Brooklyn and Long Island Fair in Aid of the United States Sanitary Commission (1864)

At the outset of the Civil War, the Red Cross did not exist, there was no draft, the nursing profession was nascent, and there existed no formal welfare relief for wounded soldiers and families of deceased soldiers. Private institutions, state and local governments, and individuals mobilized in order to meet the great demands of the war. Volunteer military regiments were formed through the efforts of state and local recruitment agencies, and relief was provided through existing channels of philanthropy, such as church groups and local welfare agencies, as well as newly-established ones created specifically to assist the war effort.

Women were especially active in these relief efforts, not only as a result of their long-standing involvement in philanthropy, but also as the moving force behind the United States Sanitary Commission (USSC), which was established early in the war in order to assist the government in supplying the needs of soldiers and providing advice and assistance to improve the medical and sanitary conditions of the army. Women's auxiliary chapters of the USSC were established throughout northern states. Cities that promoted the work of the Commission served as "depots" for the vast quantities of goods and other supplies that were collected for soldiers, and organized fund-raising events for the USSC, including concerts and fairs.

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