The American Civil war had a multitude of causes, but one notable catalyst was John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry. Brown came to Chatham to enlist men in his plan to attack and seize a federal arsenal in the northern U.S.A. He did not find what he was looking for in Chatham though – only one man followed Brown to fight.
Latter, when the Civil War commenced, many Blacks from Chatham-Kent went to fight, in spite of the threat of slavery. A large number of the few black officers who fought in the war were from Chatham-Kent.
After the war many Blacks returned to the U.S to find lost family and to help with reconstruction. But many stayed in Chatham-Kent and continue to contribute to the area’s wealth.
Length: 6.5 minutes
Page 11: The Civil War
© 2006 The Living History Multimedia Association