Leo T. reviewed The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy on + 1775 more book reviews
I myself found the book offers some idea, other than racism, of why the vets were honored after the war. However, the reality of the war and the conduct of the soldiers is far from the ideal that the Sons of the Confederacy has long promoted. I recently read his follow up volume, Billy Yank, and the Union Army soldiers certainly had it better. The lack of railroad lines and industry, as we all noted in our 5th,8th, and 11th grade US History classes was crucial to the outcome of the war.
Endnotes, index, and an essay on source; note he was researching this in the 1930s, long before material would be posted on the Internet. Several photos; note the use of Photostats as there was no Xerox.
Introduction. pp. 11-12.
Dr. Wiley admires the common soldiers and especially their wives, and garnered most of this book from contemporary letters; not so many guys kept diaries for very long.
"In the great crisis of the 1860s, the 'lowly' people gave a better account of themselves than did the more privileged members of Southern Society. They quarreled less than those who were rated their superiors; they were more cooperative with each other and with their leaders than were the ruling caste whose rampant individualism was a major factor in Southern defeat. They bore their hardship, which exceeded that of any group, North or South, with less complaint than the bigwigs, partly because they were more habituated to deprivation, suffering, and sorrow (11)."
"Those who acquitted themselves most admirably of all were the wives left at home to maintain themselves and their children while their menfolk marched and fought for Southern independence (11)."
Preface. pp. 13-14.
"The common soldier of the Confederacy has for a long time borne the title of Johnny Reb. The name seems to have originated from the practice of Yankees who called out, 'Hello, Johnny' or 'Howdy, Reb' to opponents across the picket line. Gray-clads liked the sobriquet, and accustomed as they were to appropriation of Federal food, clothing and guns, they saw no reason to spurn a catchy name because it was used first by their opponents (13)."
"The present work is an attempt to give the man of the ranks, who after all was the army, something of his rightful measure of consideration (13)."
"The most vivid and the most significant information was frequently obtained from the barely decipherable missives of rustic privates (13)."
[Note he appreciated the funds received from the Julius Rosenwald Fund and the Social Science Research Council--I recall how unpopular Jews were in the South!]
Some notes I took in order to use some chapters with a reading group:
Chapter One. Off To The War. pp. 15-27.
Dr. Wiley begins by providing samples of Southern opinion in 1861 from letters and newspaper editorials, the latter being a key into inciting calls for secession. [When I asked in 1962, my uncle whose father was drafted by the CSA said that he was one of many that felt it was a 'rich man's war and a poor man's fight,' which is logical considering he was born in the western area of North Carolina].
Mr. Wiley offers examples of how eager these young men were to fight, although his research in original sources finds "the dominant urge of many volunteers was the desire for adventure (17)." They wanted to leave the workbench, the store, and especially the plow to see the world. "There was also a large group of those who volunteered not from any great enthusiasm but simply because enlistment was the prevailing vogue (18)."
They had to do a lot of marching and training before going to battle, although he cites examples of men who would run to the front in order to be in the first rank of soldiers going into battle. It was hard to find sufficient equipment but when the companies were raised the soldiers voted for their officers. And Wiley finds that when a term of enlistment expired, those reenlisting would again elect their officers.
Dr. Wiley explains that ladies would sew the flag and it was presented with considerable ceremony before the company departed for war. In 1861, if a company telegraphed ahead, townspeople would prepare a repast for them. They carried with them a fair amount of necessaries such as rations, extra blankets and clothes, combs and razors, etc.
"Going to war in 1861, whether to west Texas, northern Virginia, western Kentucky, the seaboard of the Carolinas, or the Gulf coast of Florida and Alabama, was a rollicking experience for the men of the South (25)." "Youngsters left behind found their lot almost unbearable. Sadly and enviously they bade more fortunate friends adieu (25)." [I wanted to go to school with my friend and neighbor but Portland Unified claimed I was too young....]
In 1861 there were even soldiers who were glad to take care of the chores in establishing and maintaining their camp! On the other hand, many new soldiers saw no value in something like pulling guard duty when the enemy was far away.
Chapter Two. Baptism of Fire. pp. 28-35 + 353-354.
Excellent for collateral reading in a US History class!
The first part of the chapter deals with the experience of being unseasoned troops, i.e. not battle tested, and how it changed afterward. [I recall a lyric from The Songs of the South: '....or has a gaspipe exploded? Tennessee Ernie Ford 1961--also see his Songs of the North, both records published for the Centennial.] However, it did not change immediately. "Unconscious excitement lingered throughout the fight, manifesting itself in such phenomena as savage yelling, throwing away of canteens, haversacks and bayonets, and improper use of guns. More than one Reb forgot to bite off the end of paper that encased bullet and powder before he place the charge in his musket. As a result the spark did not set off the powder when the trigger was pulled. But Johnny, with utter unawareness of the failure of his piece to fire, continued to ram in charge upon charge, with intermittent though quite futile aiming and trigger pulling, until the barrel refused to receive further ammunition (30)."
Using his research results, Dr. Wiley includes some amusing happenings.
He justifiably gives three pages to consideration of how soldiers felt after the battle. "The reaction of these five soldiers is typical: sensitiveness to bloodshed, revulsion from carnage, and a yearning to be done with the horror of war. But with the passing of time, for the most part spent in active campaigning the specter of the first conflict lost its sharpness of horror(34)."
Rebs fighting their first battles did not remain in orderly files like the Redcoats' squares. "First Manassas, like Shiloh, had more the character of a conglomeration of small engagements, featuring individual combat, than of a single co0ordinated enterprise. It was almost exceptional for a man to find himself at the day's end with his own regiment. Not infrequently a soldier fought with seve3ral different outfits in the course of twelve hours of battle, taking time off at intervals for rest and sustenance (31)."
Chapter Three. Besetting Sins. pp. 36-58 + 354-359.
Dr. Wiley opens with gambling in many forms, naming it the most pervasive 'sin' despite the efforts of generals to curb it. The wagers were small good and possessions as "cash was notoriously scarce among Confederates (39)." Alcoholic beverages [as always with soldiers, I would say] were obtained in many clever ways and sometimes were of quality.
There were barracks thieves in this army [as there were in the army of WWI, WWII, Korea, VN--I have asked and every outfit had a barracks thief, including the WACS and 442nd].
As with historic armies, the CSA soldiers had to find sustenance on the land and Wiley offers several pages on this problem, beginning with the burning of fence rails. They would plunder both in CSA territory and USA territory, with it being worst in the borderlands because of irregular troops (scouts, rangers) raised and supposedly reporting to the governor, the general, or to Richmond. There were groups of men pretending to be fighting for the CSA out to steal.
