GRAPHIC Behind the Curtain: Rape and Other Horrors

Stiles/Akin

Sergeant Major
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
https://civilwarodyssey.blogspot.co...pX31wCqfaIuKJINj0U6Nvn_uO5rFfIuOqsA0rFUbUChj0


William Gilmore Simms, the antebellum South’s literary luminary, wrote in 1865, “There are some horrors which the historian dare not pursue. They drop the curtain over crime which humanity bleeds to contemplate.”

In Georgia: Near Milledgeville, two Union soldiers raped Kate Nichols, wife of a Confederate captain. Women diarists wrote that Nichols went insane and spent the rest of her life in an asylum. The rapists, possibly a pair among the horde of ravaging “bummers” following Sherman’s troops, were not captured.
 
https://civilwarodyssey.blogspot.co...pX31wCqfaIuKJINj0U6Nvn_uO5rFfIuOqsA0rFUbUChj0


William Gilmore Simms, the antebellum South’s literary luminary, wrote in 1865, “There are some horrors which the historian dare not pursue. They drop the curtain over crime which humanity bleeds to contemplate.”

In Georgia: Near Milledgeville, two Union soldiers raped Kate Nichols, wife of a Confederate captain. Women diarists wrote that Nichols went insane and spent the rest of her life in an asylum. The rapists, possibly a pair among the horde of ravaging “bummers” following Sherman’s troops, were not captured.
Kyle Soller did a convincing portrayal in his role as one of Sherman's bummers, Henry, a maniacal rapist in the movie "The Keeping Room"
The movie even starts out with him shooting a female running from him after he's done raping her as he goes on to victimizing Southern women throughout the film.
 
Theres a local legend here that is similiar, new market which is pretty much a ghost town now, had a tavern hotel run by a woman and her daughter, during the war union troops raped the daughter and she went insane, haven't ever seen it written anywhere, but have heard it from two families who have roots that go back that far in the area.
 
There seem to have been a lot of these stories of women going insane after rapes or assaults. It was also relatively easy back then for a husband to have his "crazy" wife institutionalized. And of course there was a tendency to blame the victim for losing her virtue. I wonder if a more supportive environment might have helped some of these women recover from their ordeals?
 
There seem to have been a lot of these stories of women going insane after rapes or assaults. It was also relatively easy back then for a husband to have his "crazy" wife institutionalized. And of course there was a tendency to blame the victim for losing her virtue. I wonder if a more supportive environment might have helped some of these women recover from their ordeals?
...or at least survive the PTSD they must have endured.
 
The sacking of Danville, Missouri in October of 1864 by some of Anderson's bushwhackers might have been in retaliation for "abuses" committed against the sisters of two of the men. This is part of the area lore, but it is mentioned in the story of Danville. Anderson had been ordered to destroy the North Missouri Railroad "as far east as practicable." His men did, indeed, follow orders to a point. However, Danville was not on the railroad, so one wonders about the motive for its destruction. Anderson might have offered the town up to the offended brothers. The perpetrators of the "abuses" lived there. Meanwhile, Anderson was likely in Glasgow, Missouri at the time.
 
I always take stories of murder and rape by soldiers with a bit of a grain of salt. I'm not saying things like that did not happen....they did and we have court martial records to confirm that events like that happened.

But at the same time we need to look at who is telling us these events occurred. Citizens of a "country" who are at war against the U.S. are saying Union soldiers raped loved ones. Again, not saying it did not happen, but again, the motivations of those accusing are in doubt.

Another thing I've noticed with these cases is that it almost always revolves around Sherman's March. I remember reading a letter from a woman in Georgia to her husband in Virginia saying that some of Sherman's men came and burnt down their barn and raped the woman. Well, when one looked at the facts, the incident took place at least 75 miles from where Sherman's men were. Also, the "victim" in question gave birth seceral months later after the events. Im going to make an educated guess that the woman had an affair and got pregnant and invented the story of the rape.
 
there are some reports of the lady of the house watching union soldiers raping slave women and they are first hand accounts. Like wise the most common reason for the "Fort Pillow Massacre" was that Union troopers had raped the regional inhabitance.
 
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I always take stories of murder and rape by soldiers with a bit of a grain of salt. I'm not saying things like that did not happen....they did and we have court martial records to confirm that events like that happened.
........

Also, the "victim" in question gave birth seceral months later after the events. Im going to make an educated guess that the woman had an affair and got pregnant and invented the story of the rape.

Alas, once again the woman is not to be trusted, and must have been lying.
 
Alas, once again the woman is not to be trusted, and must have been lying.
I'd take the idea that when we know looting and burning of homes was going on, that its somehow inconceivable they might rape as well, with a grain of salt. Does seem somewhat blaming the victim.
 
The author of the article refers to rape in the context of conflict as 'weaponized sex'. That's exactly what it is.

It is a 'weapon' that can be used as a form of intimidation and control; an expression of hostility and also retribution.

Women in conflict zones become vulnerable to this type of attack as they confront enemy armies. And enemy armies may see it as their right to take what they want in the context of the conflict. This includes women.

