Though there was much evidence of good things being done for the soldiers in terms of food and supplies, there was also a political aspect to the support or opposition of the war. For the most part, Cedar Falls was a "good Republican town" that supported the war. This is evidenced very early on by the fact that Cedar Falls and the state of Iowa voted overwhelmingly for Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election. "Abraham Lincoln received 218 votes in Cedar Falls, and Douglas received 115." (21) Four years later, Lincoln was reelected and again Cedar Falls favored Lincoln. As the war progressed Cedar Falls gained a reputation as a town that was a bad place for anyone who opposed the war. "The Northwest Democrat (a paper opposed to the war) had ceased publication because of lack of support, as well as unofficial harassment." (22) It was also noted that the "leaders of the community tracked down rumors concerning anti-Union activities and did their best to drive the disloyal from town." (23) Despite such harassment, opposition to the war still existed among some people.

Another division existed among people who supported the war. Most of the people in Cedar Falls were known as Unionists, people who believed that the war was fought to preserve the Union, not to free the slaves. This was particularly the case early on in the war before Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on January 1, 1863.

The Black Hawk County Republican convention . . . was divided between the moderates and the radicals. The delegates from Cedar Falls . . . became convinced that the radicals could not be appeased and chose to leave the convention. (24)

After the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation many Union Party members were forced to reconsider their views.

Henry Perkins, of the Cedar Falls Gazette, had been a leader of the Union movement and had condemned the county's radical Republicans as abolitionists. Perkins had changed his mind as the war continued; by the summer of 1862, he called for the support of Lincoln's plan for gradual emancipation, and he urged that black men be allowed to serve as soldiers. (25)

One of the more interesting aspects of the homefront was the so-called Copperheads. "The word ‘copperhead’ was a catchall term pertaining to those who did not support the war."(26) Cedar Falls despised such people as this article from the Gazette shows.

Poisoned By Copperheads-- We learn that a Mr. Bisbee, who resides in Applington, Butler Co., recently had all his stock poisoned by copperhead neighbors. They spared nothing, killing his horses, cows, hogs, chickens, and even his house dog and cat. Mr. Bisbee is an out and out Union man, and one who speaks his sentiments freely and fearlessly . . . The poison of the copperhead is more deadly and virulent than that of any other of the snake kind. (27)

The Copperheads preferred that the North not use force in trying to bring the South back into the Union. They felt that the South should not be forced humbly back into the Union, but that it should be able to re-enter on its own terms.

Cedar Falls's reputation for disliking non-Union supporters culminated in a war-long feud with certain members of Dubuque, Iowa, a town that was known for its southern sympathizers. A Cedar Falls veteran was seen knocking a Dubuque man to the ground and kicking him repeatedly. Despite such occurrences, Cedar Falls was for the most part a peaceful town during the Civil War. In fact, Cedar Falls at times gave the impression that it was unaffected by the war. When one looks at the newspapers of the time there are still ads for luxury items, such as fine clothing, an ad for a performance by a well-known singer, and others that offer sugar, coffee, and tobacco, items normally scarce in times of war.