"A hog that made the mistake of wandering near a camp at any time during the war had small chance of survival (44)." "A great many soldiers undoubtedly accepted the tenet that the country for which they were fighting owed them sustenance, and when meat was not forthcoming from regular sources they saw little if any wrong in taking it from the noncombatants (44)." "Theft and plunder were mot common in areas where the nearness of the Yankees or prospect of attack had caused withdrawal of part of the civilian populace or a reduction of policing (45)."
"The number of pillagers in the Confederate Army was always large. So great were the proportions attained by the evil that soldiers wrote home that a visitation of Rebels was hardly less disastrous than that of Yankees (47)." Dr. Wiley notes that 20th C. descendants of soldiers are proud of their restraint while letters from the wartime reveal a different story. But the Gettysburg campaign was much less destructive than Sherman's march to the sea.
After a couple of pages about swearing [I myself never did so until after being drafted in 1968] and 'Sabbath breaking.'
Several pages are given to the work of prostitutes and incidence of the pox and clap, Wiley finding some mentions of this delicate subject in letters. The problem of interviews done long after the war is highlighted here: "The author has questioned several about the irregularities of their comrades, but with meager results; one octogenarian, obviously nettled at the inquiry, testily responded, "Confederate soldiers were too much gentlemen to stoop to such things' (51)." [Note that each company had four washerwomen, who had to present letters of recommendation.]
Chapter Four. In Winter Quarters. pp. 59-67 + 359-360.
Much of the action was in the northern reaches of the CSA. "The winters of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and the northern half of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi are surprisingly cold and marked by heavy rains and occasional snows. The commanders of neither side were particularly anxious to carry out large-scale movements under such circumstances (59)." [And of course this holds true today--Middle East, etc.]
In the late fall, the commanding generals would try to find locations that were well wooded, well watered, and hopefully near a railroad line.
The soldiers themselves would reinforce their tents or build a cabin. Dr. Wiley describes winter sports and the opportunity to perhaps receive hospitality from nearby civilian residents.
Chapter Five. Heroes and Cowards. Pp. 68-89 + 360-365.
The routines are explained such as "each man would be given a supply of ammunition. This was delayed as long as possible, so that the powder would not become dampened through carelessness of the men (69)." He notes that having been very thirsty, the troops did not throw away their canteens as during Bull Run and Shiloh.
Dr. Wiley describes the march to battle, skirmishers, enemy pickets, charging, seeking loot, cries of the wounded, burying the dead, and examples of panic. Soldiers might enter combat after a long march, hungry, without shoes, and lacking artillery support. "The superior number of the Federals made Rebel flanks unduly vulnerable, and flank sensitiveness was the cause of more than one panic. Casualties among line officers were unusually heavy, and replacement with capable men was increasingly difficult after 1863. When all of these factors are considered, it is rather remarkable that defection under fire was not more frequent than it actually was (89)." These were brave soldiers!
"The Confederate yell is hard to describe. An attempt to reproduce it was made a few years ago when Confederate veterans re-enacted battle scenes in Virginia. But this, by the very nature of things, was an inadequate representation. Old voices were too weak and incentive too feeble to create again the true battle cry. As it flourished on the field of combat, the Rebel yell was a unpremeditated, unrestrained and utterly informal 'hollering.' It had in it a mixture of fright, pent-up nervousness, exultation, hatred and a pinch of pure deviltry (71)."
Chapter Six. Bad Beef and Cornbread. Pp. 90-107 + 365-370.
In a footnote Dr. Wiley lays out the US Army ration standard of 1857 which was adopted by the CSA but they soon fell short of fulfilling it with shortages among some armies as early as the fall of 1861. In the Spring of 1862 the standard was reduced. "Specifications made up in Richmond indicate little except general trends--for there was generally a wide discrepancy between the rations authorized and the issues received by soldiers in the field (91)." Dr. Wiley gives examples from various soldiers' letters and some details on the hardships occasioned by the siege of Vicksburg (and Port Hudson). Note that some supplies were held back to be captured after the surrender, earmarked for a possible breakout. The troops were glad to feast on Yankee provender after the surrender.
"The final campaigns in the East were marked by the most acute suffering for food (95)."
Dr. Wiley finds several causes for the lack of rations. L.B. Northrup, in Richmond, was a lousy administrator. Salt (needed for preserving the vittles) was scarce. Commissary officers often lacked funds (and as the war went on, farmers feared inflation would take the value received unless it was in hand immediately). Packaging (boxes, kegs, etc.) was in short supply. "But far and away the most serious difficulty was the inadequacy of transportation facilities. The Confederacy's railroad system was never equal to war needs, and after 1862 it began to deteriorate rapidly from inability to replace worn-out rails and rolling stock. From 1863 till the war's end, while armies were struggling along on half-rations, immense quantities of foodstuffs assembled by commissary agents collectors of the government's tax-in-kind simply rotted at the depots (97)." Thus soldiers mainly had beef and cornbread to eat, that poor diet hurting their health and morale. Vegetables were almost always lacking.
Some edibles were sent by folks at home, the railroads apparently giving preference for that revenue although the food was only a drop in the bucket. Sutlers would appear in camps if the soldiers were paid but they demanded a large markup. Soldiers would forage in battlefields, especially for Yankee coffee. They would strip fields, bee hives, etc.
They ate in messes of four to eight soldiers, but often lacked utensils. "Sticks, splinters and pocketknives had to suffice for eating implements (106)." They did become better at preparing whatever they had to eat.
Wiley concludes that they complained about the food early in the war but "toward the end he complained little of anything save quantity (107)."
Chapter Eight. Trials of Soul. pp. 123-150 + 373-379.
Many Rebels were very patriotic at the start of the war, often figuring that the war would be won within weeks or months, and welcoming the opportunity to see other parts of the country while on active duty.
L. M. Johnson. An Elementary Arithmetic Designed for Beginners. Raleigh, 1864. "p.34: A Confederate soldier captured 8 Yankees each day for 9 successive days; how many did he capture in all? p.38: If one Confederate soldier kills 90 Yankees how many Yankees can 10 Confederate soldiers kill? p.44: If one Confederate soldier can whip 7 Yankees, how many soldiers
can whip 49 Yankees? (123)."
The duration of service was a major bone of contention. Unlike the Union Army in 1861, there were no 90 day enlistments. The CSA offered a one year enlistment with the enlistee providing his own equipment and a three year enlistment with equipment provided, which was not a fair
choice for men short of cash.
