Cape Cod and the Civil War

1. Cape Cod's Complex Stance on Slavery and Abolition

"Considering the Cape's pocketbook interest in a healthy Southern trade, conventional wisdom would say it would vote in support of the Democrats, the party of placating the South. However, in a seeming contradiction, in the presidential elections of 1856 and 1860, it overwhelmingly favored the Republicans—the party that, if elected, would most likely divide the country and disrupt that trade."

Economic interests vs. moral convictions. Cape Cod's position on slavery and abolition was nuanced and sometimes contradictory. While the region benefited economically from trade with the South, it also had a strong abolitionist presence.

Abolitionist activities. Throughout the 1840s and 1850s, Cape Cod saw frequent visits from abolitionist lecturers and the formation of anti-slavery societies. Notable figures like Parker Pillsbury and William Lloyd Garrison spoke at various locations across the Cape, often drawing large crowds and stirring both support and opposition.

Political leanings. Despite its economic ties to the South, Cape Cod consistently voted for the anti-slavery Republican Party in the elections leading up to the Civil War. This political stance reflected a growing sentiment against the expansion of slavery, even if it meant potential economic disruption.

2. The Impact of the Civil War's Outbreak on Cape Cod

"War and earthquakes are similar. Both are characterized by a prolonged buildup of stress—above ground with war and below with the earthquake—until pressures become so great that it is uncontainable, and a violent, cataclysmic eruption occurs."

Immediate effects. The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 had profound and immediate impacts on Cape Cod:

• Disruption of maritime trade with Southern ports
• Increased risk of privateering and commerce raiding
• Calls for coastal defenses and military preparedness

Economic adjustments. Cape Cod's economy, heavily reliant on maritime trade, had to adapt quickly:

• Shift from Southern trade to government contracts and Northern markets
• Conversion of commercial vessels to military transports
• Increased focus on local industries like glassmaking and fishing

Patriotic response. The Cape saw a surge of patriotic fervor and military mobilization:

• Formation of local militia units
• Recruitment drives for army and navy volunteers
• Public rallies and demonstrations of support for the Union cause

3. Cape Cod's Naval Contributions to the Union Cause

"Cape Cod's vital coasting schooner industry, in an economic downturn in 1861, rebounded sufficiently by June 1862 that Phinney reported, 'Freighting has rarely been better.'"

Maritime expertise. Cape Cod's long maritime tradition made it a valuable source of naval expertise for the Union:

• Experienced captains and sailors joined the navy as officers and crew
• Local shipbuilders and repairers contributed to the naval war effort
• Cape Cod pilots played crucial roles in navigating unfamiliar Southern waters

Naval recruitment challenges. Despite its maritime heritage, Cape Cod faced difficulties in naval recruitment:

• Many sailors preferred army service due to better pay and enlistment bounties
• Fishing industry competed with naval service for manpower
• Initial lack of naval recruitment incentives compared to army enlistments

Adapting to war needs. Cape Cod's maritime industry quickly adapted to wartime demands:

• Commercial vessels were converted for military transport and logistics
• Local shipyards shifted to building and repairing naval vessels
• Cape Cod sailors served on various naval vessels, from ironclads to river gunboats

4. The Vital Role of Cape Cod in Military Transport and Logistics

"All the military, industrial and agricultural might of the North—troops, munitions, provisions, hay, coal, railroad iron—was worthless if it couldn't be gotten to the war fronts in the South. To get it there, the government chartered privately owned coasting schooners and other vessel types, many with Cape owners and crewmen."

Logistics backbone. Cape Cod's vessels and crews became an essential part of the Union's military logistics:

• Transport of troops, supplies, and equipment to various theaters of war
• Evacuation of wounded soldiers and prisoners of war
• Support for amphibious operations and coastal assaults

Adapting commercial vessels. Many Cape Cod ships were repurposed for military use:

• Passenger steamers converted to troop transports
• Cargo vessels adapted to carry military supplies and equipment
• Some ships outfitted as floating hospitals or command vessels

Dangerous missions. Cape Cod sailors faced numerous perils in their transport duties:

• Threat of Confederate commerce raiders and privateers
• Navigating treacherous coastal waters and river systems
• Exposure to enemy fire during amphibious operations and coastal assaults

5. Cape Cod's Soldiers: From Recruitment to the Frontlines

"Barnstable County had done it again! On the heels of raising its quota of three-years' men, it had done the same with its nine-months' ones, through a combination of patriotic feeling, bounty money and revulsion at the idea of a draft."

