The Yankee Plague
Escaped Union Prisoners and the Collapse of the Confederacy
Published on 1. February 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-4696-5205-4 (ISBN)
Description
During the winter of 1864, more than 3,000 Federal prisoners of war escaped from Confederate prison camps into South Carolina and North Carolina, often with the aid of local slaves. Their flight created, in the words of contemporary observers, a ""Yankee plague,"" heralding a grim end to the Confederate cause. In this fascinating look at Union soldiers' flight for freedom in the last months of the Civil War, Lorien Foote reveals new connections between the collapse of the Confederate prison system, the large-scale escape of Union soldiers, and the full unraveling of the Confederate States of America. By this point in the war, the Confederacy was reeling from prison overpopulation, a crumbling military, violence from internal enemies, and slavery's breakdown. The fugitive Federals moving across the countryside in mass numbers, Foote argues, accelerated the collapse as slaves and deserters decided the presence of these men presented an opportune moment for escalated resistance.
Blending rich analysis with an engaging narrative, Foote uses these ragged Union escapees as a lens with which to assess the dying Confederate States, providing a new window into the South's ultimate defeat.
Blending rich analysis with an engaging narrative, Foote uses these ragged Union escapees as a lens with which to assess the dying Confederate States, providing a new window into the South's ultimate defeat.
Reviews / Votes
A fascinating examination of one of the under-studied effects of a collapsing war effort, namely, the inability to hold, guard, and maintain enemy prisoners of war (POWs). A brilliant examination of a complex subject."" - Journal of Military History""One of the most intriguing books on Civil War captivity in years."" - The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
""An illuminating and powerful study that enhances both Civil War history and POW studies. Essential."" - Choice
""The rare title that delivers new information and challenges readers to reconsider what they are confident they already know."" - Indiana Magazine of History
""Foote delivers a story rich in style and powerful in substance. With insight and alacrity, the author delivers a powerful perspective on how the 'Yankee Plague' of escaped prisoners became an integral part of a process that contributed to the disintegration and demise of the Confederacy. There are few books that combine well-written, easy-to-read prose with groundbreaking historical insights and perspectives. This is one of them."" - American Historical Review
""The Yankee Plague makes for an important addition to the literature on Civil War prisoners and the collapse of the Confederacy."" - Civil War Monitor
""Foote's work is a significant achievement in that it introduces a new dimension to discussions of the Civil War."" - The Journal of Southern History
""Anyone interested in the Carolinas during the war, prisoners of war, or the war on the Southern home front will not regret adding this book to their library."" - Journal of America's Military Past
""Packs a very powerful scholarly punch. . . . Definitely merits award consideration and will likely earn a spot on many of this year's 'Best Of' lists."" - Civil War Books and Authors
""This is a prime example of the very best of current Civil War History. By applying the analytical power of social history and razor-sharp military and political analysis, Foote constructs a new paradigm for understanding the war in which the most potent invading armies run away from the enemy, slaves hold the key to freedom, and women are the most domineering commanders."" - Journal of American History
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Chapel Hill
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
10 halftones, 5 maps
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
435 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4696-5205-4 (9781469652054)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2016
The University of North Carolina Press
€19.49
Available for download
Person
Lorien Foote is the Patricia & Bookman Peters Professor in History at Texas A&M University.