The Fight for the Old North State

"In this fascinating new book, Hampton Newsome makes a valuable contribution to Civil War literature, offering a compelling account of Confederate efforts in early 1864 to turn the tide of war in eastern North Carolina. Though these efforts produced decidedly mixed results, the same cannot be said of Newsome's. Well-researched, informative, and unfailingly interesting, this superb study merits the attention of anyone interested in the course and conduct of these operations, their strategic and operational effects, and the challenges leaders on both sides faced as they pursued victory in the Old North State in 1864."--Ethan S. Rafuse, author of Robert E. Lee and the Fall of the Confederacy, 1863-1865 and coeditor of Guide to the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign "The Fight for the Old North State carefully reassesses the importance of the Confederate military campaign to retake the North Carolina coast in the spring of 1864. In a lively narrative, Hampton Newsome balances operational military history and a broader overview of the social and political situation on the ground. This work is highly recommended for readers of North Carolina's Civil War military history."--Barton A. Myers, associate professor of Civil War history, Washington and Lee University, and author of Rebels against the Confederacy "With an excellent eye for detail and a knack for good storytelling, Hampton Newsome skillfully places the military actions in coastal North Carolina within the broader context of the political and social forces at work in the state in 1864. Lucidly written, The Fight for the Old North State inspired me to drive down to North Carolina to see the sites for myself."--Jonathan W. White, author of Midnight in America: Darkness, Sleep, and Dreams during the Civil War