The in-depth "true" story of this legendarily fierce-- and far-reaching-- clash in the heart of Appalachia. Describes the little-known truths behind the legendary feud between two Appalachian families that ultimately killed thirteen members in a dispute that became newspaper fodder and eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Map on endpapers.

The Hatfields: a selective genealogy --The McCoys: a selective genealogy -- Prologue: The fate of Cotton Top Mounts, February 18, 1890 -- Part I: Bad blood, 1854-1882. War comes to the Big Sandy, 1854-1862 ; Un-civil warfare, 1863-1865 ; Timbering the sublime forest, 1865-1877 ; The importance of razorbacks, 1878-1880 ; Moonshine and love, 1880 ; The wages of love, 1880-1882 ; Tumult on Election Day, August 7-8, 1882 -- Part II: The rage and the outrage, 1882-1887. Casualties, 1864-1882 ; Mountain justice, August 9-10, 1882 ; Life after death, 1882-1884 ; Taking names and keeping a list, 1884-1886 ; A double whipping, 1886 ; The enforcers, Spring, Summer, and Fall 1887 ; Diplomacy failed, Fall and Winter, 1887 -- Part III: The January raids and their aftermath, 1887-1888. Casualties, 1864-1887 ; A house burning, December 31, 1887-January 2, 1888 ; The death of a soldier, January 1888 ; Bad Frank and the Battle of Grapevine Creek, January 18, 1888 ; disorder in the courts, February-May 1888 ; The lawmen, 1888 ; Yellow journalists on the bloody border, February-October, 1888 -- Part IV: The hunters and the hunted, 1888-1898. Casualties, 1864-1888. The trial, 1888-1889 ; The bitter end, November, 1889-February, 1890 ; After the hanging, 1890-1895 ; The last murders and manhunt, 1896 ; The last dance : Cunningham gets his Hatfield, 1898 -- Coda: March 4, 1913 -- Epilogue: Mine is the vengeance.