Not everyone in the North was cheering for a war. There were huge protests, especially in cities like New York. In 1863, the Draft Riots turned into violent chaos, with people fighting in the streets. It was like a bad argument at the dinner table that suddenly got physical.
People were mad that rich men could pay $300 to avoid the draft, leaving poor Irish immigrants and workers to do the fighting. The Union had to pull troops away from the front lines just to calm down its own cities.
That’s like trying to fight off a bear while your own dog is chewing on your leg. It’s a real distraction.
