Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

[Parault]

While reading The Civil War Narrative Vol II, I came across an interesting section. Shelby Foote had written that in various parts of the country, it was business as usual. He had made mention of the fact that in 1862 more than five million quarters of wheat and flour were exported to England. It was more than was exported in 1859. I quote from the book " In Philadelphia alone 180 new factories were established between 1862 & 1864".

As I was reading the paragraphs, and the several pages that followed, I couldn't help but wonder what else was taking place during the conflict? I know that I, as well as many others, that study and participate in this field of history, get lost in " just the war," we forget that people in the extreme western end of the continent who were still carrying on, and trying survive. What kind of treaties were negotiated? How were the building of railroads coming along? What territories were applying for statehood? Were there any patents granted for inventions other than for war?

These are a few questions that I have, and will be researching over the next few days, however I was wanting to have somewhere to start.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

I'd say a good place to start is to read some newspapers and especially magazines of the era. While newspapers included war news, there was lots of other news, and the advertisements are a great source of information as well. Magazines concentrated even less on the war. Honestly, I've often thought that a good test for a reenactor to see if they have an understanding of the period is to be able to read a magazine or newspaper of the period and see if they can get most of the jokes and understand the context of most of the stories or articles.

There are lots of period newspapers and magazines online so it's easier now than ever.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Danny]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

Hank -

I hope this thread has a good long run. You catch hints of things happening 1861-1865 but it ends up as trivia in your mind. Here's one:

In 1862, the first football club in America was organized at Boston. The name of the team was the Oneida Club...The older game was much different than the current professional version. The object was to get a rubber ball across the goal line of the opponent's team. The first team to score two goals won. There weren't many rules or time limit, and the ball could be kicked, thrown, or just handed over to other team members...The club was disbanded in 1865 after three years, presumably when the members graduated from school. There's a small monument to the club in the city that survives today.

Dan Wykes

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

Oh, glory, yes! There's so much more going on in the US besides the war!

Yes, territories are becoming states. Multiple mineral booms make some rich, others paupers, and help fund the war, too. People move west and settle, or come back from the west for a variety of reasons. Science advances. Railroads advance. Telegraphy advances.

Are you looking for general context of the greater society, or is there a field you're interested in, particularly? Nothing actually stopped happening... there were just a few added kinks with the war happening in the middle of it.

[BenjaminLDavis]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

There were two very fascinating little wars-that-could-have-been that took place shortly before we
began spilling blood with a fury: one took place on the NorthWest Coast and almost took us to a
shooting war with England, the other was a campaign against the Mormons that could have gone
on for decades, had the powder flashed.
Thanks for casting a light on this perspective - we do get too wrapped up in just the War.

[Tom Craig]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

This topic is something that my wife and I comment on quite frequently when we're at historic sites or reading history of the period that isn't connected to the war. Right in NYC central park was being developed by Fredrick Law Olmstead right in the midst of the war. There were scads of other things accomplished in the northeast, not just the far west.

Take care,
Tom Craig

[David Fox]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

...And the last survivors of the American Revolution who could be found sat for their photographic portraits in 1864.

[Parault]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

.

Are you looking for general context of the greater society, or is there a field you're interested in, particularly? Nothing actually stopped happening... there were just a few added kinks with the war happening in the middle of it.

I was just thinking the general context, nothing in particular.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

I was just thinking the general context, nothing in particular.

Wow, that's gonna be broad. Imagine wanting to know the general context of America today, while the war against terrorism is going on. Everything from music to slang to religious attitudes to fashion to sports to entertainment to economics to technology to science to legislation... Just, wow.

The problem is that most people, then and now, have some things they really keep up with (things related to their job, their hobbies, their particular interests), other things that they can't help being aware of because it's everywhere in the news, and other stuff they might totally overlook even though it would be the center of someone else's attention.

I'll go back to my original suggestion of reading general-interest newspapers and magazines from the period, to give an idea of the second category (things that are everywhere in the news and most people would be aware of). Crowd and city-scape images are another source: you'd know what the world looked like when you walked down the street, wherever you lived. Harder yet, you'd know how it was changing, what looked new or old-fashioned.

That would be a lifetime study in itself, but beyond that, the only practical way to approach the first category (things a person would keep up with in particular) is to narrow it down. Somebody interested in politics would probably follow what's going on in their home town and state as well as nationally. Somebody interested in literature would be aware of the latest books, the latest book reviews, have opinions about different authors, etc. "Young America" would know about youth culture, what clothes, expressions, songs, dances, and ways of behaving were accepted. A merchant would know what sold best at what prices, while a farmer or mechanic would have opinions about changes in his line of work. Without some narrowing down, it's just overwhelming.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[DougCooper]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

Go west young man (and woman). Many, many reasons to go, from gold/land/freedom/adventure/opportunity/politics to reasons to leave: creditors/bad marriage/feuds/sickness/the war, especially Missouri and Kansas, etc. The season of terror in Minnesota (Indian uprising) was reported widely, as well as gold and silver strikes in Idaho, etc, territorial news in general, the war in Mexico, especially worries about spillover into the US and anger with the French (Monroe Doctrine).