Conscription began in April 1862 (the first draft in America) but unwilling men sought exempt work, medical certificates, militia service, and providing substitutes. As in the North, agencies sprang up to deal in the latter. "The spectacle of nearly as many men as constituted Lee's effective force in the Army of Northern Virginia in the fall of 1863 escaping military responsibilities under the guise of purchased proxies
--most of whom rendered poor service or none at all--is a shameful reflection on Confederate patriotism (127)." [As we find in this chapter, the CSA very often did not adequately supply their soldiers.]
"After the first enthusiasm had spent its force, not even conscription could bring the South's available man power into military service. The policy of forcing enlistment by law was never more than a meager success. Its chief benefit was to hold in the army at critical times men whose volunteer periods were about to expire, and to stimulate a small portion of civilians subject to draft (125)." The CSA army made every attempt to avoid fair treatment for soldiers who had completed their term of enlistment.
Dr. Wiley offers many examples from letters of how soldiers felt. For example, some of those who had volunteered saw draftees as a pollution of the army, many despaired of victory given the resources of the North, sometimes consolidation of depleted units was considered an insult, and many hated the lack of vittles and clothing.
The pay was set at the US Army rate of $11 a month, with an additional $7 a month added in June 1864, but in this time of inflation the pay was likely to be six months in arrears, or even as much as a year (136). [Perhaps they could not print and sign banknotes fast enough.]
Furloughs, or actually the lack of them, made soldiers unhappy. There were usually weeks of delay in approving the paperwork and then it might be denied or the needs of the service prevent the leave time taking place. They were often for forty days but travel was difficult (that did provide a good excuse for returning late), and some would not return at all. Soldiers hailing from the west of the Mississippi could hardly travel that far.
As demoralization increased, there were more slackers, dubious injuries, and soldiers seeking to transfer to the militia as well as AWOLs. "Many of the deserters were consistent Union sympathizers conscripted into the army against their will (144)."
The last returns [the morning reports in my day] of what records that exist (many lost, never written up, etc.) "shows a total of 198,494 officers and men absent and only 160,198 present in the armies of the Confederacy on the eve of surrender (31 December 1864-17 April 1865). Absent includes the sick, those on leave, etc. "interpreted most generously, available evidence is such as to merit the observation that months before Appomattox the Confederacy's doom was plainly written in the ever swelling tide of men who were unpatriotically taking leave of their comrades-in-arms. But in the midst of all the defection that cursed the Confederacy, and in the face of increasing hardship, there were a large number of Rebs whose spirit remained strong (145)." Dr. Wiley turns to those whose morale remained high [despite lack of food, clothing, pay, etc.] with citations from their letters.
[I did not have time to read these well-written chapters, 9-12.]
Chapter Nine. Breaking the Monotony. pp. 151-173 + 379-385.
"Johnny Reb was, for the most part, a voltile, sociable person; his disposition, plus his innate love of fun, caused him to invent all sorts of escapes from the boredom of camp life. So frequent and varied were diversions, particularly during the first two years of conflict before deprivation and war weariness began to interpose so heavily that a considerable number of men seemed to find more pleasure than hardship in soldiering. Some, indeed, after four years of campaigning could say convincingly that they enjoyed the war (151)."
Music (singing, instrumental) was the most popular diversion, followed by sports (baseball especially), hunting (practical returns!), reading, theatrics, and using tobacco. As always, Wiley offers examples.
Probably the most popular song was 'Home, Sweet Home.'
Chapter Ten. Consolations of the Spirit. pp. 174-191 + 385-387.
"Southerners of the nineteenth century were a religious people. Church affiliation was regarded as a badge of respectability; for both private functions and public enterprise the presence of the clergy was sought (174)."
There were few chaplains and the troops fell away quickly, although there was a revival of sorts in 1863. Soldiers had less optimism as the South suffered reversals and had seen many dead comrades.
"The encouragement given by officers to the work of chaplains derived in great part from their own spiritual inclinations. But they undoubtedly attributed to such practical matters as discipline, morale and conduct under fire. If the leaders were correct in this view--and there seems no valid ground for challenging it--it is indeed regrettable that backsliding was as common as it was, and that a majority of Confederates made no profession of faith and had no church affiliation (191)."
Chapter Eleven. Dear Folks. pp 192-216 + 387-391.
They liked to write letters and Dr. Wiley has enjoyed reading them. As in all wars, missives sent home were safely kept more often than those mailed to soldiers in the field.
"They were regrettably crude in speech, inept in writing, tatterdamalion in dress and rustic in background. On the march they were incalculably tough, and under fire they were a host of yelling savages. But their haphazard appearance, their rough ways, and bloodthristy demeanor on fields of battle belied their deeper selves. Basically and fundamentally they were, for the most part, men of warm affection, and susceptible to the tenderest of 'emotions (216)."
Chapter Twelve. Kicking Over the Traces. pp. 217-243 + 392-398.
The chapter is about discipline and military trials. There were special court-martial with three officers and general court-martial with five to thirteen officers. "Theft and pillaging were offenses of unusual prevalence and punishments for them were of great diversity (223)." Note the 'barrel shirt' punishment.
Deserters might be sentenced to death, whipping, branding, the guardhouse, or a long prison term.
Many trials involved insubordination. Dr. Wiley finds that 'too frequently men in the ranks were inclined to regard orders as personal affronts when they were issued in the brusque authorative tone of superior officers (229)."
"The fact that military courts were overloaded, together with the difficulty of convening courts-martial, tended to place undue disciplinary responsibility on officers commanding companies, regiments and brigades (234)."
The chapter concludes with several pages on the soldiers' views of their officers' competencies.
Chapter Thirteen. The Deadliest Foe. pp. 244-269 + 398-403.
INTERESTING CHAPTER FOR POSSIBLE COLLATERAL READING IN A HISTORY CLASS
Dr. Wiley, backing up the limited existing medical reports of the time with letters, finds that the poor health of many soldiers had a basis in the previously detailed shortcomings of the CSA armies: lack of good clothing, poor nutrition, lack of proper shelter, the blockade, etc. There were apparently no physicals of recruits until the latter part of 1862 and those thereafter were often cursory, thus allowing unfit men to join up. Wiley notes evidence that urban recruits, who tended to have been exposed to various diseases long since (example: measles), were healthier than recruits from the more isolated countryside. The latter also were less likely to use the latrines in the tenting grounds. Soap was usually scarce and insects numerous. Dr. Wiley includes many excellent quotes from letters on the subject. Smallpox was epidemic in 1862 and 1863 with a high death rate as was true of pneumonia; one out of six soldiers with the latter perished. Note the description of soldiers removing the smallpox scabs from their comrades and being innoculated with a penknife. "In order to obtain an adequate supply of virus, surgeons were detailed to vaccinate healthy children who would pledge the donation of resulting scabs to army use (254)."
