Plural of federal; federal agents, government representatives, or members of the federal government (often used informally or historically for federal troops or officers).
Plural of federal used as a noun, meaning federal agents or officials, particularly common in American historical contexts referring to federal troops during the Civil War.
During the American Civil War, 'federals' referred to Union soldiers fighting for the central government, while 'Confederates' fought to keep states independent—the names literally described which side controlled the government power they were fighting for.
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