Perhaps more than any other citizens of the nation, Kentuckians
held conflicted loyalties during the American Civil War. As a
border state, Kentucky was largely pro-slavery but had an economy
tied as much to the North as to the South. State government
officials tried to keep Kentucky neutral, hoping to play a lead
role in compromise efforts between the Union and the Confederacy,
but that stance failed to satisfy supporters of both sides, all of
whom considered the state's backing crucial to victory. President
Abraham Lincoln is reported to have once remarked, "I hope to have
God on my side, but I must have Kentucky." Kentucky did side with
Lincoln, officially aligning itself with the Union in 1861. But the
conflicted loyalties of Kentucky's citizens continued to impact the
state's role in the Civil War. When forced to choose between North
and South, Kentuckians made the choice as individuals. Many men
opted to fight for the Confederate army, where a great number of
them rose to high ranks. With Kentuckians in Gray: Confederate
Generals and Field Officers of the Bluegrass State, editors Bruce
S. Allardice and Lawrence Lee Hewitt present a volume that examines
the lives of these gray-clad warriors. Some of the Kentuckians to
serve as Confederate generals are well recognized in state history,
such as John Hunt Morgan, John Bell Hood, and Albert Sidney
Johnston. However, as the Civil War slips further and further into
the past, many other Confederate leaders from the Commonwealth have
been forgotten. Kentuckians in Gray contains full biographies of
thirty-nine Confederate generals. Its principal subjects are native
Kentuckians or commanders of brigades of Kentucky troops, such as
Morgan. The first complete reference source of its type on Kentucky
Civil War history, the book contains the most definitive
biographies of these generals ever assembled, as well as short
biographical sketches on every field officer to serve in a Kentucky
unit. This comprehensive collection recognizes Kentucky's pivotal
role in the War between the States, imparting the histories of men
who fought "brother against brother" more than any other set of
military leaders. Kentuckians in Gray is an invaluable resource for
researchers and enthusiasts of Kentucky history and the American
Civil War.
General
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