Disunion and Restoration in Tennessee Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Political Science, Columbia University

A meticulous study of Tennessee’s political turmoil during the Civil War, this work follows the state’s slide from uneasy unionism into secession and back again. Drawing on contemporary speeches, legislative records, and personal accounts, it details how partisan rivalries between Whigs and Democrats gave rise to a powerful pro‑states‑rights movement, culminating in Governor Isham G. Harris’s decisive push for separation. The narrative also examines the contrasting loyalties of East Tennessee, where many citizens clung to the Union even as the rest of the state drifted toward the Confederacy.

Beyond the initial fracture, the author traces the early phases of Reconstruction, focusing on the re‑establishment of civil government and the contentious role of the Radical administration. Chapters explore the financial challenges of the new regime, the rise of municipal reforms, and the early outbreaks of Ku‑Klux violence that threatened the fragile peace. By the close of the first act, readers gain a clear picture of the forces that shaped Tennessee’s struggle to reunite and rebuild.