Editing Connecticut (section)

====Civil War era====

{{Main|Connecticut in the American Civil War}}
[[File:View of New London, Connecticut, from the Shore Road.jpg|thumb|View of New London in 1854]]

Connecticut manufacturers played a major role in supplying the Union forces with weapons and supplies during the [[Union (American Civil War)|Civil War]]. The state furnished 55,000 men, formed into thirty full regiments of infantry, including two in the [[U.S. Colored Troops]], with several Connecticut men becoming generals. The Navy attracted 250 officers and 2,100 men, and Glastonbury native [[Gideon Welles]] was Secretary of the Navy. [[James H. Ward]] of Hartford was the first U.S. Naval Officer killed in the Civil War.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://norwich.typepad.com/museum/2012/08/james-h-ward-first-us-navy-officer-killed-in-the-civil-war.html |title=James H. Ward, First U.S. Navy Officer Killed in the Civil War |website=Sullivan Museum and History Center |publisher=Norwich University |date=August 20, 2012 |access-date=October 26, 2015 |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910132549/http://norwich.typepad.com/museum/2012/08/james-h-ward-first-us-navy-officer-killed-in-the-civil-war.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Connecticut casualties included 2,088 killed in combat, 2,801 dying from disease, and 689 dying in Confederate prison camps.<ref>{{cite book |last=Van Dusen |first=Albert E. |title=Connecticut |url=https://archive.org/details/connecticut00vand |publisher=Random House |year=1961 |edition=1st |pages = [https://archive.org/details/connecticut00vand/page/224 224–238] }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Matthew |last=Warshauer |title=Connecticut in the American Civil War: Slavery, Sacrifice, and Survival |publisher=Wesleyan University Press |date=2011 |url={{google books|Ymuv133JwrEC|plainurl=yes}} |isbn=978-0-8195-7139-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first1=William Augustus |last1=Croffut |first2=John Moses |last2=Morris |author-link2=John Moses Morris |title=The Military and Civil History of Connecticut During the War of 1861–65 |url = {{Google books|3TUyuhpp9zoC|plainurl=yes}} |year=1869 }}</ref>

A surge of national unity in 1861 brought thousands flocking to the colors from every town and city. However, as the war became a crusade to end slavery, many Democrats (especially Irish Catholics) pulled back. The Democrats took a pro-slavery position and included many [[Copperhead (politics)|Copperheads]] willing to let the South secede. The intensely fought 1863 election for governor was narrowly won by the Republicans.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Joanna D. |last=Cowden |title=The Politics of Dissent: Civil War Democrats in Connecticut |journal=New England Quarterly |date=December 1983 |volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=538–554 |doi=10.2307/365104 |jstor=365104}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Jarlath Robert |last=Lane |title=A Political History of Connecticut During the Civil War |publisher=Catholic University of America Press |date=1941}}</ref>