From the Back Cover --

In the Guide, Mr. Jacobs explained Montgomery County's experiences in the Civil War, organized by towns and place names. Fully revealing his keen interest in military history and his empathy with the Confederacy, he left others to plot Union strategy, quote pro-Union newspapers, or to locate graves of Federal soldiers in local cemeteries. While enjoying the fact that Montgomery Countians only cast 50 votes for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, he carefully reported instances of cooperation between neighbors who needed assistance during difficult times or in staking claims for property damage after the war. In 1996, Mr. Jacobs revised, and the Historical Society reprinted, the original publication.
 

New appreciation of Montgomery County's roles in the Civil War has emerged since 1996. Today, building on the work of Mr. Jacobs and subsequent scholars, we understand that our County represents so much more than simply the land, roads, and river over which opposing armies passed during 1861-1865. Montgomery County was the venue for debate and decision, the division between North and South, the crucial Middle Ground, holding a major strategic position as the gateway to the Union Capital. Each of the three times Confederates invaded Union territory, parts of their forces marched or rode through Montgomery County.