Confederate Guerrillas Once Terrorized This Tennessee River Gorge Where Bootleggers Later Hid Their Stills

The Big South Fork National River

Big South Fork looks peaceful today, but these Tennessee and Kentucky mountains have seen their share of blood and bootleg.

During the Civil War, guerrilla bands used the deep gorges and dense woods to launch surprise attacks on enemy troops. Later, moonshiners found the same hiding spots perfect for their illegal trade. Here’s a look at what happened.

Scott County’s Civil War Allegiance

Scott County refused to support the Confederacy when war broke out in 1861. While most of Tennessee chose secession, Scott County voted overwhelmingly for the Union.

After Tennessee officially left the Union, Scott County held its own vote. The citizens decided to secede from Tennessee, forming the “Independent State of Scott.”

Families in the Big South Fork area wanted no part in the distant conflict. They had crops to plant and children to feed without worrying about a war.

The county began under Confederate control but soon became dangerous territory where neither army held power.

The Rise of Guerrilla Warfare

Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer kept order in Scott County during early 1861. His death at Mill Springs in January 1862 changed everything.

Without regular troops, Scott County fell into chaos. Confederate guerrilla bands raided Union-supporting farms.

They burned homes, took livestock, and sometimes hanged those loyal to the North. Small bands of fighters used the Cumberland Plateau’s steep ridges and hidden valleys to strike and vanish.

This irregular warfare worked perfectly in terrain too difficult for conventional armies to patrol. Families never knew when raiders might appear on their doorsteps demanding food or allegiance.

The Duck Shoals Raid

Confederate Captain Alec Evans led eleven guerrillas into Big South Fork on May 3, 1863. His men targeted farms along Station Camp Creek and Parch Corn Creek, hunting supplies and conscripts.

The Confederacy needed soldiers, and Evans used conscription laws to justify capturing local men. His band seized Till Slagel, Hudson Burke, and Jackson Smith during the raid.

Evans planned to hang Slagel and Burke as Union sympathizers. Both men escaped while local resident Polly Miller convinced the raiders to free Smith.

After looting farms throughout the valley, Evans and his exhausted men took shelter at Jonathan Burke’s cabin near the river.

The Battle of No Business Creek

Word of Evans’ raid spread quickly through scattered homesteads. The Scott County Home Guard gathered under Tom Miller to confront the raiders.

Thirty to fifty local defenders surrounded Jonathan Burke’s cabin where Evans and his men slept. In the pre-dawn darkness, they opened fire on the structure.

The guerrillas fought back from inside the cabin. Seven Confederates died in the fierce firefight that followed.

This decisive victory, known as the Battle of No Business or Duck Shoals Skirmish, effectively ended major guerrilla raids in Scott County for the remainder of the war.

The No Business Community

No Business Creek cuts through one of the widest valleys in the otherwise rugged Big South Fork. This relatively flat land attracted settlers as early as 1796.

Hundreds of people lived along No Business Creek at its peak. The community built churches, schools, a general store, and even maintained regular mail service.

The Burke family owned much of the valley. Hudson Burke mined niter for gunpowder and helped build a road connecting to Monticello.

The unusual name might suggest outsiders had “no business” being there or that it was “no business” of yours why people chose such a remote location.

Moonshining Origins in the Cumberland Plateau

Scots-Irish settlers brought whiskey-making skills to the Cumberland Plateau in the 1700s. They quickly discovered corn grew better than traditional grains in the mountain soil.

This agricultural reality transformed their distilling traditions. Scottish barley whiskey became American corn whiskey, creating the distinctive flavor of Appalachian moonshine.

Families made whiskey at night to avoid detection, giving the product its “moonshine” nickname. Others called it “white lightning” for its clear appearance and powerful kick.

Converting corn to whiskey made financial sense. A wagonload of corn worth $4 at market brought $40 as whiskey.

Moonshine Geography in Big South Fork

Over 125 moonshine still sites dot the Big South Fork landscape. Park records suggest one still operated for every 116 acres in the region.

A typical operation included several key parts. Stone furnaces supported copper still pots. Thump kegs enhanced alcohol content while condensers cooled vapor back to liquid.

Moonshiners chose locations carefully. They needed water, good drainage, and shelter from wind. Most importantly, they required hiding places safe from law enforcement.

The park’s deep hollows provided perfect concealment. Many stills operated in spots so remote only locals could find them.

The Economics of Moonshining

The federal government taxed alcohol heavily after the Civil War to pay war debts. This tax made legal whiskey too expensive for many customers.

Cumberland Plateau farmers found moonshining provided crucial income. Poor soil limited crop yields, but distilling transformed low-value corn into profitable whiskey.

Scott County in Tennessee and McCreary County in Kentucky earned reputations for quality moonshine production. Business boomed during Prohibition (1920-1933) when all alcohol became illegal nationwide.

Demand soared, and mountain moonshiners ramped up production to meet it.

Moonshiners vs. Revenuers

Federal “revenuers” hunted moonshiners throughout the mountains. These tax agents faced difficult challenges finding hidden stills in unfamiliar terrain.

Local producers created elaborate warning systems. Family networks posted lookouts on ridges to spot approaching lawmen.

Many operations maintained multiple still sites, abandoning one when necessary. The National Park Service estimates revenuers discovered only one in five stills operating in the region.

Big South Fork’s landscape favored locals in this cat-and-mouse game. Revenuers struggled with the challenging terrain while moonshiners used generations of knowledge to stay hidden.

Legacy of Moonshining Culture

Moonshining traditions lived on in Big South Fork well into the 1960s. The last families in No Business Creek maintained skills their ancestors developed over generations.

By 1970, the final residents left the valley. Their departure ended a way of life that sustained the community for almost two centuries.

Tennessee changed its liquor laws in 2009 to allow legal moonshine production. This change recognized the cultural importance of the practice.

Today, legal distilleries in Tennessee and Kentucky produce moonshine using traditional methods. These businesses preserve Appalachian heritage while turning an outlawed practice into a legitimate industry.

Visiting Big South Fork National River

The park maintains trails passing sites connected to both Civil War skirmishes and moonshining history. River Trail West features a marker showing where Jonathan Burke’s cabin stood during the Battle of No Business.

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