Recognized primarily for its involvement with the Underground Railroad, Cincinnati is commonly noted as a minor player in American Civil War history. However, one of the most important confrontations of the war happened right here in the Queen City.
In September 1862, 8,000 Confederate troops marched toward Cincinnati from Lexington. Being a major supplier of Union goods, Cincinnati became a desirable stronghold for The South to conquer. The city was unarmed, defenseless, and would face an attack within 48 hours.
Under the guidance of General Lew Wallace, 72,000 citizens rallied to protect their homes and businesses. Two days later, the Union surrounded their opposition upon arrival, causing the Confederates to retreat.
Had the southerners been able to capture the city, they would have gained control all the way up to Pittsburgh, thus changing the outcome of the Civil War. Without a shot being fired, Cincinnati’s preparedness played a significant role in the fate of our nation.
This little-known story, The Siege of Cincinnati, is one of many local legends shared in the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Cincinnati & The Civil War exhibit, which runs through October. The program celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Queen City’s involvement at the height of the war, and is showcased in the museum’s Ruthven Gallery.
Included in the exhibit is an entire uniform of Cincinnati General William H. Lytle, as well as his liquor cabinet, weapons, and other personal items recovered from the battlefield. Other displays feature items from Abraham Lincoln, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan, and artifacts from the Great Western Sanitary Fair, a lavish fundraising campaign to support sick and wounded Federal soldiers.
Cincinnati & The Civil War is free and open to the public from 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, and 11am to 6pm on Sundays. The exhibit can be accessed on the lower level of the Cincinnati Museum Center near the special exhibits entrance.