When the Civil War began in 1861, Philadelphia was one of the most important centers of industry behind the Northern war effort. The city housed two federal arsenals, a major shipbuilding facility, the country's largest locomotive factory, and the busiest flag manufacturer in the United States. Its bankers raised valuable government bonds and millions of dollars for the Lincoln administration. Several prominent U.S. generals were born in Philadelphia and the city mustered scores of regiments for the Union cause. Philadelphia, long a center of abolitionist ferment, provided safe haven for escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad, and later a recruitment camp for black soldiers was established near the city. This guidebook--the first of its kind--includes in-depth descriptions of all of Philadelphia's Civil War museums, archives, libraries, historical buildings, Underground Railroad sites, and cemeteries, and all the commemorative statues and plaques that abound throughout the city.

It also includes an overview of the city's wartime history, directions for reaching the sites, and a selected list of accommodations with Civil War connections.