Tennessee in the Civil War-- Part 3: Preparing for War

For Confederates, the summer and autumn of 1861 were times of celebration and optimism. Young men rushed to join the army units forming in their counties and towns.  The soldiers elected their company officers, and, after being feted by their neighbors and families, set off to Confederate training camps like Camp Trousdale in Sumner County.

For Union sympathizers, these months were ones of harassment from Confederates.  Many Union men fled to Kentucky where they enlisted in federal units.  Eventually some 31,000 of them joined.  This is more troops fighting for the Union than all of the other Confederate states combined.

--Old Secesh

Tennessee in the Civil War-- Part 2: A Big Vote to Secede, East Tennessee Wants to Secede from the State

To validate their action, the legislature called for another referendum on June 8, 1861.  Some 105,000 Tennesseeans voted for secession and only 47,000 against.  East Tennesseans voted almost two-to-one to stay with the Union.  There was a tremendous anti-secession, anti-Confederate area there.

Even as the state seceded, several East Tennessee counties were meeting with the intention of seceding from the state.  The rest of Tennessee decided to occupy the rebellious counties.

--Old Secesh