JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
You know, there must be dozens of threads linking " Our Army Nurses " , an archived book featuring frequently hair raising stories by women who served as nurses during the Civil War. Gosh. From being in battles to hob-nobbing ( or facing down ) well known names to being taken prisoner to escaping death o cheating death daily on behalf of the human race at war- the stories behind mostly unremarkable portraits at the beginning of each chapter are enough to satisfy the most adventure ( not to mention romance ) hungry Civil War buff this side of Fort Sumter. Nurses and their adventures barely receive a nod by way of interest.
It's the spies and smugglers and yes, mistresses- even prostitutes seemingly sources of high interest- even beyond female soldiers. Some, like Belle Boyd genuinely legendary because she was awfully, awfully good at what she did. So was Elizabeth Van Lew. Belle had an element Van Lew lacked which was also legendary- her ability to drop men in their tracks. Van Lew doesn't seem to have tried- Belle Boyd seems to have simply found it an advantage.
Here's the thing. It's come up before in connection with Belle- even Belle was not Belle Boyd enough to suit myth. A book on her? Has an illustration on the cover which is not even her- some exotic beauty who is, in fact no one at all. Belle Boyd's looks were just fine- certainly every man who crossed her path thought so. Somehow, somewhere, some myth has arisen her exploits must go hand-in-hand with a certain, silly ' look', this one that of a 1930's belly dancer, out of a Hollywood B movie.
Our Belle, straight out of History
The illustration- meant to be Belle Boyd. You see the problem.
Found this on- where else, Pinterest. There's a pouting, busty nearly featureless female, two hobbit-like creatures and someone on the end who appears to be waiting for the train in quite another story line. Interposed between these women are several Confederate officers, some a little familiar others not quite here, ethereally standing in front of what appears to be an iron clad monitor with battle damage.
Story may be factual, can't imagine there would be a story with names and places at least not based in history, somewhere- wish these photographs would stop turning up.
*sigh*
It's the spies and smugglers and yes, mistresses- even prostitutes seemingly sources of high interest- even beyond female soldiers. Some, like Belle Boyd genuinely legendary because she was awfully, awfully good at what she did. So was Elizabeth Van Lew. Belle had an element Van Lew lacked which was also legendary- her ability to drop men in their tracks. Van Lew doesn't seem to have tried- Belle Boyd seems to have simply found it an advantage.
Here's the thing. It's come up before in connection with Belle- even Belle was not Belle Boyd enough to suit myth. A book on her? Has an illustration on the cover which is not even her- some exotic beauty who is, in fact no one at all. Belle Boyd's looks were just fine- certainly every man who crossed her path thought so. Somehow, somewhere, some myth has arisen her exploits must go hand-in-hand with a certain, silly ' look', this one that of a 1930's belly dancer, out of a Hollywood B movie.
Our Belle, straight out of History
The illustration- meant to be Belle Boyd. You see the problem.
Found this on- where else, Pinterest. There's a pouting, busty nearly featureless female, two hobbit-like creatures and someone on the end who appears to be waiting for the train in quite another story line. Interposed between these women are several Confederate officers, some a little familiar others not quite here, ethereally standing in front of what appears to be an iron clad monitor with battle damage.
Story may be factual, can't imagine there would be a story with names and places at least not based in history, somewhere- wish these photographs would stop turning up.
*sigh*