Family War Stories: The Densmores' Fight to Save the Union and Destroy Slavery

by Keith P. Wilson

Overview

Based on an extensive collection of letters written from the home front and the battlefront, Family War Stories offers fresh insights into how the reciprocal nature of family correspondence can shape a family’s understanding of the war.

Family War Stories examines the contribution of the Densmore family to the Northern Civil War effort. It extends the boundaries of research in two directions. First, by describing how members of this white family from Minnesota were mobilized to fight a family war on the home front and the battlefront, and second, by exploring how the war challenged the family’s abolitionist beliefs and racial attitudes. Family War Stories argues that the totality of the family’s Civil War experience was intricately shaped by the dynamics of family life and the reciprocal nature of family corre­spondence. Further, it argues that the serving sons’ understanding of the war was shaped by their direct military experiences in the army camps and battlefields and how their loved ones at home interpreted these experiences.

With two sons serving as officers in the United States Colored Troops’ regiments fighting in the Mississippi Valley, the Densmore family was heavily involved in destroying slavery. Family War Stories analyses how the sons’ military experiences tested the family’s abolitionist ideology and its commitment to white racial superiority. It also explains how the family sought to accommodate the presence of a refugee from slavery working in the family kitchen. In some ways, the presence of this worker in the household posed an even greater range of challenges to the family’s racial beliefs than the sons’ military service.

By examining one family’s deep involvement in the war against slavery, Wilson analyses how the Civil War posed particular challenges to Northerners committed to abolitionism and white supremacy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781531505417
Publisher:	Fordham University Press
Publication date:	04/16/2024
Series:	The North's Civil War
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Keith P. Wilson is an affiliate in the School of Philosophical, Historical and International Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. His books include Campfires of Freedom: The Camp Life of Black Soldiers during the Civil War and ed. Honor in Command: Lt. Freeman S. Bowley’s Civil War Service in the 30th United States Colored Infantry.

Table of Contents

Preface | ix

Introduction | 1

1 “May his ‘soldier life’ be as good asthe cause he will represent”:
Orrin Densmore and the Beginning of the Civil War | 11

2 “I wish Old Abe had a son or some kin or kine up here in danger”:
The Brothers’ War against the Dakota | 19

3 “Dont give up my Son”: Benjamin on Duty at Fort Halleck | 38

4 “The glorious, new temple of Liberty”:
Daniel Joins the United States Colored Troops at Benton Barracks | 48

5 “Kind acts went directly to their hearts”:
Martha Serves on the Home Front in Red Wing | 61

6 “Faces of flint”: Campaigning against Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest | 72

7 “The child was ‘right glad’ to get home”:
Young Orrin’s Military Adventure | 86

8 “Move the camp down to the grave yard”: Camp Life in Memphis | 98

9 “Christmas with us here promises to be quite a season”:
Rejoicing and Celebrating | 110

10 “She walks off with the work”:
Service and Friendship: Elizabeth, Mary, and Martha | 122

11 “Do come up Martha”: Anna and Martha | 134

12 “They all fought like Minnesotians”: The Mobile Campaign | 145

13 “The curse of slavery”: Occupation Duty in Alabama | 156

14 “They’ve got money, let them buy their own biscuit”:
Departure and Homecoming | 166

Conclusion | 179

Characters | 191

Genealogical Tables | 197

Notes | 201

Bibliography | 243

Index I 257

Editorial Reviews

The letters contain valuable insight on an array of topics that expand our understanding of the Civil War, the war in the West, the experiences of soldiers and officers in the United States Colored Troops, the experiences on the northern home front, and the intimate relationships that existed between family members during this period.—Ryan W. Keating, Professor of History, California State UniversitySan Bernardino

From the Publisher

Family War Stories: The Densmores’ fight to Save the Union and Destroy Slavery contains is well-written, well researched and interesting. It will be of especial interest to those with an interest in Minnesota in the Civil War, the Dakota War of 1862, Minnesota regiments, US Colored regiments and family life during the Civil War. It is highly recommended.

Civil War News