While Wiley offers evidence of surgeons who drank up the medicinal alcohol, several states forbade the manufacture of ardent spirits, forcing the government to open its own distilleries. Few practicing doctors applied to serve the army, so many appointees were inexperienced; the examination into their abilities was done later and that could be delayed. Contract surgeons had fewer attainments. Mortality was high.
Wiley does praise the skilled and caring doctors who served their regiments and the expertise of some of their assistants. Hospitals were few even in towns (Richmond had the most) and doctors not necessarily assigned where most needed. "There were never enough doctors and nurses. And the indifference bred by war caused troops to become neglectful of one another. It was not uncommon for ill men to lie for hours in their tents or in vacant houses without food or water (262)."
"Indeed no phase of Confederate history is so dark and tragic as that which reveals the incomprehensible torture endured by the sick and the wounded. And if glory be measured by cannons' mouth on Cemetery Ridge, or in any of the other gallant charges made by soldiers in gray, but rather those who, sorely wounded or desperately ill, lived to experience the unspeakable agony of hospitalization (269)."
Chapter Fourteen. The Gentler Sentiments. pp. 270-285 + 403-405.
[I only glanced at this chapter.] "Woman was of tremendous moment in the life of the ordinary soldier." "Married Rebs thought of peace largely in terms of reunion with wives, and single men counted strongly
on the resumption of courtship which should lead shortly to matrimony (270)."
"The arrival at headquarters of an officer's wife--or even a comely washerwoman--would send the whole camp to gawking (271)."
As soldiers had to court via letters, there is much grist for Wiley's mill and he provides examples of love and rivalry.
"When soldiers on the march encountered a group of girls there was invariably a painful straitening of necks, and if the gentle creatures were so thoughtful as to present pails of water, an overpowering thirst was sure to play havoc with the ranks. As the men waited their turn
at the dipper they would ply the girls with questions, just for the sound of a feminine voice, and devour them with glances (271)."
Chapter Fifteen. Muzzle-Loaders and Makeshifts. pp. 286-307 + 405-409.
[I did not have time to carefully consider this chapter.]
There were 150,000 serviceable shoulder arms in the South in at the beginning of 1861, 20,000 rifles and 130,000 smoothbore muskets (many altered to use percussion caps), all being muzzle-loaders.
When the government was still in Montgomery, Raphael Semmes was sent North to buy rifles and he (and buyers sent by various states) found eager sellers. The North blocked almost all the deliveries but Caleb Huse did better buying in Europe although no deliveries were received until the Fall of 1861. In 1861 the CSA could not arm all of those willing to volunteer.
Quality was lacking. "One reason for the shipment of so many inferior guns to America was the fact that the leading European nations had adopted improved types before the outbreak of the Civil War and therefore had huge surpluses of aniquated models on hand. The importunities of American buyers, particularly Northerners, gave these countries a welcomed opportunity to get rid of their outmoded weapons. Said the Count of Paris, 'The refuse of all Europe passed into the hands of the American volunteers' (406)."
Huse obtained skilled gunsmiths to come to the CSA but they returned home when their promised contract to be paid in gold was denied. There were contracts let to manufacturers in various cities but they had to
pack up their machinery and relocate when the Union Army approached.
The Rebels picked up many arms on battlefields, but with this motley collection of weapons there were all sorts of calibers of ammo needed.
The large variety of pistols is briefly described by Dr. Wiley.
The South was short of artillery and it was vital to the war effort. They bought some ordnance in Europe, manufactured some (melting down bells), and seized quite a few from the Union Army on battlefields. The South was outgunned but especially early in the war (poor gunpowder, burst barrels, etc.) and later in the war good cassions, the drafting of skilled workmen, and enough horses were limiting factors.
Production of high quality powder was ramped up (304-305), Col. G.W. Rains being the key engineer. To obtain more Niter, the procurement agent ran an ad in Selma asking women to save 'chamber-lye' (urine) to
be shipped in barrels to the factory.
Armaments are described in detail and the chapter ends with canteens and haversacks as the soldier on the march is pictured in words.
Chapter Sixteen. Blue Bellies and Beloved Enemies. pp. 308-321 + 410-412.
[I did not have time to read much of this chapter.]
"Common soldiers hated the men in blue primarily because they thought them to be an unsavory sort of people who came from a low and vulgar background. It is amazing how many Rebs commented on the crudity and obscenity of letters found on the battlefields addressed to Union
soldiers (309)." They thought them thieves as they invaded the South [Sherman's bummers] and hated General Ben Butler (plus Sherman, Sheridan, etc.). "Lincoln was likewise regarded as low and brutish, so much so
in fact that even intelligent soldiers regarded his demise as a blessing (312)."
Dr. Wiley airs more of the complaints and then offers several pages of instances where the opposing soldiers cooperated, including a band playing 'Dixie' when the Rebels across the river called for it.
Chapter Seventeen. What Manner of Men. pp. 322-347 + 412-417.
Complete documents are lacking but the author employs "comments of travelers, court-martial proceedings, memoirs, diaries and personal letters' to obtain a general idea of the South's soldiery (322)."
Thousands were born in the North and every state sent foreign born soldiers, from a few hundred to many thousands, Louisiana, Texas, and places with cities being notable. Dr. Wiley provides examples of the many companies made up mostly of Irish, Germans, or French speakers. "To this host of immigrants who wore the gray, particularly to those thousands who yielded up their lives in the service, the South owes an incalculable debt of gratitude and honor (324)."
Dr. Wiley than turns to the Indian brigades, several of which were raised in the West and one in the East. The former fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 1862) but otherwise mostly served west of the Mississippi River. They were better at night raids and such than serving at set battles. The CSA treated them even worse than they did the other soldiers in matters of supplies, pay, etc.
Blacks were present in the camps as servants, with the CSA refusing to enlist them until March of 1865 when the conscription of 300,000 as soldiers was authorized. "No assurance of freedom was given (330)." Those working for the army were hostlers and such, with many employed in building fortifications. They tended to run to the Union Army, given the opportunity. A February 1864 law allowed slaves to be conscripted for military labor. Planters objected as their property often worked in swamps, during rain storms, and such with insufficient rations, shelter, and medical care.
Wiley discusses the age range of soldiers, especially the eldest and youngest cohorts, occupations (half were farmers), educational attainments, class prejudices, and the like. "Prejudice of rural troops toward those from the city was evidenced by the bandying of such sobriquets as 'parlor soldiers' and 'kid glove boys' (339)." The government tended to keep the soldiers in units where most of those serving were from the same state, but they tended to disparage soldiers from units raised in other states. The disdain for staff officers and personnel [REMF in the VN War] was common and of the infantrymen for the cavalrymen was nearly universal. "The term 'buttermilk cavalry' had almost universal use among walking Rebs as a derogatory sobriquet (340)."
