Henry Wilson & The Civil War

​​Henry Wilson was an American general, senator, and later vice president who played a key role in the political lead up to the Civil War, handling military affairs during the war, and fighting for civil rights for all Americans during Reconstruction. Wilson was born in 1812 in Farmington, New Hampshire, and was sold into indentured servitude until the age of 21. Shortly following the end of his contract, Wilson moved to Natick Massachusetts where he began his career as a shoemaker. Wilson got involved in local politics and was elected to the Massachusetts state legislature. Wilson was central in forming the Free Soil party in 1848 to fight slavery's expansion. Wilson was elected to the US Senate in 1855 and remained a senator until he was elected as Ulysses Grant's Vice President in 1872. During his career, Wilson drafted much of the military legislation governing the war, worked closely with the Lincoln administration to handle military affairs, emancipated the slaves of Washington DC, and was central in the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, along with many other political successes. It's difficult to find a political event in the 1850s-1870's which was not in some way touched by Henry Wilson. Wilson died in 1875 in the US Capitol during his tenure as vice president. The Senate commemorated his death with a vice-presidential bust which still is displayed in the vice president's office in the Capitol aside from the vice-presidential desk whose dedication is also in honor of Wilson. Despite being one of the most iconic Americans of his time, today Wilson is largely forgotten. Henry Wilson & the Civil War seeks to tell the fascinating story of Wilson's rise from poverty and his political success to reassert his rightful place in history.