The Independent State Of Scott

A little-known Civil War phenomenon was the “secession” of a handful of Union-sympathizing counties in the American South in 1861. One of the most notable was Scott County, Tennessee. Located on the Cumberland Plateau in the northeastern corner of the state, it was home to only 61 slaves at the start of the war. Thus, county residents were unenthusiastic about fighting and dying for an institution that only served wealthy plantation owners in the middle and western parts of the state.

So, after Tennessee joined the Confederacy on June 8, 1861 (the last state to do so), the residents of Scott County voted overwhelmingly to secede from the state and create the “Free And Independent State Of Scott”. This enclave community remained supportive of the Union cause throughout the Civil War. Said one local farmer, "If the goddamn State of Tennessee can secede from the Union, then Scott County can secede from the State of Tennessee."

As you might imagine, the Democratic Governor of Tennessee did not look favorably on this “rebellion” and sent 1,700 troops to the county. But before reaching the capital of this new enclave, the troops met harsh resistance and had to retreat. In the end, Scott County became the main source of soldiers for the Union’s 7th Regiment Tennessee Volunteer Infantry. And, in nearly every presidential election since the Civil War, Scott County has voted Republican.

Even though the “secession” of Scott County was never formally recognized by the state of Tennessee (or the federal governments of the Union or the Confederacy), it was ceremoniously “readmitted” to the state in 1986—more than 120 years after the end of hostilities. While other Southern counties created similar Union enclaves (e.g., The Republic of Winston, in north Alabama), the Free And Independent State of Scott stands out as a unique political response to the most divided time in American history.