Samuel Wilson (1766-1854) was the inspiration for Uncle Sam. He and his brother Ebenezer ran a thriving meatpacking business known as E. & S. Wilson, located along the Hudson River, a prime location for transporting goods. As the War of 1812 intensified, the demand for provisions to support the soldiers increased. The Wilson brothers won a government contract to supply 2,000 barrels of pork and 3,000 barrels of beef for troops stationed in New York and New Jersey.
The nickname “Uncle Sam” came about through a twist of fate. The barrels supplied by Wilson’s company were stamped with “E.A.-U.S.” for Elbert Anderson (the contractor) and United States. However, soldiers—many of whom knew Samuel personally—jokingly began referring to the provisions as coming from “Uncle Sam” Wilson. This association quickly spread, and by the end of the war, “Uncle Sam” became synonymous with the U.S. government itself.
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