A History of the Ozarks. Volume 2: The Conflicted Ozarks by Brooks Blevins

Abstract

Reviewed by: A History of the Ozarks. Volume 2: The Conflicted Ozarks by Brooks Blevins Jeffrey C. Stone A History of the Ozarks. Volume 2: The Conflicted Ozarks. By Brooks Blevins. (Urbana and other cities: University of Illinois Press, 2019. Pp. xiv, 297. $34.95, ISBN 978-0-252-04273-7.) As the leading authority on the Ozarks, Brooks Blevins continues to produce thoughtful research that probes the identity of this region in the upper South. This book is the second in a series of three volumes that spans the history of the Ozark uplift. In this volume, The Conflicted Ozarks, Blevins delves into the Civil War era. He contends that this region encompassed political and cultural elements of southern, western, and midwestern identities. While located on the peripheries of each region, the Ozarks were mired in conflict during the period. By the outbreak of war, the Ozarks region, still evolving out of the frontier stage, was a "cultural borderland" that was coming of age but was never truly Union or Confederate. This history created a world of deep conflict, leaving the region a "blueprint for true civil warfare and for a generation of postwar animus and violence" (p. 4). Highlighting the fact that slavery was rather miniscule in the area, Blevins contends that the Ozarks were not immune to the slavery debate because the region was adjacent to the frontier territories. Blevins argues that the brand of slavery that existed in the Ozarks was closely related to what Ira Berlin calls a society with slaves. Even though the number of slaves was relatively sparse, ranging from none in some counties to over 12 percent of the population in others, slavery touched the lives of nearly everyone in some fashion. The Ozarks were not protected from the racial tensions that existed during the Civil War period. The proslavery factions were strong in the Ozarks, but their strength did not prevent abolitionists from joining the debate; much of the argument played out among the religious leaders on both sides of the issue. Blevins claims that, although the region was an afterthought to those directing the war from Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, the Ozarks faced the same political and social schisms that played out in the East, only magnified as guerrilla warfare. Blevins asserts that, aside from a handful of notable battles like Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge early in the war, guerrilla warfare was much more damaging to the people of the region. The majority of [End Page 722] the people in the Ozarks were civilians caught up in a terrorizing warfare from both Union and Confederate raiders. Neither side could effectively establish control, leaving in their wake nothing but devastation and heartache. Throughout his study, Blevins masterfully shows why the Ozarks were vastly conflicted during the Civil War era. While analyzing the numerous skirmishes and raids by both Union and Confederate forces, he meticulously examines many of the lives of those who caused destruction through guerrilla warfare and of the civilians who were impacted by it. At war's end, the political fight continued, creating political and economic divides that delayed any kind of meaningful recovery for many years. With a detailed and captivating narrative, Blevins strategically inserts scholarly research to underscore his points. Although the final chapter, which focuses on economic developments during Reconstruction, is methodically researched and deserves exposure, Blevins is at his best in demonstrating the conflicted Ozarks with his analysis of the onset of war, the war itself, and the political divisions that persisted. Moreover, like any good historian, he raises questions that need further exploration. Blevins rightfully asserts that the voting pattern in the 1860 election needs a deeper analysis. While he only touches on runaway slaves who joined forces with the Unionists, the book raises questions for further research into slave resistance and culture. Blevins is painstaking with his research but narrates this conflicted era with ease. Civil War historians and regional scholars alike will enjoy his second volume on the history of the Ozarks. Jeffrey C. Stone American Public University Copyright © 2020 The Southern Historical Association