It today's anti-Civil War craze, it is nice to see a good
quality exhibit on local aspects of the troubles of the 1860s. Mars Hill
University has done just that, putting together exhibits and material on the
War in the mountains.
Madison County is a prime place to explore the topic. From
early war violence, when the sheriff took a shot at a local Unionist, and was
then killed, to the numerous raids into and out of the Shelton Laurel, the area
had more than its fair share of conflict. Except in places like Bentonville or
Fort Fisher, where large-scale battles took place, Madison County just might be
the bloodiest ground in the state.
Much of the exhibit focuses on the life of James Keith, lieutenant
colonel of the 64th North Carolina Troops. Some of his regiment were the men
sent into the Laurel area to deal with the dissidents after the January 1863
salt raid into Madison. In the course of the exhibit and the accompanying
video, a different theory is advanced that just maybe, Keith was not
responsible for the thirteen killed that cold January morning.
There are plenty of texts and documents to peruse, along with
several artifacts from the area.
I do wish the documentary and exhibit had gone a little
further in their explanations. There are many period letters and newspaper pieces
stating that gangs of men and boys were coming out of the Laurel area of
Madison County and robbing people in the surrounding environs blind. A mention
or two of those accounts would have carried the conversation even further.
"The Civil War in the Southern Highlands: A Human
Perspective," at the Rural Heritage Museum is well worth your time, and
admission is free. It is always great to be on the campus of Mars Hill
University. The exhibit runs through March 4, 2018.
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