For Slavery and Union

Benjamin Forsythe Buckner (1836--1901) faced a dire choice as the flames of Civil War threatened his native Kentucky. As an ambitious Bluegrass aristocrat, he was sympathetic to fellow slave owners, but was also convinced that the Peculiar Institution could not survive a war for southern independence. Defying the wishes of his Rebel fiancée and her powerful family -- yet still hoping to impress them with his resolve, independence, and courage -- Buckner joined the 20th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry in 1861 as a Union soldier. President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation ultimately destroyed Buckner's faith in his cause, however, and he resigned his commission.In this groundbreaking biography, author Patrick A. Lewis uses Buckner's story to illuminate the origins and perspectives of Kentucky's conservative proslavery Unionists and explain why this group became a key force in repressing social and political change during the Reconstruction era and beyond. While other studies have explored how this former Union state cultivated a Confederate identity after the Civil War, For Slavery and Union is the first major work to personify this transformation. Lewis's book provides a deeply nuanced look at the history of the Commonwealth in the nineteenth century and the development of the New South.

"For years, some scholars have argued that Civil War was not about slavery. Lewis challenges this notion and masterly reveals in his book the complexity of fighting for the Union army and the ideals of the United States Constitution while seeking to protect and sustain the enslavement of people of African descent, especially within the state of Kentucky." -- Arkansas Review , "An admirable job of explaining the complexities of Kentucky's competing political factions as they existed before, during, and after the war.Civil War scholars and those who focus on border state issues will find the volume informative.Civil War enthusiasts and generalists with a penchant for American history will enjoy this. Overall, the book is well written, engaging, and adequately documented." -- Tommy Brown, Civil War Monitor, "Most readers will find For Slavery and Union both enjoyable and informative." -- Journal of American History, "Patrick A. Lewis [presents a] very well-researched, well-written, and significant case study." -- Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, "Well-written... improve[s] our understanding of Kentucky before, during, and after the Civil War. May serve as [a] solid introduction to the history of the Bluegrass State. [It] also add[s] depth and complexity to the story of the border states, the debate over slavery, and the sectional conflict that ensued." -- West Virginia History

Patrick A. Lewis is assistant editor of the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society and the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition.