Matthew Warshauer

Connecticut in the American Civil War, picks up in 1860 with efforts to avert war. One introductory chapter summarizes the early history of race, slavery and politics up to 1860. What makes this book particularly interesting is that the author, Matthew Warshauer focuses not on the battles of various Connecticut regiments but rather on the political battles and home front of the war. Warshauer is particularly effective in exploding popular misconceptions about the Civil War. For example, one misconception that the war had broad popular support in Connecticut. While support (and opposition) was vocal, in the elections of 1864 the pro-war (Republicans) won by only 2,405 votes of 90,000 cast. Another popular misconception today equates emancipation of slaves and the abolish of slavery. Warshauer makes it very clear in the historical record that Connecticut (and the north) went to war to preserve the union (aka allow slavery were it existed). Lincoln's emancipation proclamation was a war measure intended to deprive the south of economic resources and thus ending the war sooner. Lincoln had no constitutional right to free southern slaves and was criticized in the some of the strongest and racially charge writings of the times.… (mais)