As a wise man once said, "all politics is local" so that was big on the minds of civilian and soldier as well. The rise of the new political parties and demise of the old...and who was a Copperhead took up much space and time. The Pony Express had just ended, the speed of comms via the telegraph was a leap forward and the railroads were moving into more and more regions, if not quite connected all the way across. Things were happening faster. Another thing always on the minds of folks was the business of farming - prices, inventions, markets, etc. Getting by in hard times is a pastime in the USA, and 61-65 was certainly no exception. Shortages/rationing, rampant inflation, business opportunities due to the war, latest list of goods coming in on the blockade. And of course, the social changes that were happening right in front of our eyes, especially with opportunities and new roles for women, were big.

The newspapers of the day were often extremely partisan and folks who could read had favorites. I imagine there was a lively debate about those traitors at this paper vs the patriots at this one, etc.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

There was indeed a lively debate! Wheeling had a Secesh paper and a Union paper, neither of which made any bones about their opinion on any matter of the day or on the opposing editor and staff.

That's why I keep telling people to read the local papers for the dates in which they're interested. In border areas like ours, the war had to be at the forefront. From the limited number of papers I've seen from beyond our area, further from the action, when people were reasonably secure, the rhythm of life appeared to be less disrupted--not serene, by any means, with so many men gone, but closer to normal.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

This is Virginia's spouse.

Among some things that were happening during the civil war that weren't related include the Homestead Act (1862) for transferring 160 acres of unoccupied public domain land, the Morrill Act (1862) that established the state agricultural and engineering schools, and the Pacific Railroad Act (1863) that started the Transcontinental Railroad.

Although I don't have the number, large numbers of immigrants were coming from Europe.

And the patent office was definitely churning away issuing patents.

Michael Mescher

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

I haven't seen anything to say what did happen, so I'm asking: how did the Patent Office conduct business when much of the building was in use as a field hospital? I've seen many accounts of the wounded laid out in the corridors; is it safe to assume the office were not used for hospital space, and that business went on in relative normalcy with the doors closed?

These are some of the small things that give us a sense of the age. I've often thought what a earthquake it must have been for wives and mothers to go looking for their wounded boys alone, often at great distance. That wasn't all. One local historian (b. 1856) recalled how hard times were with so many of the men gone; while women could run the general store or do most of the farm work, it was harder to find a woman who could shoe a horse or fix the machinery at the mill. I was surprised at his account of ruining a gum blanket his father had sent home, implying that his father had meant it to be sold for the benefit of the family.

I wonder how much the immigrants knew about what was happening. Surely the Irish had heard, but I wonder: how much news got into the back country of Croatia, say, or the mountain villages of Sicily? For those who came from countries more or less perpetually torn by war, how much did it matter?

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

A couple of advertisements to show the impact of the war on agriculture in the North and how it helped the small farmer adapt to changing technologies in response to the loss of available labor. The first image, while slightly post-period, shows the marketing of farm implements to those who were maimed in the war (or at home in farm accidents), allowing them to continue being viable farm operators. Look carefully at the arms. While this image is from the 1870s-1880s, I have seen examples from the period; I simply don't have any scanned into my computer. The second image, is of a sulky hay rake driven by a woman, stating "My brother has gone to the war!"

[BobbyHughes]

Re: Things still happening in America in the early 1860's

Here's something that happend in Georgia regarding Mills

Attack’s made by desperate citizens of New Manchester on the factory.


GEORGIA
COBB COUNTY JAN. 30, 1864

Before me personally came Joshua Welch, Superintendent of the New Manchester Factory located in Campbell County, Georgia. Who being duly sworn saith that on Wednesday the 27th instant, a large mob consisting of some 15 or 20 men and 25 or 30 women, assembled at the door of said factory building mostly armed with guns, pistols, knives and other weapons and formed a line of attack and made an attempt with the avowed purpose and intent, of forcing an entrance into said factory, and taking away the yarns and manufactured Goods from said factory and also threatening to take the stores of provisions laid in for the operatives. That these people came in wagons, buggies, and on horse with Negro’s driving said wagons. Which said wagons and conveyances were for the purpose of carrying off said goods when obtained.
Deponent further states that the only reason why said mob did not make their entrance and effect their objective was the doors of the building were all immediately closed, and the factory hands made such a show of resistance, by getting up such a defense as they could lay their hands on and remaining inside, that the mob retired, and after remaining for some three hours at and about the door renewing their avowed intention to get reinforcements, and to renew their attack at some future day. That they intended to break in and take what they wanted from said factory.
Deponent further states and swears that from the attempts already made by these mobs and the threats which they are still making, that the factory is still in danger of being attacked and robbed. That it is dangerous to continue the operations of the said factory unless some aid is rendered from some source to prevent future aggression.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this
30th day of January 1864.
A. N. Simpson J. Welsh
(Signature) (Signature)
Not. Pub Supt.