[Non-Sequitur]

The Minute Men were generally formed in response to the threat posed by Wide Awakes. Most of what I've been able to find in the old newspapers talks about groups of Minute Men forming in the South after Lincoln's election. The Wide Awakes date back at least to 1856.

Big Republican threat in the South was there?

[lentulusgracchus]

Big Republican threat in the South was there?

See my post about Wide Awakes in Texas.