Lincoln’s Labels:
It almost goes without saying today that the Civil War transformed American society to an unprecedented degree. Not only did the staggering casualties surpass the country’s previous experience, but the depth and breadth of the conflict touched and altered many aspects of the society. In order to wage such a vast conflict, both the North and the South witnessed governmental and economic expansion beyond anyone’s expectations. The warring governments and economies demanded organizational entities on a massive scale to sustain the armies in the field. The Union possessed an industrial and transportational base that was never matched by the Confederacy. Northern companies became vital in supplying the burgeoning needs of the Federal armies. In the end, Northern economic might proved to be significant in the war’s outcome. James M. Schmidt’s Lincoln’s Labels chronicles the roles of several renowned contemporary American corporations whose roots extended back to and even beyond the Civil War. But it was this conflict, as Schmidt writes, that significantly impacted the companies’ future success. The stories he recounts are fascinating and enlightening. Schmidt selected companies that are household names today — DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Brooks Brothers, Tiffany, Borden, American Express, Wells Fargo and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Each company’s antebellum past is recounted, before the author examines how the war’s demands transformed each enterprise. All of the companies struggled to expand and to fulfill government contracts. But each business seemed to share a common thread — a founder or founders who had inspired ideas and dared to accept the financial risks in creating a company. Their stories are as relevant in our times as they were in America during the mid-19th century. Lincoln’s Labels is a solid work, well-researched and ably written. The subject is seldom addressed in most Civil War books, but the stories are worth retelling. This is a fine book and recommended for readers interested in aspects other than campaigns, battles, and military figures. Reviewer: Jeffry D. Wert Jeffry D. Wert is a retired Pennsylvania high school teacher. He is the author of eight books on the Civil War, including his recent Cavalryman of the Lost Cause: A Biography of J.E.B. Stuart.
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Illustrated, notes, bibliography, index, softcover, 208 pp., 2008. Edinborough Press, P.O. Box 13790, Roseville, MN 55113-2293, $19.95 plus shipping.