Wiley sums up with praise for the rebel soldier, serving in poor conditions and in terrible battles, as offering "an eternal monument to his greatness as a fighting man (347)."
Endnotes, index, and an essay on source; note he was researching this in the 1930s, long before material would be posted on the Internet. Several photos; note the use of Photostats as there was no Xerox.
Introduction. pp. 11-12.
Dr. Wiley admires the common soldiers and especially their wives, and garnered most of this book from contemporary letters; not so many guys kept diaries for very long.
"In the great crisis of the 1860s, the 'lowly' people gave a better account of themselves than did the more privileged members of Southern Society. They quarreled less than those who were rated their superiors; they were more cooperative with each other and with their leaders than were the ruling caste whose rampant individualism was a major factor in Southern defeat. They bore their hardship, which exceeded that of any group, North or South, with less complaint than the bigwigs, partly because they were more habituated to deprivation, suffering, and sorrow (11)."
"Those who acquitted themselves most admirably of all were the wives left at home to maintain themselves and their children while their menfolk marched and fought for Southern independence (11)."
Preface. pp. 13-14.
"The common soldier of the Confederacy has for a long time borne the title of Johnny Reb. The name seems to have originated from the practice of Yankees who called out, 'Hello, Johnny' or 'Howdy, Reb' to opponents across the picket line. Gray-clads liked the sobriquet, and accustomed as they were to appropriation of Federal food, clothing and guns, they saw no reason to spurn a catchy name because it was used first by their opponents (13)."
"The present work is an attempt to give the man of the ranks, who after all was the army, something of his rightful measure of consideration (13)."
"The most vivid and the most significant information was frequently obtained from the barely decipherable missives of rustic privates (13)."
[Note he appreciated the funds received from the Julius Rosenwald Fund and the Social Science Research Council--I recall how unpopular Jews were in the South!]
Some notes I took in order to use some chapters with a reading group:
Chapter One. Off To The War. pp. 15-27.
Dr. Wiley begins by providing samples of Southern opinion in 1861 from letters and newspaper editorials, the latter being a key into inciting calls for secession. [When I asked in 1962, my uncle whose father was drafted by the CSA said that he was one of many that felt it was a 'rich man's war and a poor man's fight,' which is logical considering he was born in the western area of North Carolina].
Mr. Wiley offers examples of how eager these young men were to fight, although his research in original sources finds "the dominant urge of many volunteers was the desire for adventure (17)." They wanted to leave the workbench, the store, and especially the plow to see the world. "There was also a large group of those who volunteered not from any great enthusiasm but simply because enlistment was the prevailing vogue (18)."
They had to do a lot of marching and training before going to battle, although he cites examples of men who would run to the front in order to be in the first rank of soldiers going into battle. It was hard to find sufficient equipment but when the companies were raised the soldiers voted for their officers. And Wiley finds that when a term of enlistment expired, those reenlisting would again elect their officers.
Dr. Wiley explains that ladies would sew the flag and it was presented with considerable ceremony before the company departed for war. In 1861, if a company telegraphed ahead, townspeople would prepare a repast for them. They carried with them a fair amount of necessaries such as rations, extra blankets and clothes, combs and razors, etc.
"Going to war in 1861, whether to west Texas, northern Virginia, western Kentucky, the seaboard of the Carolinas, or the Gulf coast of Florida and Alabama, was a rollicking experience for the men of the South (25)." "Youngsters left behind found their lot almost unbearable. Sadly and enviously they bade more fortunate friends adieu (25)." [I wanted to go to school with my friend and neighbor but Portland Unified claimed I was too young....]
In 1861 there were even soldiers who were glad to take care of the chores in establishing and maintaining their camp! On the other hand, many new soldiers saw no value in something like pulling guard duty when the enemy was far away.
Chapter Two. Baptism of Fire. pp. 28-35 + 353-354.
Excellent for collateral reading in a US History class!
The first part of the chapter deals with the experience of being unseasoned troops, i.e. not battle tested, and how it changed afterward. [I recall a lyric from The Songs of the South: '....or has a gaspipe exploded? Tennessee Ernie Ford 1961--also see his Songs of the North, both records published for the Centennial.] However, it did not change immediately. "Unconscious excitement lingered throughout the fight, manifesting itself in such phenomena as savage yelling, throwing away of canteens, haversacks and bayonets, and improper use of guns. More than one Reb forgot to bite off the end of paper that encased bullet and powder before he place the charge in his musket. As a result the spark did not set off the powder when the trigger was pulled. But Johnny, with utter unawareness of the failure of his piece to fire, continued to ram in charge upon charge, with intermittent though quite futile aiming and trigger pulling, until the barrel refused to receive further ammunition (30)."
Using his research results, Dr. Wiley includes some amusing happenings.
He justifiably gives three pages to consideration of how soldiers felt after the battle. "The reaction of these five soldiers is typical: sensitiveness to bloodshed, revulsion from carnage, and a yearning to be done with the horror of war. But with the passing of time, for the most part spent in active campaigning the specter of the first conflict lost its sharpness of horror(34)."
Rebs fighting their first battles did not remain in orderly files like the Redcoats' squares. "First Manassas, like Shiloh, had more the character of a conglomeration of small engagements, featuring individual combat, than of a single co0ordinated enterprise. It was almost exceptional for a man to find himself at the day's end with his own regiment. Not infrequently a soldier fought with seve3ral different outfits in the course of twelve hours of battle, taking time off at intervals for rest and sustenance (31)."
Chapter Three. Besetting Sins. pp. 36-58 + 354-359.
Dr. Wiley opens with gambling in many forms, naming it the most pervasive 'sin' despite the efforts of generals to curb it. The wagers were small good and possessions as "cash was notoriously scarce among Confederates (39)." Alcoholic beverages [as always with soldiers, I would say] were obtained in many clever ways and sometimes were of quality.
There were barracks thieves in this army [as there were in the army of WWI, WWII, Korea, VN--I have asked and every outfit had a barracks thief, including the WACS and 442nd].
As with historic armies, the CSA soldiers had to find sustenance on the land and Wiley offers several pages on this problem, beginning with the burning of fence rails. They would plunder both in CSA territory and USA territory, with it being worst in the borderlands because of irregular troops (scouts, rangers) raised and supposedly reporting to the governor, the general, or to Richmond. There were groups of men pretending to be fighting for the CSA out to steal.
"A hog that made the mistake of wandering near a camp at any time during the war had small chance of survival (44)." "A great many soldiers undoubtedly accepted the tenet that the country for which they were fighting owed them sustenance, and when meat was not forthcoming from regular sources they saw little if any wrong in taking it from the noncombatants (44)." "Theft and plunder were mot common in areas where the nearness of the Yankees or prospect of attack had caused withdrawal of part of the civilian populace or a reduction of policing (45)."
