From Gray to Blue
Galvanized Yankees in the American Civil War

By (author) Patrick H. Garrow

ISBN13: 9781621909637

Imprint: University of Tennessee Press

Publisher: University of Tennessee Press

Format: Hardback

Published: 06/01/2026

Availability: Not yet available

Description
Amid the chaos of battle and the harsh conditions of prisoner-of-war camps, tens of thousands of soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies made controversial decisions to switch their allegiances. Building upon his 2020 work, Changing Sides: Union Prisoners of War Who Joined the Confederate Army, Patrick Garrow explores the other side of this overlooked aspect of Civil War history. Significantly expanding on previous scholarship around "galvanized Yankees," Garrow begins his study with an overview of Civil War prisons as a whole. He outlines unsavory conditions endured by prisoners of war on both sides, including a lack of proper shelter, food, potable water, and medical care. Notably, Garrow argues that the deplorable conditions of these army prisons were not the only motivator that fueled soldiers' decisions to switch sides as the war waned. Garrow investigates service records, pension files, period newspapers, and regimental histories to uncover the complex motivations of Confederate prisoners of war who joined Federal forces. He documents the individual histories of twelve distinct infantry and calvary regiments, contextualizing the wartime climate, struggles, and political leanings of the soldiers grappling with survival and allegiance during the Civil War. Alongside Garrow's first volume, From Gray to Blue is an insightful addition to existing Civil War scholarship that will engage and inform both history scholars and general readers.
  • Central government
  • History of the Americas
  • Professional & Vocational
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List Price: £63.00