Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The military forces of the United States (the Union) during the American Civil War (1861-1865): This term specifically refers to the army that fought to preserve the United States and, later, to end slavery, opposing the Confederate States Army.

Usage

• The term Union Army is used as a singular, collective proper noun to refer to the entire land force of the United States during the Civil War era. It is always capitalized.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • General Ulysses S. Grant commanded the Union Army in the latter part of the Civil War.
  • The Union Army was ultimately victorious, leading to the preservation of the United States.
  • Many historians study the strategies and battles of the Union Army.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in contrast to "Confederate Army" or "Rebel Army."
  • The battle was a decisive victory for the Union Army over the Confederate forces.

Variants and Related Words

• Union: Often used as a shorthand for the United States side, including its government and civilian population, during the Civil War.
• Federal Army: A less common synonym for Union Army.
• Yankee Army: An informal, sometimes derogatory, term used by Confederates to refer to the Union Army.

Synonyms

• Federal forces
• Northern army
• U.S. Army (in the specific historical context of 1861-1865)

Related Phrases

• Grand Army of the Republic (GAR): The fraternal organization for veterans of the Union Army.
• Army of the Potomac: A major principal Union Army operating in the Eastern Theater.

Noun

1. the northern army during the American Civil War