Thomas Hill Watts pursued a legal career following his education at Airy Mount Academy and the University of Virginia. He practiced law in Greenville and later Montgomery, while also managing a plantation. Watts transitioned from private practice to public service, serving in the Alabama State Legislature and Senate. He held leadership roles in both state and Confederate governments, including organizing and leading a military regiment and serving as Confederate Attorney General. Watts' tenure as Governor of Alabama was marked by economic and military challenges during the Civil War, where he implemented controversial measures to address state difficulties. Post-governorship, he resumed his law practice and held positions in the state legislature and as president of the state bar association.

Thomas Hill Watts's political career reveals a complex interplay of regional loyalty and ideological pragmatism. His shift from pro-Union to secessionist reveals a strategic adaptability, while his economic policies during the Civil War, such as impressment of slaves and tax-in-kind, indicate a willingness to employ controversial measures to sustain state interests. Watts's resistance to Confederate conscription laws, despite his earlier support, highlights a calculated approach to balancing state autonomy with wartime necessities. This duality in his stance on conscription and economic measures suggests a deeply localized, interest-driven political philosophy.