Sons Of The Confederacy, Sons Of Freedmen: Race, Manhood, And Motivation In North Carolina’s Volunteer Regiments In The Spanish-American War

This thesis examines the experience of soldiers in North Carolina’s three volunteer regiments during the Spanish-American War. It situates their military service within the context of race and manhood at the end of the nineteenth century. The Spanish-American War took place a generation after the conclusion of the American Civil War, a legacy that loomed prominently for the men who volunteered. It also took place during one of the most important and transformative years in North Carolina politics. The 1898 election, a virulent white supremacy campaign, and the subsequent Wilmington massacre provide important context for North Carolina’s Spanish-American War soldiers. Indeed, they understood their military service primarily in light of local political conditions.