A history of the division among state leaders surrounding secession, and those who opposed it before the Civil War.

This book tells the story of those state leaders in North Carolina who remained loyal to the Union, because they saw the potential for compromise with Northern states. William Alexander Graham helped broker the Compromise of 1850. John Motley Morehead and Jonathan Worth led the campaign against secession in early 1861. Most, though, continued to serve their state under the Confederacy-even though Zebulon B. Vance opposed secession, he served in the Confederate army and as governor of the state during the Civil War. Now historian Steve M. Miller introduces us to the Tar Heel Unionists who bravely fought to steer their state away from the disastrous future they foresaw.

Steve M. Miller is a native North Carolinian, having been born and raised in Asheboro, where he and his wife, Becky, currently live. His past writings included Slave Escapes and the Underground Railroad in North Carolina, published in 2016 by The History Press. Steve is currently an adjunct history instructor for Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem and Randolph Community College in Asheboro.

Before the Civil War, North Carolina was divided by the battle over secession. Some state leaders remained loyal to the Union because they saw the potential for compromise with Northern states. William Alexander Graham helped broker the Compromise of 1850. John Motley Morehead and Jonathan Worth led the campaign against secession in early 1861. Most continued to serve their state under the Confederacy. Although Zebulon B. Vance opposed secession, he served in the Confederate army and as governor of the state during the Civil War. Historian and author Steve M. Miller tells the story of the Tar Heel Unionists who bravely fought to steer their state away from the disastrous future they foresaw.