While the Civil War battles that determined the fate of the Union were not fought in Northeast Pennsylvania, no life here went untouched by the conflict. E. J. Murphy will discuss the ways in which our region played a critical role in the war, providing industrial might, agricultural bounty, and natural resources.
The Lackawanna Valley’s coal and iron helped provide the North’s industrial might, and the region’s young infantrymen bolstered the ranks of Union Army. While more than 80% of the iron used by the Union Army came from Pennsylvania, and nearly all of the coal used for fuel, the Commonwealth’s greatest resource might have been its citizens. Pennsylvania mustered 215 infantry regiments, as well as dozens of emergency militia regiments, including one from Hawley. In total, more than 340,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army, a number second only to New York.
Those on the home front raised funds to support troops on the field, on the move, and in hospitals. Women took over running the family farm, provided care packages, wrote letters with news from home, and offered prayers for spiritual support. Mr. Murphy will shed light on how our local communities responded to the greatest conflict in our nation’s history, and how local residents contributed to both the war effort and Underground Railroad Movement.
EJ Murphy is an educator and public historian. He is Project Coordinator for Destination Freedom at the Waverly Community House, and a tour guide for the Underground Railroad Walking Tour of Waverly. He teaches social studies at Howard Gardner Charter School in Scranton. He has written articles for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine as well as for the “Pennsylvania in the Civil War” blog. He also lectures on various topics related to Civil War history.
The program is free and open to the public, and will be followed by refreshments. It is being sponsored by a generous donation from our Business Partner, AJ’s Automotive, Inc.
