Cavalry Charger
Major
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2017
"A substantial portion of the letters written in camp were addressed to sweethearts who in camp parlance were known by such unflattering nicknames as 'pigeon', 'pig', 'duck', 'biddy' 'jularky' and 'hoosey dooksy'. Correspondence between soliders and the girls they left behind them was frequently formal and stilted, though now and then an established suitor would hazard the use of an endearing phrase. Despite the restrained tone dictated by usage at the time, a goodly number of Yanks were able, with the assistance of a timely furlough, subtle prodding by the girl and perchance a show of paternal opposition, to push their cases from a casual to a permanent basis.
Romantically inclined Yanks, like their opposites in gray, found poetry a convenient and effective agent in conveying the gentler sentiments, for poetry had the priceless quality of saying much or little, as the recipient chose; moreover, the ability to make verses was considered a mark of gallantry.
The most confirmed sentimental-verse addict encountered by the writer was Albert E. Trumble of the fifteenth Illinois Regiement. Trumble's poetic flow, written in neat script and addressed to Amelia Boyce, began shortly after he joined the army and continued throught his service. The first lines, sent as a postscript, were:
My pen is poor
My ink is pale
My love to you
As long as a rail
As acquaintance ripened, Trumble waxed bolder in both his prose and poetry. From Bolivar, Tennessee, in august 1862 he penned the following:My ink is pale
My love to you
As long as a rail
Though waters may between us roll,
May friendship still unite our soul,
Though far distant may be our lot,
Dearest friend forget me not.
The next spring he wrote from Memphis:May friendship still unite our soul,
Though far distant may be our lot,
Dearest friend forget me not.
When the waning moon beams sleep
At midnight on the lovely sea
And nature's pensive spirits weep
In all her dews remember me
do it Amelia
And in August 1864, while campaigning in Georgia, he wrote as a postscript:At midnight on the lovely sea
And nature's pensive spirits weep
In all her dews remember me
do it Amelia
Way down here clear out of sight;
Three little words I wish to write
Forget me not
Trumble's capture a little later, followed by a long imprisonment, interrupted his poetic effusion. But after the war he renewed courtship of Amelia and apparently married her.Three little words I wish to write
Forget me not
Many Yanks advertised for feminine correspondence in the newspapers, but the tone of some of these notices is such as to suggest that they were inserted by pranksters."
Bell Irvin Wiley - The Life of Billy Yank.
Trumble's poetry definitely improved over the years and long absence, but 'do it Amelia ' seems a little too emboldened to me
Glad their story had a happy ending.
As to advertising for 'feminine correspondence', I'm guessing some of the guys would have a whale of a time pranking others with that one!
Anyway, just a few thoughts for this Valentine's Day
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