North Carolina

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.

Confederate Generals of North Carolina provides a brief but compelling biography of each of the forty-eight Confederate Generals who served from North Carolina during the Civil War. Each biography includes in addition to the war service a summary of a general's prewar and postwar careers. Author Joe Mobley (editor of the North Carolina Historical Review) also discusses the generals collectively: how many were killed or wounded, who attended West Point before the war, who achieved the highest levels of success both on and off the battlefield, and more.

Though most of the events in the French and Indian War took place hundreds of miles away, North Carolina was not exempt from its impact. As the European forces of France, Spain, Great Britain and their American Indian allies brought war to the New World, the colony mobilized troops, raised money, built forts and participated in several arduous military campaigns. The war had a huge influence on the colony, including a dramatic conflict between the colonial Governor Arthur Dobbs and the colonial legislature over how many troops to raise and how it would be funded. This led to an increasing sense of independence from Britain that would continue to build after the war was over. Join historian and author John R. Maass as he chronicles a significant yet often overlooked North Carolina history..

Join journalist and historian Jim Wise as he follows Sherman's last march through the Tar Heel State from Wilson's Store to the surrender at Bennett Place. Retrace the steps of the soldiers at Averasboro and Bentonville. Learn about what the civilians faced as the Northern army approached and view the modern landscape through their eyes. Whether you are on the road or in a comfortable armchair, you will enjoy this memorable, well-researched account of General Sherman's North Carolina campaign and the brave men and women who stood in his path.

Civil War scholar Michael Hardy delves into the story of North Carolina's Confederate past, from civilians to soldiers, as these Tar Heels proved they were a force to be reckoned with.

"First at Bethel, farthest at Gettysburg and Chickamauga and last at Appomattox" is a phrase that is often used to encapsulate the role of North Carolina's Confederate soldiers. Tar Heels witnessed the pitched battles of New Bern, Averysboro and Bentonville, as well as incursions like Sherman's March and Stoneman's Raid. The state was one of the last to leave the Union but contributed more men and sustained more dead than any other Southern state. This inclusive history of the Old North State is a must-read for any Civil War buff!

Ocracoke, a unique part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore with it's own dialect, captures a unique charm and spirit of community developed from its beginning in the 1580s as Wokokon Inlet.

Wokokon Inlet appeared on maps drawn by Englishman John White as early as the 1580s. The name evolved into Ocracoke, and by 1715, pilots were established on the island in order to safely navigate ships through the dangerous shoals. The village itself, once called Pilot Town, is rich with history that includes pirates, ponies, shipwrecks, hurricanes, and the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina. The infamous Blackbeard died here in 1718. Throughout its history, Ocracoke has been accessible only by mail boat, ferry, or private boat or plane. The Navy base established here during World War II and the Coast Guard have both made lasting impressions upon the island. Ocracoke grew into a vibrant fishing village for commercial and sport fishermen as well as a destination for hunters. The people of Ocracoke made this island a true treasure, having a distinctive brogue all their own. Today, the pristine, unspoiled beaches of Ocracoke remain part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and are maintained by the National Park Service. The village itself has retained its unique charm and community spirit.

From the rocky slopes of Kings Mountain to the plains of Hannah's Cowpens, the Carolina backcountry hosted two of the Revolutionary War's most critical battles

On October 7, 1780, the Battle of Kings Mountain utilized guerilla techniques - American Over Mountain Men wearing buckskin and hunting shirts and armed with hunting rifles attacked Loyalist troops from behind trees, resulting in an overwhelming Patriot victory. In January of the next year, the Battle of Cowpens saw a different strategy but a similar outcome: with brilliant military precision, Continental Regulars, dragoons, and Patriot militia executed the war's only successful double envelopment maneuver to defeat the British. Using firsthand accounts and careful analysis of the best classic and modern scholarship on the subject, historian Robert Brown demonstrates how the combination of both battles facilitated the downfall of General Charles Cornwallis and led to the Patriot victory in America.

In the winter of 1861, Union armies had failed to win any significant victories over their Confederate counterparts. The Northern populace, overwhelmed by the bloodshed, questioned whether the costs of the war were too high. President Lincoln despondently wondered if he was going to lose the Union. As a result, tension was incredibly high when Union hero Ambrose Burnside embarked for coastal North Carolina. With the eyes of the nation and world on little Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks, Burnside began his amphibious assault on the beaches and earned a victory that shifted control of Southern waters. Join author and historian Michael Zatarga as he traces the story of the crucial fight on Roanoke Island.

