Altarist is a term that was used to refer to natives of Southern states who stayed in or moved to the United States after the American Civil War. In the Confederacy, they were most commonly known as Hanky Wavers.
Names[]
This group of people was known by various names. In the north, the most common name was Altarists, a term taken from a speech by Andrew Johnson before the war: "I will not give up this government... No. I intend to stand by it, and I invite every man who is a patriot to rally around the altar of our common country."
There was a small distinction between those who fled to the Union before or during the war and stayed there, and those who fled there after the war's end. Those who stayed were sometimes called leadfoots or lame ducks, the idea being that they were unwilling to move from the place they currently were.
There were many terms used in the Confederacy, many of them vulgar and unkind. The most common was Hanky Waver, referring to the idea that these people were waving hankies like someone leaving on a long voyage. Another common name was Scatterer or Roach, both comparing the group to cockroaches scattering in the light. More vulgar terms used slurs to imply that these people were close allies of Black people and slaves. In most cases, this was not true.
History[]
Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee
The group descended from Southern Unionists and War Democrats who strongly opposed secession. When the war ended and secession was successful, many of them were essentially stranded in the Union, unable to return to their home states for fear of violence and abuse. Some would not have returned anyway on principle.
The most prominent Altarist was Andrew Johnson, left serving as vice president despite his home state no longer being part of the country. He thus qualified as the most prominent leadfoot as well. He remained loyal to his country over his state, serving out his term as vice president and attempting to win the Democratic nomination for president in 1868.
Other Altarists could be found in the military, including Winfield Scott and David Farragut. Common folk moved from Unionist areas of the Confederacy, such as East Tennessee, to the United States. A sizeable number of Southern Unionists were unwilling to move, however, and remained in the Confederacy. They had little political influence and disappeared as a faction within a few decades.
Altarists retained United States citizenship even though their states were no longer part of the Union. Most went on to settle in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Maryland, these states being the most culturally Southern of any in the Union. Others moved west to build new lives on the frontier.
Winfield Scott, of Virginia
Personal feelings on the matter differed. Some despaired that they would likely never be able to see their homelands again, at least not without abuse should their identities be found out. Others denounced the Confederacy and their home states completely for rebelling against the sacred Union. Most Altarists retained political beliefs in states' rights and the protection of slavery in states where it was still legal. They were split on whether it was better for the United States to pursue a policy of friendliness or opposition to the C.S.
The Treaty of Alexandria guaranteed free movement between the Confederacy and Union until 1900. The vast majority of Altarists, though, took less than a decade to head north. Migration from the Confederacy to the United States became rare from the 1880's onward. A minority of Altarists would move back to the Confederacy years later once tensions had died down a bit, hoping to live a quiet life. For most of them, their personal ideals simply clashed too much with the Confederates for them to be able to go back.
Reception[]
In the North[]
Those native to Union states generally respected Altarists for their commitment to their country but resented the group's Democratic, pro-slavery political beliefs. A small group of Northerners saw them as an insidious influence that would make the Union closer in character to the Confederacy, calling for them to be expelled. On the whole, however, Altarists were able to make a peaceful living in the Union after the war.
George H. Pendleton
President George H. Pendleton in particular was highly supportive of the Altarists, calling them brave patriots who made extremely hard choices. His political beliefs aligned closely with those of most Altarists, and they were generally highly supportive of his presidency.
In the South[]
Committed Confederates considered the Hanky Wavers to be traitors to their cause, likely Yankee collaborators if they had the chance, and believed that the nation was better off without them. Those who were more favorable to reconciliation with the North, such as President Stonewall Jackson, did not view it this way and hoped to welcome the group back home someday. This view was common among the military leadership of the war, but a solid minority view among the lower classes. Suspected Unionists who lived in Confederate states were treated harshly and in some cases driven out of the Confederacy against their will. They were only safe in heavily pro-Union areas, which led to their like consolidating in a few small regions and cities close to the United States border. Some highly patriotic Confederates, including leaders in the Southern Party, considered this group to be potential insurgents that could be supported by the U.S. government in an attempt to overthrow the C.S. government. These fears were unfounded.
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