Bloody Breathitt

Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States
Cover of the book Bloody Breathitt by T.R.C. Hutton, The University Press of Kentucky
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: T.R.C. Hutton ISBN: 9780813142425
Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky Publication: September 26, 2013
Imprint: The University Press of Kentucky Language: English
Author: T.R.C. Hutton
ISBN: 9780813142425
Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky
Publication: September 26, 2013
Imprint: The University Press of Kentucky
Language: English

The notorious conflict between the Hatfield and the McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky is often remembered as America's most famous feud, but it was relatively brief and subdued compared to the violence in Breathitt County, Kentucky. From the Reconstruction period until the early twentieth century, Breathitt's 500 square miles of rugged upcountry land was known as "the darkest and bloodiest of all the dark and bloody feud counties" due to its considerable number of homicides, which were not always related to the factional conflicts that swept the region.

In Bloody Breathitt, T. R. C. Hutton casts a critical eye on this territory for the first time. He carefully investigates instances of individual and mass violence in the county from the Civil War through the Progressive era, exploring links between specific incidents and broader national and regional events. Although the killings were typically portrayed as depoliticized occurrences, Hutton explains how their causes and implications often reflected distinctly political intentions. By framing the incidents as "feuds," those in positions of authority disguised politically motivated murders by placing them in a fictive past, preventing outsiders from understanding the complex reality.

This meticulously researched volume offers the first comprehensive narrative of the violence in this infamous Kentucky county, examining Breathitt's brutal history and its significance to the state, the South, and the nation. While the United States has enjoyed unparalleled longevity as a republic, Hutton's timely study reminds readers that the nation's political stability has had a tremendous cost in terms of bloodshed.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The notorious conflict between the Hatfield and the McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky is often remembered as America's most famous feud, but it was relatively brief and subdued compared to the violence in Breathitt County, Kentucky. From the Reconstruction period until the early twentieth century, Breathitt's 500 square miles of rugged upcountry land was known as "the darkest and bloodiest of all the dark and bloody feud counties" due to its considerable number of homicides, which were not always related to the factional conflicts that swept the region.

In Bloody Breathitt, T. R. C. Hutton casts a critical eye on this territory for the first time. He carefully investigates instances of individual and mass violence in the county from the Civil War through the Progressive era, exploring links between specific incidents and broader national and regional events. Although the killings were typically portrayed as depoliticized occurrences, Hutton explains how their causes and implications often reflected distinctly political intentions. By framing the incidents as "feuds," those in positions of authority disguised politically motivated murders by placing them in a fictive past, preventing outsiders from understanding the complex reality.

This meticulously researched volume offers the first comprehensive narrative of the violence in this infamous Kentucky county, examining Breathitt's brutal history and its significance to the state, the South, and the nation. While the United States has enjoyed unparalleled longevity as a republic, Hutton's timely study reminds readers that the nation's political stability has had a tremendous cost in terms of bloodshed.

More books from The University Press of Kentucky

Cover of the book The Complete Guide to Kentucky State Parks by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Radical Future Pasts by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Never Say Die by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Liquor in the Land of the Lost Cause by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Rethinking the Civil War Era by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book History Teaches Us to Hope by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Congressional Ambivalence by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book The Lotus Unleashed by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Hitler's Rival by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book After the Dream by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book The Essential HBO Reader by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Listen Here by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Eating as I Go by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book Crawfish Bottom by T.R.C. Hutton
Cover of the book The Immortal Count by T.R.C. Hutton
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy