When the Civil War began in 1861, Philadelphia was an important industrial center behind the Northern war effort. The city boasted two large federal arsenals, a major shipbuilding facility, the country's largest locomotive factory, and the busiest flag manufacturer in the United States. Philadelphia bankers raised valuable government bonds and millions of dollars for the Lincoln administration. Several prominent Union generals were born in Philadelphia, and the city enlisted 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 unique guidebook includes descriptive background information on the city's rich Civil War heritage-historical buildings, Underground Railroad sites, museums, archives, libraries, cemeteries, commemorative statues and plaques. Guide to Civil War Philadelphia also includes an overview of the city's wartime history and a selected list of accommodations with Civil War connections.