Lincoln's Loyalists

Though much has been written about the southern black regiments organized by the Union during the Civil War, very little has been written about the white Southerners who risked their lives to fight the Confederacy in opposition to seccession. Over 100,000 men - ten per cent of General Lee's fighting force originally enlisted in the Confederate ranks - fought in the service of North. The majority of these men - over seventy per cent - came from Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, but every state in the Confederacy (except South Carolina) provided at least one battalion of white troops for the Union Army. Meticulously exploring the history of loyalists (known as "tories" to their enemies) in each Confederate State, Current provides an original and comprehensive account of this seldom examined topic. He examines why these soldiers fought for the Union, how they fared in battle, and the considerable personal risks endured by both themselves and their families. This book is intended for those interested in the American Civil War.