Recruitment efforts. Cape Cod communities actively participated in raising troops for the Union army:

• Local recruitment offices established in various towns
• Bounties offered to encourage enlistment
• Community events and rallies to support recruitment drives

Diverse units. Cape Cod men served in various regiments and branches:

• Infantry regiments like the 29th, 38th, and 58th Massachusetts
• Artillery units such as the 14th Massachusetts Battery
• Cavalry regiments including the 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry
• Specialized units like the U.S. Engineers and Marine Corps

From civilians to soldiers. Cape Cod men had to adapt quickly to military life:

• Basic training and drill at camps in Massachusetts
• Adjustment to military discipline and hierarchy
• Facing the harsh realities of combat and camp life

6. The Home Front: Cape Cod's Support for the War Effort

"In homes and community halls Capewide, aid societies brought women together and gave them a sense of personal involvement in the war."

Community mobilization. Cape Cod communities rallied to support the war effort:

• Formation of Soldiers' Aid Societies and relief organizations
• Fundraising events and donation drives for troops
• Local industries shifting to war production

Women's contributions. Cape Cod women played a crucial role on the home front:

• Organizing and participating in aid societies
• Knitting, sewing, and preparing supplies for soldiers
• Some women served as nurses or teachers for freed slaves

Maintaining morale. Communities worked to keep spirits high and support their soldiers:

• Public ceremonies and parades to honor departing and returning troops
• Regular correspondence with soldiers at the front
• Supporting families of enlisted men through various means

7. The Human Cost: Cape Cod's Casualties and Prisoners of War

"Cape Cod's tattered companies straggled home. David Kendrick of Chatham furnished the Patriot with the long list of casualties of Company A of the Fifty-eighth."

Battle casualties. Cape Cod soldiers fought and died in major battles throughout the war:

• Significant losses at engagements like Antietam, Gettysburg, and Petersburg
• Many soldiers suffered wounds that led to long-term disabilities or death
• Families at home anxiously awaited news of their loved ones' fates

Disease and hardship. More Cape Cod soldiers died from disease than combat:

• Illnesses like typhoid, dysentery, and pneumonia ravaged army camps
• Harsh conditions and poor nutrition weakened soldiers' health
• Some soldiers never recovered from the physical and mental toll of the war

Prisoners of war. Many Cape Cod men endured the horrors of Confederate prisons:

• Notorious camps like Andersonville claimed the lives of numerous Cape Cod soldiers
• Those who survived often returned home with severe physical and psychological trauma
• Some families never learned the fate of their captured loved ones

8. Cape Cod's Legacy in the Civil War

"Peace brought no end of the war for Cape Cod's numerous ship captains, owners and crewmen victimized in captures at sea by the CSS Alabama and other Confederate commerce raiders. For these unfortunates, the Cape's Civil War era continued, a story too long for the scope of this book."

Lasting impact. The Civil War left an indelible mark on Cape Cod:

• Monuments and memorials erected to honor the fallen
• Veterans' organizations formed to support returned soldiers
• Economic and social changes reshaping post-war Cape Cod society

Maritime legacy. Cape Cod's maritime contributions continued to resonate:

• Expertise gained during the war applied to peacetime shipping and fishing industries
• Some Cape Cod sailors continued careers in the post-war U.S. Navy
• Legal battles over Confederate commerce raiding extended into the 1880s

Remembering the sacrifice. Cape Cod communities worked to preserve the memory of their Civil War experiences:

• Collection and preservation of letters, diaries, and artifacts
• Publication of regimental histories and personal memoirs
• Annual ceremonies and events to commemorate the war and its veterans

Last updated: August 8, 2024