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Family life across America suffered devastating impacts during the Civil War. The most obvious impact was the fathers, brothers, uncles and cousins that volunteeres or were drafted and soparated from the family for military servuce. Families were, however impacted in many other ways. This varied substantially depending on where the family lived. Southern families suffered more than northern families. This was because son much of the War was fought in the South. This was espcially true ov Virginia where so much of the War was fought. This was comounded as the War became a war of attrition a economics became an increasingly important part of the War. Most northern families were insulated from a war fought hundred of miles to the south. Many southerrn families were uprooted as they witnessed the destruction of their communities, homes and landholdings. And it was not just the soldiers that suffered the ordeal of separation. Mothers, children and parents at home suffeed terribkle. This was not only the pangs of separation, but often it was he family breadwinner that went to war, meaning the family's major means of support. If the father was a wage earner this ment family support. If he was a farmer that meant the person who did most of the hard work of farming, often work that women were less well equipped to do. And because of the heavy casulties, this became permanent. And here the impact was especiallyn pronounced in the South beacuse of the loss of a proportionally higher percentage of the work force and family suopport. Something like one in five of the men who fought for the Confederacy died. Here we are mostly talking about White and northerrn Black families. Slave families had their own unique experiences whuch need to be addressed. The chaos of war often dispersed African Americans, but often the families stayed together. And the War finally provided the opportunity for freedom to the Deep South. This ended the constant threat of families being split apart by members be sold and separated.
The massive size of Civil Wararmies mean that many men were separated from their families. The United States had fought war before, but never on sych a scale and on continental basis. Before the Civil War, most of the populaton lived their entire lives wuthin about 50 miles of here hey were born. Husbands and sons enlised or were drafted and thus separated from their families, often over substantial distances. A huge photographic record exists of the family members back home. Most of the portraits are, however, are of individuals, in some cases all the children or the mother and children. The most famous portrait of a soldier's childen is an Ambrotype of the Humiston children of a Federal soldier killed at Gettysburg. But these are relatively rare compared to the number of individual portrait. We are archiving family fortraits when we find them as they give such a wonderful view of the folks back home with all kinds of historical abd sociologial information can be gleaned as well as fashion trends. The cost of photographs was coming down with innovaion of the CDV, thus we see an increasing wide soxial spectrum in the photograhic record. Full family portraits, especially thise taken outside the studio are, however, are mostly of well-to-do families. Thus we are archiving the family image that we have been able to find.
Family life across America suffered devastating impacts during the Civil War. The most obvious impact was the fathers, brothers, uncles and cousins that volunteeres or were drafted and soparated from the family for military servuce. Families were, however impacted in many other ways. This varied substantially depending on where the family lived. Southern families suffered more than northern families. This was because son much of the War was fought in the South. This was espcially true ov Virginia where so much of the War was fought. This was comounded as the War became a war of attrition a economics became an increasingly important part of the War. Most northern families were insulated from a war fought hundred of miles to the south. Many southerrn families were uprooted as they witnessed the destruction of their communities, homes and landholdings. And it was not just the soldiers that suffered the ordeal of separation. Mothers, children and parents at home suffeed terribkle. This was not only the pangs of separation, but often it was he family breadwinner that went to war, meaning the family's major means of support. If the father was a wage earner this ment family support. If he was a farmer that meant the person who did most of the hard work of farming, often work that women were less well equipped to do. And because of the heavy casulties, this became permanent. And here the imopact was especiallyn pronounced in the South beacuse of the loss of a proportionally higher percentage of the work force and family suopport. Something like one in five of the men who fought for the Confederacy died.
Civil War regiments were recrited locally. This meant many of the men in any given unit often were friends and neigbors who knew each other before the war. Others were rekatives, most commonly cousins. Many brothers served together. This meant that some family did not just suffer one casualty, but in some cases multiple casualties. Modern Americans are familiar owith the nobie 'Savung Private Ryan' or the Sullivan Brothers, butb such instances were much more common in the Vivil War because of the hugh casualtyb rate and the klocal recriitment of fighting units. Coomunities with units in major battles coukld be severlyn ompacted meaning the families as well as the community.
Slave families had their own unique experiences whuch need to be addressed. The chaos of war often dispersed African Americans, but often the families stayed together. And the War finally provided the opportunity for freedom to the Deep South. This ended the constant threat of families being split apart by members be sold and separated.
Many families were divided, especially in the border states with family members fighting on both sides. This even extended to the White House. he first lady Mary Todd Lincoln was from Kenticky. Many members of the Todd family fought for the Confederacy. More comminly families fought toghter, but there were many examples of families separated, especially in the Border States. Usually it was the chikdren that were sold off, but mothers and fathers could also be sold. Slave families had no legal standing in law.
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