Delaware During the Civil War

This volume contains the first thorough study ever made of the Civil War in Delaware. While the author's main emphasis is on politics, he also shows the impact of these years of upheaval on the economic, social, and religious life of the state.

Many formerly unknown or forgotten details of 1860 and 1864 are presented here. They include such matters as Lincoln's interest in Delaware politics, the appearance of federal troops at the polls, descriptions of political leaders of the day, and an account of the operation of an underground railroad "in reverse" to supply troops to the confederacy.

Dr. Hancock tells how wartime purchases by the federal government brought prosperity to Wilmington shipyards, gunpowder mills, and leather factories, and how certain Delaware politicians exploited the fear of political and social domination by the Black population to remain in power most of the time during the war and for many years afterward.

His narrative is woven from a variety of sources, combining materials from local archives with those from as far away as North Carolina, California, and Illinois.