there is much of value to be learned about the Civil War other than military matters.
Taking a book from the point of inspiration to the publication stage requires the involvement of many individuals. First of all, we would like to thank the scholars who contributed essays. Their enthusiasm for this project and eagerness to contribute to it made the endeavor much less burden-some than it might have been. We would also like to acknowledge our debt to the University Press of Kentucky, in particular, Stephen Wrinn, Laura Sutton, Mack McCormick, Ila McEntire, Pat Gonzales, Ann Malcolm, and Joseph Brown. Without their expertise and nurture, this book would not have been possible. We are very grateful to Charles P. Roland, Nat Hughes, and John V. Cimprich for reading the manuscript and offering their support for the project.
We would also like to thank our colleagues in the History Department at Tennessee Tech, who continually expressed interest in and support for this project through all its stages.
Civil War–era battlefields and fort sites in Kentucky and Tennessee. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-93300.