Wooster in the Civil War

by Jacob Kowall

Ohio played a critical part in the outcome of the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), providing the Union with supplies, soldiers, and leadership.  Wayne County helped make Ohio’s contribution to the war effort possible, sending thousands of volunteers and a number of officers, who witnessed some of the darkest and most decisive moments in the nation’s history.  Although Wooster profited from the economic boom that followed the war, the conflict also left physical and mental scars on the people of the city that had a direct connection to it.