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North Carolina in the Civil War
"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. But the state's involvement stretched far beyond these few battles. The state was one of the last to leave the Union but contributed more men and sustained more dead than any other Southern state. Tar Heels witnessed the pitched battles of New Bern, Averysboro and Bentonville, as well as incursions like Sherman's March and Stoneman's Raid. Join Civil War scholar Michael Hardy as he delves into the story of North Carolina in the Civil War, from civilians to soldiers, as these valorous Tar Heels proved they were a force to be reckoned with.
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 29, 2023
First off, as a native North Carolinian, I am a bit biased. The writing and flow of the book had some problems, but it still have a very good look at the Civil War through the lens of North Carolina residents and soldiers. I learned a lot from this book, and I recommend it to any Civil War buff, especially those from North Carolina.
July 16, 2020
I decided, when a neighboring county spent over $18,000 to cover up a monument to Zebulon Vance, I needed to read about NC history in the Civil War. Now, I'm fearful the state will go bankrupt getting rid of monuments to the Confederacy. We should embrace our history, not destroy it.
May 5, 2020
I’ve read quite a few histories of the Civil War and have come to understand that historians are not always good storytellers. Unfortunately, this is true in the case of North Carolina in the Civil War. It is written by a native North Carolinian, so I expected (even looked forward to) a certain amount of bias. Not only was there bias (more for the Confederate platform than for the local resistance) but the narrative could not have been more low keyed.
I lived in Gettysburg for a few years and the heroism and sacrifice of the North Carolinians in that particular battle was legion among the battlefield scholars. They turned the tide on the very first engagement on MacPherson’s Ridge and gutted the Legendary Iron Brigade. The monument to the Tar Heel troops is arguably the most beautiful...sculpted by the designer of Mt Rushmore. But this is almost a footnote in this book...there was more attention paid to the politicians and naval engagements. There was no passion or fire in this narrative and it was a total disappointment to this Northern fan of the North Carolina Tar Heels!
I lived in Gettysburg for a few years and the heroism and sacrifice of the North Carolinians in that particular battle was legion among the battlefield scholars. They turned the tide on the very first engagement on MacPherson’s Ridge and gutted the Legendary Iron Brigade. The monument to the Tar Heel troops is arguably the most beautiful...sculpted by the designer of Mt Rushmore. But this is almost a footnote in this book...there was more attention paid to the politicians and naval engagements. There was no passion or fire in this narrative and it was a total disappointment to this Northern fan of the North Carolina Tar Heels!
January 30, 2025
A Solid Intro to North Carolina's Civil War History.
Michael C. Hardy's "North Carolina in the Civil War" is a good introductory book into North Carolina's role in the American Civil War, and the impact the conflict had on the state from 1861 to 1865 and beyond. If you enjoy Civil War history, you're sure to enjoy this book.
Grade: B+
Michael C. Hardy's "North Carolina in the Civil War" is a good introductory book into North Carolina's role in the American Civil War, and the impact the conflict had on the state from 1861 to 1865 and beyond. If you enjoy Civil War history, you're sure to enjoy this book.
Grade: B+
December 10, 2021
Not much analysis, little effort to place the events in and involving North Carolina in the broader context of the war. Not much in the way of dramatic narrative. But it does provide a sense of the home front during the four tumultuous years and the wide impact of of the war across the state.
December 2, 2024
Well done. Easy read.
March 9, 2017
Seems a pretty good short summary of all things North Carolina regarding the Civil War. Walks through NC troop action during the years, plus the effects of the war within NC during those same years. Mr. Hardy goes on to point out monuments, museums, and battlefields to attend as well as discussing the effects of Reconstruction on the Old North State. The writing is mostly well done however there are some paragraphs that run on such that I had to re-read them to see if there was a point to it. Well worth the time to read... especially if you are looking for a short read. My favorite writings on NC Civil War history remains the Trotter trilogy, which Mr. Hardy mentions!
August 30, 2016
Such are the laws of supply and demand that I had to pay $19.00 for this work by an independent (non-academic) civil war historian. There were a number of errors in the book regarding spelling and sentence structure. More disturbing is the language he uses at times and the historical statements made that cause me to wonder about his ultimate views on the war and its causes. For instance, on page 10, he writes, in discussing why the North were free states while the South were not, "[g]radually, the Northern states had realized that the institution was not profitable, and Northern slave owners had sold or emancipated their chattel."
First, he makes reference, now, about humans, then, as if they WERE chattel. One can argue that under law that was true, but according to our norms and mores today we know that they were not chattel then but humans, and unownable. His reference to these freed slaves as if they really are chattel would be conveyed in a wholly different manner if he had ended the sentence with, 'their slaves'. Curious.
Second, he seemingly attempts to make it appear that northern states freed their slaves (as if all slaves were freed at once and by law) because it was bad business to have them, rather than due to an abolitionist spirit or at worst some mixture of the two depending on when and where the slaves were freed. One can find many examples in the north of freedom being granted because of a sense that humans cannot and should not own other humans. In 1781, in Brom and Bett v. Ashley, the Massachusetts courts held that the 1780 state constitution, which read, "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness", applied to blacks as well as whites and ruled that the Black plaintiffs were thereby free. This was not because the court determined that the purported owner failed to turn a profit with those slaves!
These are but two examples that make me wonder about his bias and leanings in researching and writing this book. So read it with a grain of salt, or two.
First, he makes reference, now, about humans, then, as if they WERE chattel. One can argue that under law that was true, but according to our norms and mores today we know that they were not chattel then but humans, and unownable. His reference to these freed slaves as if they really are chattel would be conveyed in a wholly different manner if he had ended the sentence with, 'their slaves'. Curious.
Second, he seemingly attempts to make it appear that northern states freed their slaves (as if all slaves were freed at once and by law) because it was bad business to have them, rather than due to an abolitionist spirit or at worst some mixture of the two depending on when and where the slaves were freed. One can find many examples in the north of freedom being granted because of a sense that humans cannot and should not own other humans. In 1781, in Brom and Bett v. Ashley, the Massachusetts courts held that the 1780 state constitution, which read, "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness", applied to blacks as well as whites and ruled that the Black plaintiffs were thereby free. This was not because the court determined that the purported owner failed to turn a profit with those slaves!
These are but two examples that make me wonder about his bias and leanings in researching and writing this book. So read it with a grain of salt, or two.
April 21, 2012
This book provides a solid overview of the Old North State's role in this epic conflict. Hardy divides the work into several major sections. First he gives a rundown of the portions of the war that were fought on North Carolina soil. Then he covers the roles that tar heel units played throughout the war. This is followed by the work of the veterans and various heritage organizations after the war and finally what a modern day enthusiast may find today.
This book is done in Hardy's usual thorough, yet easy to understand style. It goes into a decent amount of depth without bogging down in a quagmire of encyclopedic minutia that so many similar works end up spiraling into. If you are looking for the big picture of North Carolina in the War for Southern Independence and how it all ties together, there is no better place to start than this book.
Keith Jones, Reviewer
Author of:
The Boys of Diamond Hill &
In Due Time
This book is done in Hardy's usual thorough, yet easy to understand style. It goes into a decent amount of depth without bogging down in a quagmire of encyclopedic minutia that so many similar works end up spiraling into. If you are looking for the big picture of North Carolina in the War for Southern Independence and how it all ties together, there is no better place to start than this book.
Keith Jones, Reviewer
Author of:
The Boys of Diamond Hill &
In Due Time
October 26, 2016
Covers war from 1861 to 1865. Includes chapters on Reconstruction, monuments, and Civil War sites to be found in North Carolina.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews