The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell: Sex in the Civil War:

#1 10-28-2003, 02:05 AM

Has anyone read Lowry's book? Is it any good? Supportable?

unionblue · #2 10-28-2003, 05:55 AM

Tommy,

It is well worth the read and contains stories from both sides, fair and balanced in my opinion. Give it a read, it WILL pick up your day!

Unionblue

blue_zouave · #3 10-28-2003, 12:24 PM

I second that, Neil. Talk about an eye-opener!

Dr. Lowry is a fellow member of the Society of Civil War surgeons, and he's done a lot of research into the seamier side of the war. One of his books is about court martial proceedings on surgeons. He and his sometime co-author Dr. Jack Welch do good work.

Yours with MEDICAL interest only in all those racy pictures...

Zou

thea_447 · #4 10-31-2003, 01:11 AM

Haven't read the book but here are some stats:

The Union Army Medical Dept. reported in 1861 that 1 out of 12 soldiers had venereal disease, an almost incredible rate. The Federal rate for the war was 82 cases per 1,000 men.

In July, 1861 an official report on a dozen Confederate regiments with a strength of about 11,000, showed 204 new cases of gonorrhea and forty-four of syphillis. In the next 3 months, among larger bodies of troops, there were 572 new cases of the diseases.

Not only were both armies followed by large parties of women, but both reported several cases of women who disguised themselves as men, often dispensing their favors widely before being detected and banished.

Source: The Civil War: Strange and Fascinating Facts, Burke Davis, Fairfax Press.

unionblue · #5 10-31-2003, 03:21 AM

Thea,

Read the book and I guarantee you will forget about your back pains for a while!

Unionblue

scone · #6 11-06-2003, 02:36 AM

The History Channel did a special a while back on sex during the Civil War. In fact they did two shows and I believe you can buy them both off their web sight

unionblue · #7 11-06-2003, 03:48 AM

Hey Steve!

Long time, no see! Been away or just lurking on the board?

As I remember, the History Channel show actually used the book as a reference and had the author on too.

Unionblue

scone · #8 11-06-2003, 04:03 AM

Lurking some but mainly work and reenacting has keep me pretty busy.

unionblue · #9 11-06-2003, 04:29 AM

Steven,

What reenactments? Might be coming your way next year, other side of course, but at least I will make you a pretty good target in my sack coat of blue!

Unionblue