women

During the late war, a feminine rebel, a Memphian, and a widow, who shall go by the name of Mrs, C——, was going up the river on one of the Cairo packets, when she got Into an excited discussion with Col. S—. on the subject of the war. “You may overrun the whole South," said Mrs. C——, “you may...

From a New England farmer's newspaper, 1861 You know the ubiquitous butter churn? It's always seemed like yet another exhausting chore. Ever try it? Remember a teacher in elementary school hammering home the lesson by actually bringing one to school. Kids took turns using that thing and after...

It may not have taken much effort watching that ' home washer ' being put to use, perhaps the point of this advertisement. Like it was easy. Most of our ancestors were the girls using those things. That's a load of sodden laundry next to it and ever hang a wet sheet on the clothes line? It's a...

The headlines of The Weekly Mississippian that greeted it's Jackson, MS readers on November 6, 1862 was shocking: "A DARK DAY IN JACKSON" "...mangled bodies of men, women, and girls who had been employed in making cartridges were scattered in every direction!" Women, girls and children made up...

Harper's published this image of the massive ladies meeting held in Cooper Union's ' Foundation Building ", April 1861. According to accounts 4,000 women attended a mass discussion about what would be their role providing relief and supporting men engaged in this war. A few men came. For awhile...

" You're shaking like a blancmange my dear creepmouse. I assure you, passementerie tassles on that dress would put you in a bad box. You can't gammon me your new husband isn't a banging big-bug. I don't see him cutting his stick before the ceremony at sight of you, with or without...

There’s getting to be a slight chill in the air so it got me thinking about how my Victorian friends might have dressed to keep warm when they were outside. We’ve all seen pictures of women’s gowns with wide puffy sleeves. The sleeves were so big that they could not fit into the sleeve of a...

"Southern Belles" by Alan Maley In the Encyclopaedia of Astounding Facts and Useful Information (1889), there is an entire chapter dedicated to the "secrets of beauty" because… "If women are to govern, control, manage, influence and retain the adoration of husbands, fathers, brothers, lovers...

Written in the Nashville Daily Union 12/21/1862 More proof of those so-called "She Rebels" spunk and determination to help their men along with "peppery" letters referred to in @John Hartwell post: -hence my portrayal at reenactments sometimes gets questioned until they actually read my display!

"In the Library" by August Toulmouche, 1872. The Victorian “bluestocking” was defined as, “a stiff, stilted, queer literary woman of a dubious age.” This stereotype actually made its way into an 1883 edition of the Popular Encyclopedia, where a “bluestocking” was defined as a “pedantic female”...

From the Met, an era quilt whose history is unknown. Nearly impossible tracking down quilts specific to those sewn for fund raising or use in hospitals, have an idea this was one. There are 26 stars but have a feeling two were put in to balance the design. There's an American theme running...

Are you already dreading the impending winter cold? Well take a good look at the photograph above of a woman climbing a glacier in a billowing Victorian skirt. It may surprise you to learn (it certainly did me) that several Victorian females braved the ice in their petticoats during a time...

In reference to @Eleanor Rose excellent post I have to wonder about the antithesis stories of young women at the time and a common sad factor of how lust and being poor, desperate and devastated during war can tarnish even the purist of souls. Was it their choice? Many camp followers were...

Sally Ward Lawrence Hunt Armstrong Downs Who was the original Southern belle? I wish I knew. @NH Civil War Gal got me thinking about this when she inquired about the origin of the phrase, “Southern belle.” Probably like a lot of little girls growing up in the South, I was told the story of...

(Photo courtesy of Only In Your State) When I say "Southern belle" one person inevitably comes to my mind — Scarlett O'Hara. The "Gone With the Wind" heroine has always been the classic Southern belle for me, sitting on the front porch of her family's plantation, playing coy with the Tarleton...

A few may be from the 70's but heh...these women lived during the war! … and now the actresses!

The Confederate Government responded to rioutous women by seeking to make their needs a budgetary priority and meet their demands via Government policy. I find the last line of the following extract very interesting: 'Like all the riots that hit the CSA that spring the one in Richmond was...

This illustration from one of the ' Lady's Companion ' books prevalent at the time ( and for decades before the war ) really rubs it in to we girls. Fleeting time, fleeting youth! Thread title is from Longworth, please excuse puns. He'd given this whole age thing some thought and seems so...

I have noted on a couple of occasions here that women may be perceived as the 'instigators' for men to fight during the period of the Civil War. Actively encouraging men to fight, they created an expectation that men should do their duty or potentially suffer 'rejection' (for taking what would...

" Lady Columbia " was originally symbolic of all of us, North and South. Based on Greek and Roman warrior goddesses with a good dose of belligerence thrown in, she stayed ' North ' in 1861 albeit was given no choice in the matter. Still, a kinda awesome symbol- women were as influential in the...