"The number of pillagers in the Confederate Army was always large. So great were the proportions attained by the evil that soldiers wrote home that a visitation of Rebels was hardly less disastrous than that of Yankees (47)." Dr. Wiley notes that 20th C. descendants of soldiers are proud of their restraint while letters from the wartime reveal a different story. But the Gettysburg campaign was much less destructive than Sherman's march to the sea.
After a couple of pages about swearing [I myself never did so until after being drafted in 1968] and 'Sabbath breaking.'
Several pages are given to the work of prostitutes and incidence of the pox and clap, Wiley finding some mentions of this delicate subject in letters. The problem of interviews done long after the war is highlighted here: "The author has questioned several about the irregularities of their comrades, but with meager results; one octogenarian, obviously nettled at the inquiry, testily responded, "Confederate soldiers were too much gentlemen to stoop to such things' (51)." [Note that each company had four washerwomen, who had to present letters of recommendation.]
Chapter Four. In Winter Quarters. pp. 59-67 + 359-360.
Much of the action was in the northern reaches of the CSA. "The winters of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, and the northern half of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi are surprisingly cold and marked by heavy rains and occasional snows. The commanders of neither side were particularly anxious to carry out large-scale movements under such circumstances (59)." [And of course this holds true today--Middle East, etc.]
In the late fall, the commanding generals would try to find locations that were well wooded, well watered, and hopefully near a railroad line.
The soldiers themselves would reinforce their tents or build a cabin. Dr. Wiley describes winter sports and the opportunity to perhaps receive hospitality from nearby civilian residents.
Chapter Five. Heroes and Cowards. Pp. 68-89 + 360-365.
The routines are explained such as "each man would be given a supply of ammunition. This was delayed as long as possible, so that the powder would not become dampened through carelessness of the men (69)." He notes that having been very thirsty, the troops did not throw away their canteens as during Bull Run and Shiloh.
Dr. Wiley describes the march to battle, skirmishers, enemy pickets, charging, seeking loot, cries of the wounded, burying the dead, and examples of panic. Soldiers might enter combat after a long march, hungry, without shoes, and lacking artillery support. "The superior number of the Federals made Rebel flanks unduly vulnerable, and flank sensitiveness was the cause of more than one panic. Casualties among line officers were unusually heavy, and replacement with capable men was increasingly difficult after 1863. When all of these factors are considered, it is rather remarkable that defection under fire was not more frequent than it actually was (89)." These were brave soldiers!
"The Confederate yell is hard to describe. An attempt to reproduce it was made a few years ago when Confederate veterans re-enacted battle scenes in Virginia. But this, by the very nature of things, was an inadequate representation. Old voices were too weak and incentive too feeble to create again the true battle cry. As it flourished on the field of combat, the Rebel yell was a unpremeditated, unrestrained and utterly informal 'hollering.' It had in it a mixture of fright, pent-up nervousness, exultation, hatred and a pinch of pure deviltry (71)."
Chapter Six. Bad Beef and Cornbread. Pp. 90-107 + 365-370.
In a footnote Dr. Wiley lays out the US Army ration standard of 1857 which was adopted by the CSA but they soon fell short of fulfilling it with shortages among some armies as early as the fall of 1861. In the Spring of 1862 the standard was reduced. "Specifications made up in Richmond indicate little except general trends--for there was generally a wide discrepancy between the rations authorized and the issues received by soldiers in the field (91)." Dr. Wiley gives examples from various soldiers' letters and some details on the hardships occasioned by the siege of Vicksburg (and Port Hudson). Note that some supplies were held back to be captured after the surrender, earmarked for a possible breakout. The troops were glad to feast on Yankee provender after the surrender.
"The final campaigns in the East were marked by the most acute suffering for food (95)."
Dr. Wiley finds several causes for the lack of rations. L.B. Northrup, in Richmond, was a lousy administrator. Salt (needed for preserving the vittles) was scarce. Commissary officers often lacked funds (and as the war went on, farmers feared inflation would take the value received unless it was in hand immediately). Packaging (boxes, kegs, etc.) was in short supply. "But far and away the most serious difficulty was the inadequacy of transportation facilities. The Confederacy's railroad system was never equal to war needs, and after 1862 it began to deteriorate rapidly from inability to replace worn-out rails and rolling stock. From 1863 till the war's end, while armies were struggling along on half-rations, immense quantities of foodstuffs assembled by commissary agents collectors of the government's tax-in-kind simply rotted at the depots (97)." Thus soldiers mainly had beef and cornbread to eat, that poor diet hurting their health and morale. Vegetables were almost always lacking.
Some edibles were sent by folks at home, the railroads apparently giving preference for that revenue although the food was only a drop in the bucket. Sutlers would appear in camps if the soldiers were paid but they demanded a large markup. Soldiers would forage in battlefields, especially for Yankee coffee. They would strip fields, bee hives, etc.
They ate in messes of four to eight soldiers, but often lacked utensils. "Sticks, splinters and pocketknives had to suffice for eating implements (106)." They did become better at preparing whatever they had to eat.
Wiley concludes that they complained about the food early in the war but "toward the end he complained little of anything save quantity (107)."
Chapter Eight. Trials of Soul. pp. 123-150 + 373-379.
Many Rebels were very patriotic at the start of the war, often figuring that the war would be won within weeks or months, and welcoming the opportunity to see other parts of the country while on active duty.
L. M. Johnson. An Elementary Arithmetic Designed for Beginners. Raleigh, 1864. "p.34: A Confederate soldier captured 8 Yankees each day for 9 successive days; how many did he capture in all? p.38: If one Confederate soldier kills 90 Yankees how many Yankees can 10 Confederate soldiers kill? p.44: If one Confederate soldier can whip 7 Yankees, how many soldiers
can whip 49 Yankees? (123)."
The duration of service was a major bone of contention. Unlike the Union Army in 1861, there were no 90 day enlistments. The CSA offered a one year enlistment with the enlistee providing his own equipment and a three year enlistment with equipment provided, which was not a fair
choice for men short of cash.
Conscription began in April 1862 (the first draft in America) but unwilling men sought exempt work, medical certificates, militia service, and providing substitutes. As in the North, agencies sprang up to deal in the latter. "The spectacle of nearly as many men as constituted Lee's effective force in the Army of Northern Virginia in the fall of 1863 escaping military responsibilities under the guise of purchased proxies
--most of whom rendered poor service or none at all--is a shameful reflection on Confederate patriotism (127)." [As we find in this chapter, the CSA very often did not adequately supply their soldiers.]
