Author Thomas D. Mays provides valuable insights into a lesser-known aspect of the Civil War, the bitter guerrilla conflict in the Appalachian highlands, in Cumberland Blood: Champ Ferguson’s Civil War. In this illuminating assessment of Champ Ferguson, one of the Civil War's most ruthless men, Mays provides a powerful and unromanticized view of the violence that plagued the Cumberland region.
Ferguson, a Democrat and slaveholder, sided with the Confederacy while many of his neighbors and family members took up arms for the Union. A full-scale guerrilla war erupted along the border in 1862. In 1864, Ferguson and his gang were incorporated into the Confederate army, but the rogue soldier continued operating as an outlaw, murdering captured Union prisoners after the Battle of Saltville, Virginia. Mays documents Ferguson’s reign of terror, offering compelling insights into Ferguson's lawless brutality.
Dr. Thomas Mays is an associate professor and chair of the Department of History at Humboldt State University. He recently retired from the military after serving 25 years on active duty and reserves.
This lecture will begin at 12 p.m. at The Filson Historical Society. There is no cost for this event, though reservations are suggested. You may reserve your seat by visiting www.filsonhistorical.org or by calling The Filson at (502) 635-5083.