Sing Not War: The Lives of Union and Confederate Veterans in Gilded Age America
Throughout history, American citizens have venerated their war heroes. George Washington assumed the presidency after an astonishing victory, while [End Page 98] other Revolutionary War leaders gained prominent positions in government. Andrew Jackson rode a wave of patriotism into the White House, as did Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Unfortunately, the citizen soldier serving on the front lines or the lowly crewman manning the guns of a battleship rarely received such enduring esteem when peace returned. In Sing Not War: The Lives of Union and Confederate Veterans in Gilded Age America, James Marten explores the post-war experiences of Union and Confederate veterans. His exhaustive research underscores a lamentable reality: as the nation surged ahead into the Gilded Age, the sacrifice of its veterans faded into a distant memory.
Marten focuses on the thousands of "Yanks" and "Rebels" who returned to their homes and communities after the war. As the first Union veterans returned home, they were often welcomed with celebrations. Many joined veterans' organizations to commemorate their service. However, the fanfare soon faded. According to Marten, Northerners appreciated the service rendered to the nation by its soldiers, but expected veterans to return to their civilian lives as productive members of their communities. Most veterans fulfilled expectations and faded into private obscurity. That other veterans returned with incapacitating psychological or physical wounds was an unsettling dilemma for a nation determined to move forward. As time passed and veterans aged, Northerners became increasingly impatient with the economic drain on government resources necessary for the maintenance of former servicemen. The presence of destitute veterans relegated to institutions, begging on the streets, or frequenting saloons only exacerbated the perception that these men, despite their former service to the country, were becoming a public nuisance.
Marten discovered that Union veterans often encountered a suspicious and resentful public when applying for aid or benefits. Nevertheless, government institutions attempted to meet their needs, as roughly 100,000 Union veterans entered federal or state facilities. Some men entered these institutions involuntarily, while others enrolled as a means of relieving their family of the burden of care. Disturbingly, much of the author's research demonstrates that many facilities established for veterans care were inadequate and humiliating at best. Some institutions placed heavy emphasis on work programs in order prevent a "crisis of manhood" among patients and mitigate the expense involved. Others tried to curtail rampant alcohol abuse among veterans through rigorous discipline. However, the public grew increasingly conflicted regarding their obligation to these men and the heavy toll inflicted upon the nation's coffers.
Confederate veterans, according to Marten, encountered a more tolerant public when returning to the South after the war. Southerners sympathized with Confederate veterans as central figures in a tragic conflict. This attitude only seemed to deepen as "Lost Cause" rhetoric increased during Reconstruction. Southern veterans relied overwhelmingly on the generosity of their friends and relatives, as well as state programs. According to the author, many of the benevolence associations for Confederate veterans grew out of programs that provided men with artificial limbs. Though defeated on the battlefield, Confederate veterans overwhelmingly retained the respect of their communities.
Marten's account of Civil War veterans in the Gilded Age is engaging, well written and exhaustive in its analysis of the experiences veterans encountered during the Gilded Age. He successfully utilizes countless primary sources, including [End Page 99] accounts from contemporary newspapers, journals, personal letters, records from veterans' organizations, and government reports to illustrate the plight of veterans. The resulting volume is a timely and relevant account of the consequences of war on soldiers and civilians alike.
