Homelife & Family
From du Pont's gunpowder and Borden's condensed milk to Procter & Gamble's soap and Brooks Brothers' uniforms, this history investigates how today's familiar brand names served a vital role for the Union during the Civil War. Rarely told stories from the companies who supplied soldiers and sailors with food, clothing, weapons, and medicine recount tales of political intrigue, family and friends torn apart, and paths crossed with Abraham Lincoln. Not only do these accounts mirror the war itself, they also show that life during conflict can often be as intriguing and dangerous for a company of employees as it is a company of soldiers.
Through the story of this one family, the reader glimpses the sweep of the northern Civil War experience. The Woolseys of New York City -- a widowed mother, seven daughters, and one son devoted their lives to the preservation of their beloved Union. Georgeanna, Jane, Eliza, Carry, and Hatty served in military hospitals. Abby organized sewing and supply work for the Women's Central Association of Relief. Mary wrote patriotic poems. Moremamma Woolsey rushed to Gettysburg to nurse the wounded. This book tells us of women carving out a role in the wider war effort and the beginnings of the nursing profession. It is a journey into the social world of wealthy New York society. It is one of the great family stories of the Civil War.