Delaware During the Civil War by Stella Landry

Delaware's Contributions to the War

stellalandry — 2024-01-04 17:01:46 UTC

During the Civil War, there were no battles in Delaware. The War Department called for regiments to join and help the Union. Delaware provided a larger number of soldiers relative to the size of its population in other states.

Governor William Burton (1789-1866)

stellalandry — 2024-01-09 13:37:01 UTC

-William Burton was born in Delaware

-He was a practicing physician

-Burton ran for Governor in 1858

-During the early months of the war Burton tried to stay neutral and did not want to upset those with the south and those with the Union

-When Confederate delegation came to Delaware to sway the General Assembly toward the secession, Burton rejected it and Delaware remained firmly in the Union.

-He encouraged people to join the military and provided a large number of soldiers

Delaware Union Army Deaths

stellalandry — 2024-01-09 17:06:37 UTC

-Delaware had 11,236 troops involved in the Civil War

-383 were killed or mortally wounded

-356 people died of disease

-143 people died of other causes

-882 is the total number of deaths

stellalandry — 2024-01-09 17:12:37 UTC

Delaware was neither a Northern or Southern state. It was a border state that sided with the union. The state was known for its imprisonment of Confederate soldiers at Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island.

Fort Delaware

stellalandry — 2024-01-09 17:22:44 UTC

-It was a harbor defence facility

-Located on Pea Patch Island on the Delaware River

- The Union used Fort Delaware as a prison for Confederate prisoners of War

-The first person to die at Fort Delaware was Captain L.P.

Halloway

-There were more then 11 thousand prisoners in 1863 and by the end of the war it held 33,565 men

-Nearly 25 hundred prisoners died at the prison

- Fort Delaware is now listed with the U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Delaware's Distinguished Officer

stellalandry — 2024-01-10 13:40:02 UTC

-Alfred Torbert was born in Georgetown, Delaware

-He graduated from West Point in 1833

-His choice of service guaranteed the he would serve in the West

-Torbert received the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the Confederate Artillery but he rejected it

-He went to become the Lieutenant of the New Jersey Infantry

-Torbert earned the rank of Brigadier General on November 29th

-Torbert received command of a cavalry division in Major General Philip Sheridan's Cavalry corps.

-He became a major general and commanded Sheridan's Cavalry.

-Torbert resigned from the Army in 1866 and spent much of the rest of his life performing diplomatic duties for the government and dabbling in business