The Yankee Plague: Escaped Union Prisoners and the Collapse of the Confederacy

by Lorien Foote

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469652054
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	02/01/2019
Series:	Civil War America
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Lorien Foote is the Patricia & Bookman Peters Professor in History at Texas A&M University.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

In this utterly fascinating look at the collapse of the Confederacy, Lorien Foote narrates the history of the South's disastrous attempts to move prisoners into and around South Carolina as the Union army began rolling up victories in late 1864. Brimming with energy, the book relates the chaos of the Confederacy's final days like no other.—Stephen Berry, University of Georgia

This is one of the most original, intriguing, and satisfying books I have read in years. Superbly researched and interpreted, Lorien Foote has added layers of complexity to our understanding of the chaotic Confederate home front and the last gasps of rebel resistance.—Daniel E. Sutherland, author of A Savage Conflict: The Decisive Role of Guerrillas in the American Civil War

Editorial Reviews

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

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

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

An illuminating and powerful study that enhances both Civil War history and POW studies. Essential.—Choice

The Yankee Plague makes for an important addition to the literature on Civil War prisoners and the collapse of the Confederacy.—Civil War Monitor

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

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

The rare title that delivers new information and challenges readers to reconsider what they are confident they already know."-Indiana Magazine of 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

One of the most intriguing books on Civil War captivity in years.—The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society

From the Publisher