World War II served as a rallying call in Asheville and Western North Carolina, putting the citizens back to work. Asheville's two strongest economic sectors, tourism and medicine; its beautiful isolation; and advanced hospitals served the nation's needs during the Second World War. The United States secreted German and Japanese businessmen, federal agencies, and valuable art in these mountains, and recuperating soldiers found solace in the camps and inns. Meanwhile our citizens-black and white men, women, and children-offered themselves up for service. Images of America: Asheville and Western North Carolina in World War II tells their stories, from Pearl Harbor's bombing to the study of the long-term effects of radiation on the Japanese, from the far Pacific to stateside support groups and local sacrifices.

In 1906, the North Carolina state legislature established Camp Glenn as the permanent summer training camp for the North Carolina National Guard. The camp's chosen site, located three miles west of Morehead City, was ideally situated on a sandy stretch of firm, high, and well-drained land overlooking Bogue Sound. A large parade ground adjoined the camp, and it was level as a floor and could accommodate the entire North Carolina National Guard. Although it was first established as a target practice field, in later years, the camp became the first US Coast Guard air station and later a US Navy base. Camp Glenn was the mobilization site for National Guard troops sent to the Mexican border during the 1916 Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa led by Gen. John J. "Black Jack" Pershing. Citizen soldiers who trained at Camp Glenn also fought in World Wars I and II protecting North Carolina's coastline and battling for the United States in Europe.

Through photographs of veterans and reunions, monuments, and tombstones, Hardy shows the many ways that the old Confederate soldiers are commemorated across the Old North State.

The American Civil War was scarcely over when a group of ladies met in Raleigh and began to plan commemoration for the honored Confederate dead of North Carolina. In 1867, they held their first memorial service. Two years later in Fayetteville, the first monument to the state's fallen Confederate soldiers was erected. Over the next 14 decades, countless monuments were commissioned in cemeteries and courthouse squares across the state. Following Reconstruction, the veterans themselves began to gather in their local communities, and state and national reunions were held. For many of the Confederate veterans, honor for their previous service continued long after their deaths: accounts of their sacrifice were often chiseled on their grave markers.

Pamlico Sound is one of the most storied bodies of water among North Carolina's Outer Banks. Early colonists to Roanoke Island used it for protection. Blackbeard the pirate was killed there in 1718, and General Washington relied on it for transportation in the Revolutionary War. It wasn't a surprise, then, that the Confederate bastion of Fort Ocracoke was built in those same waters. Said to be capable of mounting fifty guns, the fort was part of the coastal defense system of the state. After Union victories on nearby Hatteras Island, the fort was destroyed and its whereabouts lost for generations. Author Robert K. Smith led an archaeological mission to find the once lost fort and presents the harrowing story of its past and discovery for the first time.

Though always an important North Carolina city, Charlotte truly helped to make history during the Civil War. The city's factories produced gunpowder, percussion caps, and medicine for the Confederate cause. Perhaps most importantly, Charlotte housed the Confederate Naval Ordnance Depot and Naval Works, manufacturing iron for ironclad vessels and artillery projectiles, and providing valuable ammunition for the South. Charlotte also sent over 2,500 men into the Confederate army, and played home to a military hospital, a Ladies Aid Society, a prison and even the mysterious Confederate gold. When Richmond fell, Jefferson Davis set up his headquarters in Charlotte, making it the unofficial capital. Join historian Michael C. Hardy as he recounts the triumphs and struggles of Queen City civilians and soldiers in the Civil War.

As centuries turn and decades pass, many wars and major historical events fade into the national memory as bold-face words in our history textbooks. However, the Civil War is unique, in that it still remains a heavily discussed, published, and debated topic in today's society. No other war has struck such a chord in our country's consciousness, combining romantic notions of glory and chivalry with horrific images of death and devastation, both of the landscape and its people. Entire libraries of books are devoted to discussing the battles, the tactics, and machines of warfare, the strategies of notable and eccentric commanders, and the biographies of the many larger-than-life personalities conducting the war, both civilian and military. But like most wars, the Civil War was a "rich man's war, but a poor man's fight." It is the story of the common soldier's plight that is most engaging, for it is in those stories in which one sees the true effects the war had on the people and time. The Tar Heel State provided much of the manpower behind the Confederate armies and thus, sacrificed many of its fathers and sons for the Confederate cause. An eclectic scrapbook of sorts,
Piedmont Soldiers and Their Families details, in word and image, the lives of some of those common soldiers and their families in Forsyth, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin, and Davidson Counties, allowing today's readers an opportunity to explore the lives of their ancestors affected by the war.

