Union Jacks: Yankee Sailors in the Civil War

Historians have given a great deal of attention to the lives and experiences of Civil War soldiers, but surprisingly little is known about navy sailors who participated in the conflict. In our second luncheon lecture of 2011, Michael J. Bennett will be discussing his book, Union Jacks: Yankee Sailors in the Civil War.

Through his research, Bennett has found that sailors differed from their counterparts in the army in many ways. They tended to be a rougher bunch of men than the regular soldiers, drinking and fighting excessively. Those who were not foreign-born, escaped slaves, or unemployed at the time they enlisted often hailed from the urban working class rather than from rural farms and towns. In addition, most sailors enlisted for pragmatic rather than ideological reasons.

Come and join us on Thursday, April 28, as Michael J. Bennett describes the lives of the enlisted sailors in the Union Navy. The luncheon begins at 11:30am at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Norfolk (700 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, VA). It costs $15 for members of the Hampton Roads Naval Historical Foundation and $20 for non-members to attend. To attend just the lecture, there is no cost (though you must still RSVP).

RSVPs are required by Saturday, April 23. Please call 757-322-3109 to leave a message with your reservation, or contact Laura at 757-322-3108 or laura.l.orr@navy.mil with any questions.

We hope to see you there!