Will the Family Circle Be Broken?: Civil War in Carroll County, Tennessee

Westport, Tennessee, 1850. Every week, a circle of friends gathers at the mercantile for coffee, the latest newspapers, and a shot of Thompson whiskey. They argue about a nation pulling itself apart. Within fifteen years, that argument will reach their own front porches.

The Bradfords of Carroll County are farmers, not soldiers. But as secession sweeps through Tennessee, staying neutral is no longer possible. Two brothers ride with the Union's Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, hunting Nathan Bedfor...