Logue and Blanck ask, Did Union veterans suffer lasting psychological consequences from the Civil War, or were they largely able to reintegrate into society? In answer, they present an intricate tapestry of postwar trauma, citing multiple origins from wounds, disease, racial and economic inequalities, and wartime incarceration. They observe varying manifestations of mental strain over time, among black and white veterans alike. Their work has broad appeal for the social sciences, humanities, and a popular audience.
The authors address a controversy originally framed in the field of Civil War history, which pits historians who argue for widespread evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) among Civil War soldiers against those who find the application of a post–Vietnam War diagnosis to be anachronistic. Seeking resolution, the authors adopt an interdisciplinary approach, employing statistical analyses of the Early Indicators Union Army data set (based on the compiled military service records, pensions,...