"After the first enthusiasm had spent its force, not even conscription could bring the South's available man power into military service. The policy of forcing enlistment by law was never more than a meager success. Its chief benefit was to hold in the army at critical times men whose volunteer periods were about to expire, and to stimulate a small portion of civilians subject to draft (125)." The CSA army made every attempt to avoid fair treatment for soldiers who had completed their term of enlistment.
Dr. Wiley offers many examples from letters of how soldiers felt. For example, some of those who had volunteered saw draftees as a pollution of the army, many despaired of victory given the resources of the North, sometimes consolidation of depleted units was considered an insult, and many hated the lack of vittles and clothing.
The pay was set at the US Army rate of $11 a month, with an additional $7 a month added in June 1864, but in this time of inflation the pay was likely to be six months in arrears, or even as much as a year (136). [Perhaps they could not print and sign banknotes fast enough.]
Furloughs, or actually the lack of them, made soldiers unhappy. There were usually weeks of delay in approving the paperwork and then it might be denied or the needs of the service prevent the leave time taking place. They were often for forty days but travel was difficult (that did provide a good excuse for returning late), and some would not return at all. Soldiers hailing from the west of the Mississippi could hardly travel that far.
As demoralization increased, there were more slackers, dubious injuries, and soldiers seeking to transfer to the militia as well as AWOLs. "Many of the deserters were consistent Union sympathizers conscripted into the army against their will (144)."
The last returns [the morning reports in my day] of what records that exist (many lost, never written up, etc.) "shows a total of 198,494 officers and men absent and only 160,198 present in the armies of the Confederacy on the eve of surrender (31 December 1864-17 April 1865). Absent includes the sick, those on leave, etc. "interpreted most generously, available evidence is such as to merit the observation that months before Appomattox the Confederacy's doom was plainly written in the ever swelling tide of men who were unpatriotically taking leave of their comrades-in-arms. But in the midst of all the defection that cursed the Confederacy, and in the face of increasing hardship, there were a large number of Rebs whose spirit remained strong (145)." Dr. Wiley turns to those whose morale remained high [despite lack of food, clothing, pay, etc.] with citations from their letters.
[I did not have time to read these well-written chapters, 9-12.]
Chapter Nine. Breaking the Monotony. pp. 151-173 + 379-385.
"Johnny Reb was, for the most part, a voltile, sociable person; his disposition, plus his innate love of fun, caused him to invent all sorts of escapes from the boredom of camp life. So frequent and varied were diversions, particularly during the first two years of conflict before deprivation and war weariness began to interpose so heavily that a considerable number of men seemed to find more pleasure than hardship in soldiering. Some, indeed, after four years of campaigning could say convincingly that they enjoyed the war (151)."
Music (singing, instrumental) was the most popular diversion, followed by sports (baseball especially), hunting (practical returns!), reading, theatrics, and using tobacco. As always, Wiley offers examples.
Probably the most popular song was 'Home, Sweet Home.'
Chapter Ten. Consolations of the Spirit. pp. 174-191 + 385-387.
"Southerners of the nineteenth century were a religious people. Church affiliation was regarded as a badge of respectability; for both private functions and public enterprise the presence of the clergy was sought (174)."
There were few chaplains and the troops fell away quickly, although there was a revival of sorts in 1863. Soldiers had less optimism as the South suffered reversals and had seen many dead comrades.
"The encouragement given by officers to the work of chaplains derived in great part from their own spiritual inclinations. But they undoubtedly attributed to such practical matters as discipline, morale and conduct under fire. If the leaders were correct in this view--and there seems no valid ground for challenging it--it is indeed regrettable that backsliding was as common as it was, and that a majority of Confederates made no profession of faith and had no church affiliation (191)."
Chapter Eleven. Dear Folks. pp 192-216 + 387-391.
They liked to write letters and Dr. Wiley has enjoyed reading them. As in all wars, missives sent home were safely kept more often than those mailed to soldiers in the field.
"They were regrettably crude in speech, inept in writing, tatterdamalion in dress and rustic in background. On the march they were incalculably tough, and under fire they were a host of yelling savages. But their haphazard appearance, their rough ways, and bloodthristy demeanor on fields of battle belied their deeper selves. Basically and fundamentally they were, for the most part, men of warm affection, and susceptible to the tenderest of 'emotions (216)."
Chapter Twelve. Kicking Over the Traces. pp. 217-243 + 392-398.
The chapter is about discipline and military trials. There were special court-martial with three officers and general court-martial with five to thirteen officers. "Theft and pillaging were offenses of unusual prevalence and punishments for them were of great diversity (223)." Note the 'barrel shirt' punishment.
Deserters might be sentenced to death, whipping, branding, the guardhouse, or a long prison term.
Many trials involved insubordination. Dr. Wiley finds that 'too frequently men in the ranks were inclined to regard orders as personal affronts when they were issued in the brusque authorative tone of superior officers (229)."
"The fact that military courts were overloaded, together with the difficulty of convening courts-martial, tended to place undue disciplinary responsibility on officers commanding companies, regiments and brigades (234)."
The chapter concludes with several pages on the soldiers' views of their officers' competencies.
Chapter Thirteen. The Deadliest Foe. pp. 244-269 + 398-403.
INTERESTING CHAPTER FOR POSSIBLE COLLATERAL READING IN A HISTORY CLASS
Dr. Wiley, backing up the limited existing medical reports of the time with letters, finds that the poor health of many soldiers had a basis in the previously detailed shortcomings of the CSA armies: lack of good clothing, poor nutrition, lack of proper shelter, the blockade, etc. There were apparently no physicals of recruits until the latter part of 1862 and those thereafter were often cursory, thus allowing unfit men to join up. Wiley notes evidence that urban recruits, who tended to have been exposed to various diseases long since (example: measles), were healthier than recruits from the more isolated countryside. The latter also were less likely to use the latrines in the tenting grounds. Soap was usually scarce and insects numerous. Dr. Wiley includes many excellent quotes from letters on the subject. Smallpox was epidemic in 1862 and 1863 with a high death rate as was true of pneumonia; one out of six soldiers with the latter perished. Note the description of soldiers removing the smallpox scabs from their comrades and being innoculated with a penknife. "In order to obtain an adequate supply of virus, surgeons were detailed to vaccinate healthy children who would pledge the donation of resulting scabs to army use (254)."
While Wiley offers evidence of surgeons who drank up the medicinal alcohol, several states forbade the manufacture of ardent spirits, forcing the government to open its own distilleries. Few practicing doctors applied to serve the army, so many appointees were inexperienced; the examination into their abilities was done later and that could be delayed. Contract surgeons had fewer attainments. Mortality was high.
