Galvanized soldiers

There are many facts about the American Civil War which have been overlooked or hidden from the common history most people have been taught. There have been several books that tell about those soldiers who are referred to as "galvanized." Galvanized normally refers to steel items which have been dipped in molten tin to resist rusting. Two examples are galvanized metal pails and metal fencing.

Galvinized soldiers during the Civil War refers to captured soldiers who were being held in prisoner of war camps, and accepted an enlistment in the opposing army in order to be released from the prisoner of war (POW) camps. One issue the receiving army, confederate or union, had to deal with was soldiers who deserted once released from the POW camps. The agreement confederate prisoners signed stipulated that these galvanized troops would be sent west to protect telegraph lines, stagecoach and freight stations, and ranches from Indian raids. The Indian raids were, for the most parts, to steal horses, food and other supplies. The Union needed additional soldiers in the west because the war in the east had reduced the number of troops available to fight Indians.

The new galvanized union soldiers were to be sent west to avoid having to fight their former confederate comrades. The new Union soldiers had made a loyalty pledge and were galvanized with new blue Union uniforms to replace the rags most were wearing in the POW camps. In addition, they were fed to help improve their health that had deteriorated in captivity. The Union needed additional soldiers in the west to replace those who had been sent east to fight confederate forces and the approximately 6,000 volunteer galvanized soldiers were quickly sent west to forts where they were organized into six regiments.

The volunteers, as they were officially known, were experienced war fighters and were familiar with military discipline, ranks, and organization. The desertion rates were low and those who tried to desert found that Union troops were sent to hunt them down.

After mustering out of the Union army many of these former Confederate soldiers were not welcomed home and were regarded as traitors. Some elected to rejoin the Army while others joined the migrants' wagon trains heading west. They all considered themselves to now be loyal citizens of the United States.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.