Johnny Reb & Billy Yank
Johnny Reb & Billy Yank is a novel first published in 1905 by Alexander Hunter, a soldier who served in Confederate General Robert E. Lee Army from 1861 to 1865. The novel is noted for encapsulating most of the major events of the American Civil War, due to Hunter's obvious involvement in them.
The "novel" is actually pulled from Hunter's own diaries during the war. He explains his reasons for publishing his accounts in the preface to the novel-
"There were thousands of soldiers on both sides during the Civil War, who, at the beginning, started to keep a diary of daily events, but those who kept a record from start to finish can be counted on the fingers of one hand. I was so fortunate as to save most of my notes made during the four years of conflict, and in 1865, having no fixed pursuit in life, I spent most of the time in arranging and writing up these incidents of camp life while fresh in my memory.
The public have been surfeited with war literature. There is hardly a prominent officer North or South who has not rushed into print at every available opportunity; yet no officer high in rank dared write the exact truth, for the reason he has the feelings, the self-love and the reputations of those who served under him to consider.
A private in the ranks, who has learned something of the art of war through though experience in two branches of the service, should be able to write understandingly of that internecine conflict which rocked America like an earthquake.
At least he can afford to tell the truth as to what he saw, heard and thought without fear or favor. And above all, a private in the ranks, having no grievance, can be fair and just.
In those days "Johnny Reb" and Billy Yank" were good comrades when off duty. They had a profound respect for each other, and as Bulwer says, "It is astonishing how much we like a man after fighting him."
The novel is then divided into two parts, the first part chronicling Hunter's service in the infantry up until the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the second part depicting his service in the Cavalry until the end of the war.
Although Hunter is not credited with popularizing the term Johnny Reb he does dedicate the novel to "that tattered son of fortune and the nursling of many a dark and stormy hour, this book is affectionately dedicated by the AUTHOR"
External links
- Johnny Reb and Billy Yank at the Open Library
Billy Yank or Billy Yankee was what soldiers on the Union side of the Civil war were called. They were usually depicted in a blue uniform with ball buttons and red trim, red vests, caps, and trousers, clothed much better than Johnny Rebs. Johnny Reb was what soldiers on the Confederate side of the war were called. Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs were very similar but very different too. Billy Yanks were well paid and they both wrote. A Billy Yanks writing was not as good as a Johnny Reb. Johnny were very focused on war and Billy Yanks had less responsibility, and they were not as concerned in the civil war as Johnny Rebs were. Johnny Rebs wrote like poetry while Billy Yanks mostly just wrote about battle. They were usually depicted in a red trimmed gray frock coat, a cap with a red band and trim, and trousers with a red leg stripe piped in white. Just before the civil war Lincoln had won the presidential election of 1860, and 7 states were not happy with it. The seven states then departed from the Union and established a provisional government called the Confederate States of America. They then started to seize federal property like military posts with many men called Johnny Rebs. They called the men Soon, only Fortress Monroe in Virginia, Fort Pickens in Florida, and Fort Sumter in South Carolina lived. Then the Civil war began on April 12, 1861. Major Robert Anderson sent barrages to the confederates. By April 14 Anderson and his ninety men were forced to surrender. President Lincoln then continued sending out thousands of men to fight the confederate states. He first sent 75,000 men, and then another 42,000 soon after. America then developed a name for these soldiers. They found that the most common name of the Union soldiers was William and “yankee” was a slang term for New Englanders. Billy Yanks were very important in the Civil War. Most people talk about the generals, presidents, and leaders winning the battles, but the Billy Yanks did most of the work. They could not have won any battles without the Billy Yanks. The Billy Yanks won the war too, by defeating many Johnny Rebs on the Confederate side of the Civil War. Billy Yanks were soldiers for the Union, but they called the soldiers for the Confederates Johnny Rebs. Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs were very similar but very different too. Billy Yanks were well paid and they both wrote. A Billy Yanks writing was not as good as a Johnny Reb. Johnny were very focused on war and Billy Yanks had less responsibility, and they were not as concerned in the civil war as Johnny Rebs were. Johnny Rebs wrote like poetry while most Billy Yanks just wrote about battle. In January of 1865, Ulysses S. Grant, a leader for the Union, went North to try to end the war. He came with many veteran Billy Yanks, and they forced Lee out of his position.
McAfee, Michael J., and John P. Langellier. Billy Yank: the Uniform of the Union Army, 1861-1865. Pen & Sword Military, 2015.