A Graves County Gun Grab? A Rebel who refused to shave his beard until the Confederate's won the Civil War? A Confederate "Valley Forge" in Kentucky? These are just some of the stories readers who pick up Berry Craig's Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War will find!
Unlike other Civil War books--which often focus on more well-known facts of the Civil War--Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War has information about tons of little-known, obscure aspects of the Civil War in the Commonwealth. Much of the information in Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War was facts and events I had never heard of before (which is probably why the word hidden is in the title!).
Further, Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War doesn't just focus on one area of the state--instead, it discusses a variety of locales, ranging from big cities to areas that, even today, remain rural. When I first received the book five years ago, I'll admit that I wasn't a Civil War expert. Yet, even as a new Civil War history enthusiast, I found Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War not just informative, but actually interesting, which catapulted it into a spot on my top 10 favorite non-fiction Civil War reads!
An added perk of Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War? I think it's an easy book for even those who don't enjoy reading long novels to tackle. With 126 pages of information, there's enough content in Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War that readers will learn plenty about the Civil War in the Commonwealth, yet there's few enough pages that picking up the book isn't overwhelming. Additionally, each story is only about 1 to 2 pages, so I can excitedly anticipate the next fact (and new topic!) that awaits in the following paragraphs. There's also photographs that accompany some of the stories, which added context to what I was reading about.
In all, Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War isn't just for Kentuckians to read--instead, it's a book that any history enthusiast can enjoy and learn little-known facts of the Civil War from. So the next time you're ready to delve into a book that's interesting and can easily be read in a couple of days, grab Berry Craig's Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War. Hopefully it can become one of your favorite non-fiction Civil War books, too!
Berry Craig's Hidden History of Kentucky in the Civil War is available for purchase on Amazon.
About the Author: Kass Cobb is a genealogist, history enthusiast, and college sophomore who plans to double-major in history and military history. Kass first became obsessed with history in eighth grade through a unit on the American Civil War. She began researching her family's heritage and discovered that she is a direct descendant of eight Civil War veterans. Since then, Kass has desired to share the stories of United States veterans. One of the ways she does this is by obtaining grave markers for veterans. When Kass isn't busy planning historical events for her community, placing signs at cemeteries, or researching her family's past, you'll find her antique collecting, reading, singing, and enjoying nature with her many pets.