During the Civil War, East Tennessee, a mostly mountainous region, opposed secession from the Union. The establishment in the region, for instance, of the "Free and Independent State of Scott" was an example of this. The remainder of the state, which had more slaveholders, particularly in the plantation areas of West Tennessee, supported the Confederacy. The historical division made East Tennessee a target of informal engagements by both sides. Confederate troops fought engagements with local partisans, which took place far from the front. From 1862, Tennessee was occupied by Union troops, which contributed to the tensions and divisions. The mountainous terrain and the lack of law enforcement during the war gave guerrillas and other irregular military groups significant freedom of action. Numerous incidents were recorded of guerrilla and revenge attacks, especially on the Cumberland Plateau. Families were often divided; one of Champ Ferguson's brothers fought as a member of the Union's 1st Kentucky Cavalry and was killed in action.