Mountain Myth: Unionism in Western North Carolina [Hardcover]

Terrell T. Garren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2006

A new book by Civil War author and historian Terrell T. Garren challenges previous historical assumptions regarding Unionism in Western North Carolina. Garren says that readers of his new book "may be surprised to learn that Western North Carolina citizens of that day were as much or more dedicated to the Confederate cause than the people of any other area in the entire South."

Editorial Reviews

Review

Garren "offers a cogent and thorough scholarly analysis of Union and Confederate loyalties during the Civil War." --Rob Neufeld, Asheville Citizen-Times

Terrell T. Garren "spent thousands of hours during the past five years seaching, reading, and counting....military records on both Union and Confederate soldiers....and found that the reports of Unionism during the Civil War in Western North Carolina are overstated." --Jennie Jones Giles, Hendersonville, NC, Times-News

About the Author

Terrell T. Garren is a native of Henderson County, North Carolina. This is his second Civil War book. His first, The Secret of War: A Dramatic History of Civil War Crime in Western North Carolina (2004) has become a regional best seller.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: The Reprint Company, Publishers; 1st edition (November 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871525526
• ISBN-13: 978-0871525529
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,509,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very pleased, February 26, 2008

By 

W Fisher "oldcatawba" (NC, United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mountain Myth: Unionism in Western North Carolina (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book and felt it presents a fact based response to the long held belief that Western North Carolina was seething with Unionism. The actual numbers presented show 1835 Union soldiers versus 26,000 for the Confederacy. I don't expect a wide audience for this book but those interested in North Carolina history especially regarding the Civil War will enjoy it.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Star Research, February 12, 2007

By 

Walter C. Hilderman, III (SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mountain Myth: Unionism in Western North Carolina (Hardcover)

'Mountain Myth's greatest accomplishment is the author's examination of a variety of motivations that have been previously grouped together and mislabeled as "Unionism" among western North Carolinians during the Civil War. Like mountain folk in most Southern states, western North Carolinians were the least likely to support the concept of a strong national government. They were also the most likely to feel abused by any such government that took drastic wartime measures. Most western North Carolina men volunteered for the Confederate army when the war began or, later, reported for duty when conscripted. Others, having neither great loyalty to the United States nor great enthusiasm for the Confederacy, felt they had to choose between several unattractive alternatives: draft-dodging, half-hearted service in the army, or desertion. Terrell Garren's painstaking research indicates that many western North Carolinians agonized over their circumstances and chose what they felt was the least of several evils. In so doing, the author has given us a much more accurate view of these men and the times in which they lived.