Civil War and Gilded Age Indianapolis

confederate pows @ camp morton in 1864.



child laborers in indianapolis furniture factory, 1908.

during american civil war, indianapolis loyal union cause. governor oliver p. morton, major supporter of president abraham lincoln, made indianapolis rallying place union army troops. on february 11, 1861, president-elect lincoln arrived in city, en route washington, d.c. presidential inauguration, marking first visit president-elect in city s history. on april 16, 1861, first orders issued form indiana s first regiments , establish indianapolis headquarters state s volunteer soldiers. within week, more 12,000 recruits signed fight union.

indianapolis became major logistics hub during war, establishing city crucial military base. between 1860 , 1870, city s population more doubled. estimated 4,000 men indianapolis served in 39 regiments, , estimated 700 died during war. on may 20, 1863, union soldiers attempted disrupt statewide democratic convention @ indianapolis, forcing proceedings adjourned, sarcastically referred battle of pogue s run. fear turned panic in july 1863, during morgan s raid southern indiana, confederate forces turned east toward ohio, never reaching indianapolis. on april 30, 1865, lincoln s funeral train made stop @ indianapolis, estimated crowd of more 100,000 people passed assassinated president s bier @ indiana statehouse.

following civil war—and in wake of second industrial revolution—indianapolis experienced tremendous growth , prosperity. in 1880, indianapolis world s third largest pork packing city, after chicago , cincinnati, , second largest railroad center in united states 1888. 1890, city s population surpassed 100,000. of city s notable businesses founded during period of growth , innovation, including l. s. ayres (1872), eli lilly , company (1876), madame c.j. walker manufacturing company (1910), , allison transmission (1915). once home 60 automakers, indianapolis rivaled detroit center of automobile manufacturing. city focus of labor organization. indianapolis street car strike of 1913 , subsequent police mutiny , riots led creation of state s earliest labor-protection laws, including minimum wage, regular work weeks, , improved working conditions. international typographical union , united mine workers of america among several influential labor unions based in city.