Ohio to mark war’s anniversary

By Alan Johnson

The Columbus Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Ohio will go all-out to observe the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, even though no major battle was fought here.

President Abraham Lincoln, Gens. Ulysses Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman and Civil War photographer Matthew Brady will be everywhere. Dozens of events will unfold around the state: encampments, exhibits, lectures and ceremonies. Some will be solemn, others just fun.

The kickoff will be Sunday at the Statehouse: a ceremony re-enacting the muster of the 1st Ohio Volunteer Infantry in response to Lincoln’s call after the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

But why should Ohioans care about a war so long over that one of the few reminders is the smell of gunpowder lingering on decaying battle flags?

“It’s important for each generation to look at what a previous generation bequeathed to them,” said Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. “The Civil War saved this union. The whole idea about democracy — that people could govern themselves — would have been shattered.

“That’s what Lincoln worried about,” said Kearns, the author of “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” “The beacon of hope would have been gone.”

Although only two minor battles were fought in Ohio — Buffington Island in Meigs County and Saline-ville in Columbiana County — Ohio’s contribution to the Civil War was enormous.

About 330,000 Ohioans served and 24,951 died.

More than 200 Ohioans reached the rank of general, including Grant.

The war propelled Ohio into the national political spotlight. Three Ohioans served in Lincoln’s cabinet, and five veterans from the state later became president.

The war triggered industrialization that thrust Ohio into the forefront of the national economy.

In addition to the Civil War Sesquicentennial, the Ohio Statehouse also is marking the 150th anniversary of its completion in 1861 after 22 years of on-again, off-again construction. The Statehouse and Senate Building underwent a major renovation that was completed in 1996.

On Wednesday at 1 p.m., Kearns will participate in a webcast streamed live and available to schools and the public at www.ohiochannel.org. She will speak about the Civil War and Ohio’s importance during the period.

On Sunday at 11 a.m., the Ohio Historical Society will host the Ohio Civil War 150 Brunch at the Statehouse Atrium; it will feature Wes Cowan of the PBS series “History Detectives.” Proceeds from the paid event will benefit preservation of Ohio’s large but decaying collection of battle flags.

For more information and a complete list of events online, see www.ohiocivilwar150.org.