The Gentlemen and the Roughs: Manhood, Honor, and Violence in the Union Army

"It is a commonplace to observe that war is the ultimate test of the `manhood' of soldiers. But in the Civil War---as probably in all wars--- the meaning of manhood was contested, as Lorien Foote makes clear in this fine study of Union soldiers. Making intelligent use of regimental reports and court-martial records, among other kinds of evidence, she teases out the various perceptions of manhood in this study that offers stimulating new interpretations of the values of soldiers in the broader context of American Victorian culture." James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

"Lorien Foote's The Gentlemen and the Roughs enhances our appreciation of Union soldiers in combat, in camps and struggling for status. Honor and valor are showcased, with fresh approaches and neglected sources. Cultural and class conflicts take center stage with Foote's valuable addition to Civil War military studies. From hazing with mule urine to pistols at ten paces, Foote provides a lively portrait of `conduct unbecoming' and offers new insights into American masculinity in post Civil War America." Catherine Clinton, author of Mrs. Lincoln: A Life

During the Civil War, the Union Army---like the society from which it sprang---appeared cohesive enough to withstand four years of grueling war against the Confederates and to claim victory in 1865. But fractiousness bubbled below the surface of the North's presumably united front. Internal fissures were rife within the Union Army: class divisions, regional antagonisms, ideological differences, and conflicting personalities all distracted the army from quelling the Southern rebellion.

In this highly original contribution to Civil War and gender history, Lorien Foote reveals that these internal battles were fought against the backdrop of manhood. Clashing ideals of manliness produced myriad conflicts, as when educated, refined, and wealthy officers ("gentlemen") found themselves commanding a hard-drinking group of fighters ("roughs")---a dynamic that often resulted in violence and even death. Challenges, fights, and duels were common. Based on extensive research into heretofore ignored primary sources-courts-martial records and regimental order books-The Gentlemen and the Roughs uncovers and fills holes in our understanding of the men who fought the Civil War and the society that produced them.

Lorien Foote is associate professor of history at the University of Central Arkansas and the author of Seeking the One Great Remedy: Francis George Shaw and Nineteenth-Century Reform.