The History of the Rebel Yell

“A well-written book that should appeal to all history and Civil War buffs.” —Frank Haight, The Examiner (Independence, MO)

The South’s renowned Rebel Yell and its unique, demoralizing effects have been documented throughout history. Whether as a planned part of a battle strategy or as an instinctual expression of adrenaline, the yell motivated the rebel soldiers and unnerved the enemy. In this definitive work, the mighty hollers of these warriors as they met their foes in battle are detailed as are their origins and nature. This work sets out to recapture the yell, which has been largely lost to time, and bring it back to life at full volume.

Historian Terryl W. Elliott suggests a substantial theory of the origins of the yell in Scotch-Irish history and analyzes its many variations and historical descriptions. Also assessed in these chapters are the few recorded versions of the Rebel Yell. This work includes historic stories and poems featuring the yell before concluding with a list of references.

Recipient of the John Newman Edwards Award for Civil War era history writing

“Elliott’s book is great!” —S. Waite Rawls III, president and CEO, Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia

“A classic of Civil War history.” —Steve Cottrell, Civil War historian and author