This highly anticipated follow-up to Rutherford County in World War II continues to illustrate the tremendous contributions of a brave community to the World War II effort. Rutherford County residents participated in almost every major campaign of the war, including Pearl Harbor, the air offensive in Europe, and D-Day, and those on the home front did all they could to support the troops. These patriotic photographs-many of which were collected by the authors during personal interviews with local veterans and other dedicated residents-memorialize this proud county's service and commitment to the war effort.

North Carolina's Hatteras Island was home to many Civil War firsts--among them the first Confederate capture of an armed Union vessel and the first combined amphibious assault of the Confederate army and navy. The Confederates' desire to regain control of this Outer Banks island and Hatteras Inlet saw the capture of the U.S. gunboat Fanny and led to the famous Chicamacomico Affair at Live Oak encampment. The skirmish featured harrowing acts of valor by the Twentieth Indiana Regiment, as well as a path toward victory for the Confederate forces. Follow alongside author Lee Oxford as he offers a detailed portrait of the sands of Live Oak and discover in vivid detail a remarkable story of war.

Situated on the northern end of North Carolina's picturesque Outer Banks, Elizabeth City has a strong aviation tradition.

The Wright brothers used the ""Harbor of Hospitality"" as a final way station before traveling on to Kitty Hawk. This coastal town has been the center of United States Coast Guard Aviation since the establishment of the only Coast Guard-owned airport in 1939. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City began as an installation of six seaplanes operating off of the Pasquotank River. During World War II, the population ballooned to 8,000 assigned personnel. Post-war USCG Aviation expansion saw the addition of many maintenance functions that led to the creation of the Aviation Repair and Supply Base, the center of USCG Aviation maintenance. The base was expanded with a separate air station, the Aviation Technical Training Center, CG Aviation's schoolhouse, Support Center Elizabeth City, and Small Boat Station Elizabeth City. The mission of providing the finest aviation maintenance to Coast Guard Aviation and the highest level of service to mariners of the Virginia Capes and Outer Banks remains an integral part of the installation.

Rutherford County gave generously and selflessly to World War II. Local men and women participated in every significant engagement of the war, in every imaginable capacity, and in every branch of service-from the infantrymen, to the sailors, to airmen, to Marines. These individuals gave their best, distinguishing themselves with bravery, dignity, and unselfishness. At Pearl Harbor, Seaman Mark Alexander Rhodes died on the USS Arizona, and sacrifices continued from December 1941 through 1945. One hundred forty-nine men from the county died and nearly 5,000 others-almost a quarter of the county's men and twice the county's portion-served their nation and served it well. At home, window banners displayed blue stars for each child serving and gold stars for each who died. Three county families displayed two gold stars. Joseph A. McKinney sent seven sons; only five returned. County veterans received almost every commendation, but most have not shared their distinguished services, their memories, or their photographs-until now.

In the spring of 1865, George Stoneman's cavalry division departed Salisbury, North Carolina, with one objective in mind: returning home. However, after the collapse of the Confederacy, the mounted division was ordered to apprehend the exiled Confederate president Jefferson Davis, even if it meant follow[ing] him to the ends of the earth.� By May, the raid had transformed into an uphill struggle of frustration, pillage, revenge, terror and wavering loyalty to the flag as the troopers crashed down on the civilian populations that lay in their path with demonical ferocity. Taking into account local folklore and traditions of the raid, historian Beau Blackwell follows the column's course as it sacks the city of Asheville, canvasses the Palmetto State, plunders Greenville, terrorizes Anderson and ultimately tramples the soil of Georgia.

In 1860, leading citizens of Greensboro emotionally beseeched all residents to remain citizens of the United States during the turbulent days preceding the War between the States. Peace efforts failed after Pres. Abraham Lincoln wired Gov. John Willis Ellis of North Carolina to send troops to contain the rebellion in Charleston, South Carolina. After Lincoln's request for troops, the State of North Carolina officially severed relations with the United States on May 20, 1861. The citizens of Greensboro immediately went to work providing for their sons, brothers, and husbands serving in the army of the Confederate States of America. In 1865, Federal and Confederate troops converged on Greensboro. Images of America: Greensboro's Confederate Soldiers tells the story of the men wearing the gray uniform of the Confederate States of America. Additionally, the little-known stories of mothers, wives, and children left at home to fend for themselves while praying for, providing for, and maintaining the home front are told for the first time.