Аннотация

The article deals with patriotic organizations during the first stage of the Civil War. Union Leagues were founded in June 1862 in Illinois, soon spread to neighboring states and took the leading role in farming a unified nation-wide organization – Union Leagues of America. The conditions that fostered their development can be found in the succession of military failures and the growing disagreement over the war aims. Union Clubs of business and social leaders in Philadelphia, New York, Boston and their Public Loyal Societies were parts of the general Union Leagues movements but formally independents. In order to include in one great association all patriotic citizens Union Leagues put forward the idea, that winning the war and saving the Union should by the sole political aim at the time, and that emancipation of slaves should not be made a condition of support of Union Leagues. The wartime Union Leagues were instrumental in sustaining and encouraging the Lincoln administration and its efforts to put dawn the Rebellion.