From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image of Johnny Reb as depicted on the cover of the book with the same title

Johnny Reb or Johnny Rebel was the slang term for any Confederate soldier, or the Confederate Army as a whole, during the American Civil War.^[1] His counterpart in the Union was Billy Yank.

Johnny Reb has been used as a national personification of the Confederate States of America. Because the Confederacy only existed for a few years, neither Johnny Reb nor Billy Yank has ever been as formalized and well-known as Uncle Sam, who represented the USA as a whole.^[2]

See also

• When Johnny Comes Marching Home

References

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Noun

Johnny Reb

1. (obsolete, informal) A Confederate soldier in the American Civil War.

Quotations

When Lincoln heard the news about the fall,

All the folks thought he'd throw a great vict'ry ball,

But he asked the band to play the song "Dixie"

For you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believe.

1959, "Johnny Reb", Johnny Horton