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Billy Yank orBilly Yankee is the personification of theUnited States soldier (volunteer or Regular) during theAmerican Civil War.[1] The latter part of the name is derived fromYankee, previously a term for New Englanders, and possibly deriving from a term for Dutch settlers ofNew Netherland before that, extended by American Southerners to refer to Americans from above theMason–Dixon line (and by the British to refer to anyone from the United States). Although little evidence exists to suggest that the name was used widely during the Civil War, unlike its rebel counterpartJohnny Reb, early 20th century political cartoonists introduced 'Billy Yank' to symbolize U.S. combatants in theAmerican Civil War of the 1860s.[2]
Billy Yank is usually pictured wearing a regulation U.S. Army blue wool uniform that included the fatigue blouse, a light-weight wool coat with an inside pocket and four brass buttons on the front, with akepi-style forage cap made of wool broadcloth with a rounded, flat top, cotton lining, and leather visor.
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