Indiana Politics during the Civil War

THE Federal government soon found that it would be no easy task to organize the popular enthusiasm which followed the attack upon Fort Sumter into a unified war effort. Aside from the ever-present problem of political expediency, civil and military leaders struggled through a perplexing labyrinth of administrative difficulties in raising the Union armies.¹ Not the least of these was the need to co-ordinate the activities of many proud and jealous states. Lincoln's first call for troops was upon the militia of the various states, and his subsequent calls depended upon the state governments to provide the volunteers. In this matter the power wielded by the governors of the various commonwealths at first far exceeded that of the President and commander-in-chief. While the volunteers entered Federal service, neither they nor state officials forgot their original source. The blue-clad regiments fought to vindicate national authority, but they battled beneath the vigilant eyes of their native states.

Indiana entered the war determined, from the chief executive to the humblest private, to achieve a distinguished position among the loyal supporters of the Union.

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