A couple of thoughts on Kentucky during the Civil War. Officially it was a slave state. But, as mentioned, it also had a large population of anti-slavery ‘Free Soilers’, mostly in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky.

The plantations were basically agricultural corporations where they did not have to pay wages to most of the workers as those were slaves. The slavers were mostly along the best agricultural land, particularly along the rivers. These areas were called the “black belts” because most of the population was African-American slaves.

Small farmers were generally economically (or physically) forced out of the best agricultural lands and had to move to areas less favorable to corporate agriculture. Such as the Appalachian Mountain regions.

I believe that in the case of Virginia, the white population of Western Virginia was larger than the white population of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge. I suspect that Kentucky was similar.

At the time of secession, Kentucky declared itself “neutral”. In late 1861 the Confederates attempted (and failed) to militarily seize it, it tended towards the National Government (aka the Union). In the end about 35,000 Kentuckians fought for the Confederacy while about 125,000 fought for the Union.

Union General George Thomas figured importantly in the early Kentucky campaigns, btw. And the first campaign ended with surrounded Confederate Fort Pillow asking Ulysses S Grant for terms. His response was ‘only “an unconditional and immediate surrender” could be accepted’.

After the 1861-1862 campaigns, there were multiple Confederate raids into Kentucky including one that went into Ohio and Indiana. As well as a lot of guerilla warfare on both sides. But the Confederate raids were usually chased out. And since Kentucky was bordered by the critical Ohio River, the Union had significant incentive to ensure the Confederates could not threaten it.

Trivia Question - What was Ulysses S Grant’s name?