The Role of Violence in Hunt County, Texas, during Reconstruction

The post Civil War period known as Reconstruction remains a topic of interest for historians. Having avoided the experience of invasion by Northern troops during the Civil War, the people living in the interior of the state of Texas accepted Confederate defeat at first. However, with the instituting of Northern efforts at Reconstruction, such as the installation of Republican interim government officials, the arrival of Freedmen's Bureau agents, and in some parts the stationing of federal troops, conservative whites throughout the state became defiant toward the federal government and its policies. Some white southerners even went so far as to take up arms and become embroiled in open conflict with the federal government and its local institutions. As a result, Unionist whites and freedmen found themselves to be the targets of groups of desperados committed to upholding the Southern Cause and ensuring the return of the conservative Democratic party to power in Texas politics. This study focuses on Hunt County from the years 1860 - 1873 to determine to what extent violence played a role in the era of Reconstruction. An analysis of data primarily from county, state, and federal records forms the basis of this study. The information obtained through research suggests that violence played a major role in Hunt County during Reconstruction as a political weapon used to eradicate Republican institutions and efforts.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2004

Author dc:creator

• Hathcock, James A.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Campbell, Randolph B., 1940-2022
• Hagler, D. Harland
• Seligmann, Gustav L.

• Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877) -- Texas -- Hunt County.
• Hunt County (Tex.) -- Politics and government -- 19th century.
• Violence -- Texas -- Hunt County -- History -- 19th century.
• federal troops
• freedmen
• Hunt
• violence
• Reconstruction

Statement dc:rights

• Use restricted to UNT Community
• Copyright
• Hathcock, James A.
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 58751603
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4659/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc4659

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc4659