By Michael C. Hardy
Historian 

Michael C. Hardy is the 2010 North Carolina Historian of the Year. He specializes in writing about North Carolina and Civil War history. You can learn more about him by checking out his web page at: michaelchardy.com

He probably started off as a Confederate soldier, deserted, joined the Union army, and even had a fort named for him. But when it comes to the life of William W. Rollins, plenty of questions remain.

The plight of refugees has been in the news a lot since the November presidential election. The phenomenon is not new, however. People have been displaced through disaster and war for millennia. The American Civil War was no exception.

Our guest blogger, historian David Silkenat, provided a glimpse into the story of one such refugee.