On the eve of the Civil War, Ohio was an important Union State. Third in population and wealth among the thirty-four states, the number of its people, joined with those of New York and Pennsylvania, surpassed the total population of the Confederacy. In addition to its status as a major agricultural producer, Ohio was significant in terms of manufacturing, urbanization, commerce, and education.
During the war, Ohio provided an impressive contribution of soldiers and officers. Ohio led the major northern states in the percentage of its eligible men serving in the military, and ultimately Buckeye volunteers made up over 10 percent of the Union men killed in action. Over 200 Ohioans reached the rank of general, among them Ulysses S. Grant, Philip H. Sheridan, and William T. Sherman.
First published in 1968, this collection of essays broadens our knowledge of Ohio's leadership during the Civil War by focusing on individuals who are not as familiar to modern audiences as Grant, Sheridan, or Sherman. The men featured in this book were known beyond Ohio's borders, yet each also provided leadership and was closely identified with the Buckeye state: Clement L. Vallandigham, James A. Garfield, Whitelaw Reid, Ben Wade, Charles P. McIlvaine, Miles Greenwood, Murat Halstead, John Sherman, Artemus Ward, and Petroleum Nasby.
Historians and general readers interested in the Civil War and Ohio history will be delighted that this volume is once again available. The contributors are Frank L. Klement, Allan Peskin, Robert H. Jones, Mary Land, James B. Bell, Carl M. Becker, Donald W. Curl, Jeanette P. Nichols, and Harvey Wish.
Kenneth W. Wheeler is associate professor of history and acting dean of Metropolitan College at Boston University. He was the Historian Consultant to the Ohio Civil War Centennial Commission. His forthcoming book on early Texas cities covers the Civil War period.
