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by Dotson Rand (Author)
A carefully researched study of the Civil War as experienced within a single Appalachian community.
In Sisson's Kingdom, historian Rand Dotson examines the American Civil War not from the vantage of generals and grand campaigns, but from the lived reality of Floyd County, Virginia. By narrowing the focus to one mountainous region, Dotson reveals the complexity, division, and endurance that characterised the war at the local level.
Floyd County-sometimes referred to as "Sisson's Kingdom"-occupied a precarious position between competing loyalties, economic pressures, and military demands. Families were divided, allegiances were tested, and the war's burdens fell unevenly across the community. Drawing upon archival records, letters, and regional accounts, Dotson reconstructs a portrait of daily life shaped by scarcity, uncertainty, and shifting political conviction.
Rather than presenting a simplified narrative of Union versus Confederacy, this study illuminates the nuanced realities of Appalachia during the conflict. The result is a valuable contribution to regional history and to the broader understanding of how national upheaval was experienced at the county level.
