From Battlefields to Oilfields

From the discovery of oil at the Drake well in Titusville in 1859 to Ida Tarbell's 1909 article about how Northern women "met the experience of war," there has been a connection between the American oil and gas industry and the Civil War. When the war ended, thousands of veterans rushed into the oil regions to start their lives again and seek their fortunes in the new petroleum boom.
From Battlefields to Oilfields explains the relationship between the American Civil War and the development of the United States petroleum industry. After the discovery of oil by Edwin Drake in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, Union oilfields became strategic targets, and attacks on northern whaling ships helped grow the demand for kerosene. After the Rebellion, Civil War veterans helped spread the growth of oil exploration. Former soldiers and officers searched for oil and gas, developed new transportation and production technology, and found new uses for petroleum products.
From Battlefields to Oilfields examines the involvement of Civil War officers and soldiers in all areas of the oil and gas industry. Their sacrifices on the battlefield saved the nation. Their contributions to the petroleum industry helped build the country.