Here Is What the Courageous “Wide Awakes” Did to Protect Republicans from Democrat Violence
A Wide Awakes parade in Lower Manhattan, one of a series of political rallies held in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, and Boston during the first week of October 1860. (Harpers Weekly, Jim Hoft image)
The Wide Awakes were a Republican group of young men organized to escort and protect Republican speakers during the highly contentious election of 1860. The men would wear uniforms hats and march with lanterns to protect Republican speakers in northern states from unruly political opponents.
The organization of mostly young working-class men did not sit home or cower from the political violence of the day.
The Wide Awakes had chapters in several free Union states including Ohio, New York, Connecticut, Illinois and Iowa, to name a few.