Wiley does praise the skilled and caring doctors who served their regiments and the expertise of some of their assistants. Hospitals were few even in towns (Richmond had the most) and doctors not necessarily assigned where most needed. "There were never enough doctors and nurses. And the indifference bred by war caused troops to become neglectful of one another. It was not uncommon for ill men to lie for hours in their tents or in vacant houses without food or water (262)."
"Indeed no phase of Confederate history is so dark and tragic as that which reveals the incomprehensible torture endured by the sick and the wounded. And if glory be measured by cannons' mouth on Cemetery Ridge, or in any of the other gallant charges made by soldiers in gray, but rather those who, sorely wounded or desperately ill, lived to experience the unspeakable agony of hospitalization (269)."
Chapter Fourteen. The Gentler Sentiments. pp. 270-285 + 403-405.
[I only glanced at this chapter.] "Woman was of tremendous moment in the life of the ordinary soldier." "Married Rebs thought of peace largely in terms of reunion with wives, and single men counted strongly
on the resumption of courtship which should lead shortly to matrimony (270)."
"The arrival at headquarters of an officer's wife--or even a comely washerwoman--would send the whole camp to gawking (271)."
As soldiers had to court via letters, there is much grist for Wiley's mill and he provides examples of love and rivalry.
"When soldiers on the march encountered a group of girls there was invariably a painful straitening of necks, and if the gentle creatures were so thoughtful as to present pails of water, an overpowering thirst was sure to play havoc with the ranks. As the men waited their turn
at the dipper they would ply the girls with questions, just for the sound of a feminine voice, and devour them with glances (271)."
Chapter Fifteen. Muzzle-Loaders and Makeshifts. pp. 286-307 + 405-409.
[I did not have time to carefully consider this chapter.]
There were 150,000 serviceable shoulder arms in the South in at the beginning of 1861, 20,000 rifles and 130,000 smoothbore muskets (many altered to use percussion caps), all being muzzle-loaders.
When the government was still in Montgomery, Raphael Semmes was sent North to buy rifles and he (and buyers sent by various states) found eager sellers. The North blocked almost all the deliveries but Caleb Huse did better buying in Europe although no deliveries were received until the Fall of 1861. In 1861 the CSA could not arm all of those willing to volunteer.
Quality was lacking. "One reason for the shipment of so many inferior guns to America was the fact that the leading European nations had adopted improved types before the outbreak of the Civil War and therefore had huge surpluses of aniquated models on hand. The importunities of American buyers, particularly Northerners, gave these countries a welcomed opportunity to get rid of their outmoded weapons. Said the Count of Paris, 'The refuse of all Europe passed into the hands of the American volunteers' (406)."
Huse obtained skilled gunsmiths to come to the CSA but they returned home when their promised contract to be paid in gold was denied. There were contracts let to manufacturers in various cities but they had to
pack up their machinery and relocate when the Union Army approached.
The Rebels picked up many arms on battlefields, but with this motley collection of weapons there were all sorts of calibers of ammo needed.
The large variety of pistols is briefly described by Dr. Wiley.
The South was short of artillery and it was vital to the war effort. They bought some ordnance in Europe, manufactured some (melting down bells), and seized quite a few from the Union Army on battlefields. The South was outgunned but especially early in the war (poor gunpowder, burst barrels, etc.) and later in the war good cassions, the drafting of skilled workmen, and enough horses were limiting factors.
Production of high quality powder was ramped up (304-305), Col. G.W. Rains being the key engineer. To obtain more Niter, the procurement agent ran an ad in Selma asking women to save 'chamber-lye' (urine) to
be shipped in barrels to the factory.
Armaments are described in detail and the chapter ends with canteens and haversacks as the soldier on the march is pictured in words.
Chapter Sixteen. Blue Bellies and Beloved Enemies. pp. 308-321 + 410-412.
[I did not have time to read much of this chapter.]
"Common soldiers hated the men in blue primarily because they thought them to be an unsavory sort of people who came from a low and vulgar background. It is amazing how many Rebs commented on the crudity and obscenity of letters found on the battlefields addressed to Union
soldiers (309)." They thought them thieves as they invaded the South [Sherman's bummers] and hated General Ben Butler (plus Sherman, Sheridan, etc.). "Lincoln was likewise regarded as low and brutish, so much so
in fact that even intelligent soldiers regarded his demise as a blessing (312)."
Dr. Wiley airs more of the complaints and then offers several pages of instances where the opposing soldiers cooperated, including a band playing 'Dixie' when the Rebels across the river called for it.
Chapter Seventeen. What Manner of Men. pp. 322-347 + 412-417.
Complete documents are lacking but the author employs "comments of travelers, court-martial proceedings, memoirs, diaries and personal letters' to obtain a general idea of the South's soldiery (322)."
Thousands were born in the North and every state sent foreign born soldiers, from a few hundred to many thousands, Louisiana, Texas, and places with cities being notable. Dr. Wiley provides examples of the many companies made up mostly of Irish, Germans, or French speakers. "To this host of immigrants who wore the gray, particularly to those thousands who yielded up their lives in the service, the South owes an incalculable debt of gratitude and honor (324)."
Dr. Wiley than turns to the Indian brigades, several of which were raised in the West and one in the East. The former fought at the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 1862) but otherwise mostly served west of the Mississippi River. They were better at night raids and such than serving at set battles. The CSA treated them even worse than they did the other soldiers in matters of supplies, pay, etc.
Blacks were present in the camps as servants, with the CSA refusing to enlist them until March of 1865 when the conscription of 300,000 as soldiers was authorized. "No assurance of freedom was given (330)." Those working for the army were hostlers and such, with many employed in building fortifications. They tended to run to the Union Army, given the opportunity. A February 1864 law allowed slaves to be conscripted for military labor. Planters objected as their property often worked in swamps, during rain storms, and such with insufficient rations, shelter, and medical care.
Wiley discusses the age range of soldiers, especially the eldest and youngest cohorts, occupations (half were farmers), educational attainments, class prejudices, and the like. "Prejudice of rural troops toward those from the city was evidenced by the bandying of such sobriquets as 'parlor soldiers' and 'kid glove boys' (339)." The government tended to keep the soldiers in units where most of those serving were from the same state, but they tended to disparage soldiers from units raised in other states. The disdain for staff officers and personnel [REMF in the VN War] was common and of the infantrymen for the cavalrymen was nearly universal. "The term 'buttermilk cavalry' had almost universal use among walking Rebs as a derogatory sobriquet (340)."
Wiley sums up with praise for the rebel soldier, serving in poor conditions and in terrible battles, as offering "an eternal monument to his greatness as a fighting man (347)."
