Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Assessment/Kirk–Holden war

Article promoted by Vami IV (talk) via MilHistBot (talk) 19:20, 9 May 2022 (UTC) &laquo; Return to A-Class review list

Kirk–Holden war
Instructions for nominators and reviewers
 * Nominator(s): 

This is about one of the least-known but most important events in my home state of North Carolina, and sealed the sad fate of Reconstruction in wake of the American Civil War within it. After a serious bout of violence from the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan organization in 1870 (including two Klan murders of public officials that took place on courthouse grounds), Governor William Woods Holden called up a militia under Colonel George Washington Kirk to arrested those suspected of causing trouble in two counties with token support from the federal government. Klan activity was dampened, but some laws were broken and prisoners' rights denied, and Holden's opponents in the legislature used the affair to lodge eight articles of impeachment against him, thus causing him to be the first governor in the United States to be removed from office by such a mechanism. Holden died believing he had done the right thing, but as recently as 2011 the president of a local historical association thought that his removal didn't have to do with racism or with Klan pressure—despite the fact that the representative who proposed the articles of impeachment against Holden was himself a Klansman. The article relies mostly on relatively recent scholarship and just passed a Good article nom. Mostly making sure that it can be understood by a WP:GLOBAL audience and that the nuances of North Carolina law at the time aren't too confusing. -Indy beetle (talk) 19:42, 22 January 2022 (UTC)

Review from Buidhe
Content review:
 * Image review—pass no licensing issues found (t &#183; c)  buidhe  19:53, 22 January 2022 (UTC)
 * Thanks, spent a lot of time digging around for the right materials! -Indy beetle (talk) 20:05, 22 January 2022 (UTC)
 * "police action", apparently based on one source you are calling it this in the first sentence and infobox. I agree that it's not a war in the conventional sense (similar to the Pig War), but also the phrase "police action" to me is associated with its euphemistic use to avoid formal declaration of war, eg in Korea or Indonesia. Also, the article seems to be both about the Klan insurgency and the reaction to it. (If you think Ku Klux Klan insurgency in North Carolina is a separate topic, I would recommend splitting it off and reducing detail in the earlier parts of the article.) I wonder if there might be another term that is used in sources such as "conflict" or "insurgency"?
 * Changed to "police operation" as that's verbatim what Brisson uses. I used police action because that's a linkable concept, but I suppose I forgot to appreciate the connation of it as "foreign intervention". As far as the "Klan insurgency," from the perspective of Holden's administration it was an insurrection, but clearly that was not the General Assembly's point of view. The phrase "Kirk–Holden war" is obviously attached to the deployment of the militia, but the more comprehensive accounts such as those found in Brisson, Wise, and Bradley make a point of recounting the events in Alamance and Caswell in good detail, particularly with the murders of Outlaw and Stephens. From what I can tell Klan activity in the other areas isn't studied too closely, aside from Nash's writings on what happened in the mountains and some of the shenanigans in Moore County, since federal officials got involved there.
 * "all enslaved black people in the state were freed" This makes it sound like there were other non-black enslaved people who were not freed. Possibly you mention earlier in the paragraph the role of slavery in the ACW?
 * Revised to say The issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation during the conflict meant that the federal government recognized the freedom of over 330,000 enslaved blacks in North Carolina; this came into effect in most of the state with the end of the war. With the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in December 1865, slavery was formally abolished across the United States.
 * You can link 1868 North Carolina gubernatorial election
 * Done.
 * It's not entirely clear to someone unfamiliar with American history that the "freedmen" are formerly enslaved African-Americans
 * I think this is now clear with mentioning the freedom of the 330,000+ black slaves
 * "white North Carolinians became frustrated with the Republican government" what were they upset by?
 * Brisson doesn't specify, but it almost certainly had to do with the rise in status of black people and/or higher taxes and financial corruption allegations.
 * "mooted" an unnecessarily obscure word, I suggest "proposed"
 * Done.
 * "The arrestees encompassed a wide variety of persons," kind of vague
 * Changed to The arrestees encompassed persons from various social backgrounds. Brisson speaks to the different "social classes" represented among the detainees.
 * "Tensions remained high between militiamen and federal soldiers in the county, with the two forces hurling insults and occasional stones at one another." You explain why the federals didn't like the militiamen, but not vice versa? (t &#183; c)  buidhe  07:49, 3 February 2022 (UTC)
 * It's not really clear, Bradley boils it down to "the true source of difficulty was the lack of a unified command structure". My read is that the US officers thought the militia leaders were paranoid, and that probably engendered mistrust which trickled down from the leadership to the ranks. The older sources that align with the "Hamilton school" of North Carolina Reconstruction historiography sometimes alleged that the militia caused a great amount of disorder in Yanceyville which the federal troops tried to curtail, but newer sources generally omit this and/or push back against the idea that Kirk's troops were simply a bunch of ruffians. -Indy beetle (talk) 00:09, 4 February 2022 (UTC)
 * Support on A4 and A5. (t &#183; c)  buidhe  01:23, 4 February 2022 (UTC)

Comments Support from CPA
Drive by
 * There is a MOS:SANDWICH issue in the first three lines in the Legal disputes section. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 12:42, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
 * Perhaps its a screen size issue; I have no problem on my laptop. -Indy beetle (talk) 16:40, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
 * True that my laptop also doesn't give me a sandwich issue while my monitor says something different is there a way to standardise this issue? Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 16:56, 28 January 2022 (UTC)

Comments
 * Will do this soon. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 03:35, 27 April 2022 (UTC)

