Galvanized Yankees was a term from the American Civil War denoting former Confederate prisoners of war who swore allegiance to the United States and joined the Union Army. Approximately 5,600 former Confederate soldiers enlisted in the United States Volunteers, organized into six regiments of infantry between January 1864 and November 1866. Of those, more than 250 had begun their service as Union soldiers, were captured in battle, then enlisted in prison to join a regiment of the Confederate States Army.
Galvanized Yankees was a term from the American Civil War describing former Confederate prisoners who swore allegiance to the United States and joined the Union Army. Around 5,600 such soldiers enlisted in the United States Volunteers, forming six infantry regiments between January 1864 and November 1866. More than 250 of these men had previously served as Union soldiers but were captured during battles, then joined a Confederate regiment while imprisoned.