Connecticut in the American Civil War

Slavery, Sacrifice, and Survival

Matthew Warshauer

• Publisher: Wesleyan University Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9780819571380
• eBook ISBN:
  9780819571397
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: American Civil War History
• Index: History

"Serves as a model of what a state-level survey of the Civil War can achieve . . . a potent combination of description and analysis." — The Civil War Monitor

Connecticut in the American Civil War offers a remarkable window into the state's involvement in a conflict that challenged and defined the unity of a nation. The arc of the war is traced through the many facets and stories of battlefield, home front, and factory. Matthew Warshauer masterfully reveals the varied attitudes toward slavery and race before, during, and after the war; Connecticut's reaction to the firing on Fort Sumter; the dissent in the state over whether or not the sword and musket should be raised against the South; the raising of troops; the sacrifice of those who served on the front and at home; and the need for closure after the war. This book is a concise, amazing account of a complex and troubling war. No one interested in this period of American history can afford to miss reading this important contribution to our national and local stories.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter One Connecticut within the Nation, 1776–1860: Slavery, Race, and Politics
• Chapter Two And the War Came, 1860–61
• Chapter Three A Recognition of Death, 1862
• Chapter Four The Union Crucible, 1863
• Chapter Five Expensive Victory, 1864–65
• Chapter Six Survival’s Memory, 1865–1965
• Epilogue
• Notes
• Further Reading and Research
• Index
• Reading Guide