The modern American state was born in the blood of the Civil War. In that respect, at least, the United States stands alongside many other nation-states (Bensel 1990: preface and chapter 1). But, unlike most civil wars in world history, the American conflict did not pit a professional military establishment against insurgent armies. Instead, the Confederate and Union mobilizations were composed of almost entirely new and volunteer units. They were also almost carbon copies of one another in terms of recruitment and organization; only the color of the uniforms and the design of the flags distinguished armed units on the field of battle. And, although the Civil War brought forth the modern American state, this birth almost produced twins. As it was, a stillborn Confederacy remained unburied for decades following Appomattox, while the Union, victorious in war, slowly evolved from a “northern” into an American or national state. In making this transformation, one of the first casualties was the Union Army which, after demobilization, once again became one of the smallest in the Western world.

The net result (and the basis for this chapter) was that the United States inherited two militaries after Appomattox, one Union and one Confederate. And, although the Union still possessed a small military establishment, in national politics the most influential factor was the hundreds of thousands of northern and southern veterans.