Long Island and the Civil War: Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties During the War Between the States - Paperback

by Harrison Hunt (Author), Bill Bleyer (Author)

Although no battles were fought on Long Island, the Civil War deeply affected all of its residents. More than three thousand men--white and black--from current-day Queens, Nassau and Suffolk Counties answered the call to preserve the Union. While Confederate ships lurked within eight miles of Montauk Point, camps in Mineola and Willets Point trained regiments. Local women raised thousands of dollars for Union hospitals, and Long Island companies manufactured uniforms, drums and medicines for the army. At the same time, a little-remembered draft riot occurred in Jamaica in 1863. Local authors Harrison Hunt and Bill Bleyer explore this fascinating story, from the 1860 presidential campaign that polarized the region to the wartime experiences of Long Islanders on the battlefield and at home.

Author Biography

Harrison Hunt has researched Long Island's role in the Civil War for over twenty years. He has written three books and several articles and curated two exhibits on the subject. He has given presentations at the New-York Historical Society and Gettysburg National Military Park. Before retiring he was senior curator of history and supervisor of historic sites for Nassau County Department of Parks. He holds a BA in history from Hofstra and an MA in history museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Bill Bleyer was a prize-winning Newsday staff writer for thirty-three years and has been published in the New York Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Toronto Star, Civil War News and many other publications. He was one of the staff writers assigned to "Long Island: Our Story," a year-long history of Long Island that resulted in three books. He authored a chapter in "Harbor Voices" and was a contributor to "Bayville." He graduated from Hofstra and earned an MA at Queens College of the City University of New York.