That's anythihng from me. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 18:40, 28 April 2022 (UTC)
 * "The Kirk–Holden war was a police operation taken against the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan" How is it a police operation if a militia was ordered to restore order?
 * This is a phrase used verbatim by the historian Brisson. Police is meant as a verbal adjective, not a noun (ie an operation to police the Klan). Like police action in the international context.
 * "Following an increase in Klan activity in North Carolina in 1869 and 1870" Sounds a bit odd or is it just me?
 * Removed the years.
 * "No persons were killed during the campaign" isn't it beter to use "No one was killed during the campaign"?
 * Done.
 * "of certain rights from nonwhites and forcing" isn't it " of certain rights from non-whites and forcing"?
 * Done.
 * "deteriorating and convinced the mayor and a local magistrate" --> "deteriorating and convinced the Mayor and a local magistrate"?
 * MOS:JOBTITLES seems to suggest lower case here. Same for the below comments regarding "governor".
 * "asking United States Senator for North Carolina Joseph Carter Abbott" Why has senator an uppercase I mean weren't there two senators for each state like pressent has?
 * Yes, but "US Senator Joseph Carter Abbot" seems to be the proper title for him, independent of the other senator.
 * "On May 25 he publicly condemned" --> "On May 25, he publicly condemned"
 * Done.
 * "one of the governor's closest advisers" --> "one of the Governor's closest advisers"?
 * "It arrived in Raleigh on July 19 and made camp at Old Baptist Grove" --> "It arrived in Raleigh on July 19, and made camp at Old Baptist Grove"?
 * Done.
 * "with about 350 men on July 18 and established his headquarters" --> "with about 350 men on July 18, and established his headquarters"
 * Done.
 * "by the Sheriff of Orange County and a posse" What's his name?
 * Brisson does not specify. I've been unable to find his name, apparently he was dead by the time the impeachment trials began (source).
 * "House voted 60 to 46 to impeach the governor" --> "House voted 60 to 46 to impeach the Governor"?
 * "team issued the governor's formal response" Same as above.
 * "The North Carolina Senate convened on March 22" --> "The North Carolina Senate convened on March 22,"
 * Done.
 * "Meanwhile, in the autumn of 1872" MOS:SEASONS?
 * Boyd only gives the season, but per MOS I've changed the text to read "the latter part of 1872".
 * I've responded to your comments. -Indy beetle (talk) 02:08, 30 April 2022 (UTC)
 * Looks good, support. Cheers. CPA-5 (talk) 17:48, 2 May 2022 (UTC)

HF - support
Will review soon. Hog Farm Talk 14:54, 11 February 2022 (UTC)


 * I think the Civil War might be useful to mention in the lead, it's hard to really give background for the Klan without mentioning the war
 * Done.
 * "and North Carolina was reintegrated into the United States" - is this the best phrasing, as it wasn't fully readmitted until 1868, I believe?
 * and North Carolina reverted to the jurisdiction of the United States Better?
 * "Klan murders continued throughout the Piedmont region of the state through 1869 and 1870" - I think Piedmont ought to be linked
 * Sadly there is no North Carolina-specific Piedmont article except for Piedmont Crescent, which is a modern concept. Piedmont (United States) covers the general concept for the entire eastern US. The region itself is probably notable enough for its own article, but one does not exist.
 * Did Badham hold any sort of office or leadership role in Graham County, or was he just the one who wrote to Holden?
 * Apparently a lawyer who wanted the KKK to be prosecuted, but it does not appear that he held any official positions in government or a major leadership role in the county Republican chapter. Based off of Bradley's citations it seems he wrote to Holden on several occassions.
 * "speak with General Edward Canby" - recommend using Canby's exact rank
 * Done.
 * Who is Richard Badger? He needs some sort of gloss
 * Brisson identifies him as one of the governor's closest advisers (my text now added to the article). Apparently he was a Republican attorney who had been involved in the previous Klan suppression efforts.
 * "His men were issued uniforms and Springfield rifles " - any idea which model of Springfields?
 * "Muzzle-loading Springfield rifled muskets", something kind of old by that point, I think, but the sources do not specify what model.
 * "the men that enlisted in the militias probably hoped to benefit from the pay offered" - should this statement be attributed?
 * Done.
 * "On July 27, General George Meade" - again, recommend using exact rank if possible
 * Done.

Ready for legal disputes section, more to come later. Hog Farm Talk 20:20, 13 February 2022 (UTC)


 * "None of them were convicted in the ensuing proceedings" - were these jury trials? If so, that might be worth mentioning as it would suggest the reason for no convictions. Do the sources indicate the reason(s) for the acquittals?
 * Since these were superior court trials, I would presume juries were involved. Brisson suggests possible "intimidation, collusion, or outright perjury" but other than that no specifics.
 * "Clark sent a portion of Company B to Carthage in Moore County" - is this a typo for Clarke?
 * Fixed.
 * " General Meade dissolved the District of North Carolina on September 13" - same as the other General Meade comment above
 * Fixed.
 * "The resolution requires approval from the House in order to be put into effect." - anything happen on this since? Presumably it has either been passed or died in committee forever now.
 * There's been no follow-up in the media; far as I know, it was never even introduced in the House and referred to a committee.

Sourcing looks fine. Anticipate supporting. Hog Farm Talk 05:41, 14 February 2022 (UTC)


 * Hi, you got any further responses, or is it 's turn? Thanks. Gog the Mild (talk) 20:17, 1 May 2022 (UTC)
 * I've already supported ... Hog Farm Talk 20:22, 1 May 2022 (UTC)

Source review - Pass
The sources all seem to me to be appropriately reliable and I can see no formatting issues. See also discussion on User talk:Hog Farm Gog the Mild (talk) 15:47, 6 May 2022 (UTC)