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CurrieWeb.com selects theme: 1864

by srcurrie

Today CurrieWeb.com Living History News announced a theme for this year. The theme will be "1864". Just like 2004, 1864 was an election year as well as a year of war. President Lincoln was under severe criticism by the Democrats and Lincoln's former head of the Army of the Potomac, George B. McClellan was running against him in the election on the democratic ticket.
As casualties mounted and the war dragged on the anti-war Democrats, known as Copperheads, were causing trouble even in Otsego County. Many Americans considered these Copperheads to be traitors.
The war was being won, but the soldier in the field and the average citizen was having a difficult time seeing that victory was only another year or so away.
The 76th NYSVI was on camapign during 1864 and much happened. Not only battles were fought, but an entire election campaign in which the fate of the nation hung in the balance.
We intend to follow some of these events in 1864 and how they affected Otsego County and the United States. We will follow the 76th matching the current date with events from the regimental history and such other accounts as we have available.