In East Tennessee the vote against secession enjoyed a large plurality but
overwhelmed as the vote moved west. Knox and Sevier Counties were
particularly strong Unionist and remained that way. When Burnsides occupied
Knoxville and built Fort Sanders, Lee sent Longstreet up from Chattanooga to
re-take the town and re-take control of the railroads. He failed in one of
the bloodiest (barely told) battles of the war. Over 600 Confederate
soldiers died in about 20 minutes. Longstreet had first tried a blockade to
starve the Union Army into surrender, but sympathetic farmers from Knox and
Sevier Counties got food to the fort over unprotected routes and by floating
food down the river at night.  Tennessee Archives published names of
soldiers on both sides from which I estimated 41,000 Union soldiers.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gregg Kimball" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 9:14 AM
Subject: Re: Southern opposition to secession


> I would say that the eventual formation of West Virginia also constitutes
a
> "significant public outcry . . . against secession."  I would highly
> recommend Dan Crofts' book "Reluctant Confederates" on secession in the
> upper South.  If I remember correctly, the decision to secede was never
put
> to a popular vote in Virginia.  What was the case in the other southern
> states?
>
> Gregg Kimball
>
>
> Gregg D. Kimball
> Director of Publications
>   and Educational Services
> Library of Virginia
> 804/692-3722
> [log in to unmask]
>
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