Embattled Capital: Frankfort Kentucky in the Civil War
By James M. Prichard Frankfort Heritage Press 2014, $39.95
Until recently, Kentucky’s role during the Civil War and Reconstruction had not received the level of scholarly attention it justly deserves. Fortunately, the void is gradually getting filled in recent years by the works of a number of noted scholars. These works demonstrate not only how Kentuckians experienced the conflict, but also shed light on how the Bluegrass State influenced national events and policies—everything from looks at the state’s initial neutrality efforts, its pro-slavery Unionism and relationship with the presidential administration, to emancipation, guerrilla warfare and its postwar Confederate identity. Much of this recent scholarship, however, has still not explored how these issues were experienced in individual Kentucky communities, which is one of the bonuses of James Prichard’s new Embattled Capital.
Some scholars have described a divided Kentucky as a microcosm of the nation during the war. Along the same lines, Frankfort can be viewed as a microcosm of the state. With its strategic geographic location and wealth of resources, Kentucky became more and more important to the belligerents on both sides during the conflict, and it became apparent that families would be split and tensions would escalate in the state’s seat of government. Frankfort’s relatively small but conflicted population (3,702 on the eve of the war) makes it an ideal choice for a detailed historical examination.
In addition, because it was the political center of the commonwealth, important events played out in Frankfort that could not have occurred elsewhere. For example, whether Kentucky would remain in the Union, join the Confederacy or maintain an armed neutrality were questions that gripped the state, but especially Frankfort, for the first six months of the war. Prichard uses newspaper accounts, political speeches and citizens’ letters to provide an intimate portrait of the various perspectives expressed early in the war. The author does likewise for other key events: the city’s Confederate capture in early September 1862—the only Union state capital captured by a Rebel force; its redemption by the Union Army a month later; its struggle with the realization of emancipation and the enlistment of African-American soldiers; and the late-war guerrilla activities that plagued the city and Franklin County.
Embattled Capital is a must-read for students of the conflict seeking an intimate look at how the war affected life in a slave-holding border-state city. The books shows that the citizens of Frankfort experienced a much different war than those who lived in, say, South Carolina or Michigan. Allegiance was sometimes fluid and could change depending on who maintained power. The book’s strength lies in the author’s ability to vividly convey the city’s wartime experiences through the excellent use of primary sources and his skill in telling Frankfort’s Civil War and postwar story through the eyes of various members of this Kentucky community.
Originally published in the May 2015 issue of America’s Civil War. To subscribe, click here.
