Northern Dissent

Civil War historians have engaged in extensive debate over the Democratic Copperhead movement that existed during the American Civil War. The peace wing of the Democratic Party, Copperheads strenuously objected to war with the Confederacy and opposed Abraham Lincoln's strategies for winning the war. At issue is whether Northern dissent resulted in the formation of secret, conspiratorial organizations dedicated to the Union's defeat and whether or not Democratic opposition impacted the North's ability to wage war.