Documented cases exist, and dire consequences also for those discovered to have carried out this heinous crime.

Unless the proper controls are applied, women do become victims.
 
The author of the article refers to rape in the context of conflict as 'weaponized sex'. That's exactly what it is.

It is a 'weapon' that can be used as a form of intimidation and control; an expression of hostility and also retribution.

Women in conflict zones become vulnerable to this type of attack as they confront enemy armies. And enemy armies may see it as their right to take what they want in the context of the conflict. This includes women.

Documented cases exist, and dire consequences also for those discovered to have carried out this heinous crime.

Unless the proper controls are applied, women do become victims.
Basicly its what looting ones personal possessions and burning ones property was, an exercise in demonstrating dominance to humble/humiliate/ punish someone, rape would be simply another extension of it...… Fellman describes it in Inside War
 
The author of the article refers to rape in the context of conflict as 'weaponized sex'. That's exactly what it is.

It is a 'weapon' that can be used as a form of intimidation and control; an expression of hostility and also retribution.

Women in conflict zones become vulnerable to this type of attack as they confront enemy armies. And enemy armies may see it as their right to take what they want in the context of the conflict. This includes women.

Documented cases exist, and dire consequences also for those discovered to have carried out this heinous crime.

Unless the proper controls are applied, women do become victims.

For civilians, especially women, perhaps one of the worst things to fear. It goes back to the first conflicts ever fought?
 
It is possible that she was raped or that maybe she had a consensual affair that she regretted later. There are two sides to every story. I just happen to look at what the evidence points to.

Definitely two sides to every story. I'm not sure of the evidence, but it's certainly not because she gave birth.
 
Definitely two sides to every story. I'm not sure of the evidence, but it's certainly not because she gave birth.
Whats somewhat bizarre, is have also seen it said some wouldn't cross that line as if it somehow justified in their minds that even though they might be routinely doing robbery, murder and arson that they somehow hadn't become "immoral"...……….and it was some form of self excuse for everything else they did...……....
 
Whats somewhat bizarre, is have also seen it said some wouldn't cross that line as if it somehow justified in their minds that even though they might be routinely doing robbery, murder and arson that they somehow hadn't become "immoral"...……….and it was some form of self excuse for everything else they did...……....

I don't doubt many soldiers would not cross it. There is something extremely personal, and to me shameful, in the act. But as you said, some may have used it to excuse everything else they did.
 
I always take stories of murder and rape by soldiers with a bit of a grain of salt. I'm not saying things like that did not happen....they did and we have court martial records to confirm that events like that happened.

But at the same time we need to look at who is telling us these events occurred. Citizens of a "country" who are at war against the U.S. are saying Union soldiers raped loved ones. Again, not saying it did not happen, but again, the motivations of those accusing are in doubt.

Another thing I've noticed with these cases is that it almost always revolves around Sherman's March. I remember reading a letter from a woman in Georgia to her husband in Virginia saying that some of Sherman's men came and burnt down their barn and raped the woman. Well, when one looked at the facts, the incident took place at least 75 miles from where Sherman's men were. Also, the "victim" in question gave birth seceral months later after the events. Im going to make an educated guess that the woman had an affair and got pregnant and invented the story of the rape.


Who else would tell the stories other than the Victim? Seems like Victim Shaming?

These women don’t get enough credit. They ended up on the Front Lines of the War. Spoons calling Women Street Walkers who refused to comply with Yankee demands. Imagine a woman looks out her window, Yankees in her yard. One with a book of matches, another will a sack of her neighbors silverware and another with a pair of ladies bloomers on his head? Praying and reciting Bible Verses, tring to reach the humanity of these Thugs, hoping they won’t get assaulted. But, I guess they Deserve it, they were Rebels?
 
Who else would tell the stories other than the Victim? Seems like Victim Shaming?

These women don’t get enough credit. They ended up on the Front Lines of the War. Spoons calling Women Street Walkers who refused to comply with Yankee demands. Imagine a woman looks out her window, Yankees in her yard. One with a book of matches, another will a sack of her neighbors silverware and another with a pair of ladies bloomers on his head? Praying and reciting Bible Verses, tring to reach the humanity of these Thugs, hoping they won’t get assaulted. But, I guess they Deserve it, they were Rebels?

I don't think I'm victim shaming anyone. My point is that unless you look into the evidence, you don't really know the whole story. Yes, rape did occur and probably on both sides, especially on lawless areas like Missouri. But just because someone claimed they were raped doesn't make it so.

Take a look at women in Europe who "collaborated" with the Nazis. Were some of them probably forced into it? Yes. But I'm sure some of them also "collaborated" for their own personal benefit. Should we be referring to those women as victims?

The example I gave in my post was a woman who claims she was raped by Sherman's troops. Well she lived dozens and dozens of miles from where Sherman's March went. So most likely these soldiers were probably not from Sherman's Army but we can't be sure since she didn't obviously write down their names. We know her husband was serving with the Confederate Army in Virginia at the time. We know she gave birth 9 months later. Could she have been raped? Possibly. But there is no way to know for certain.
 
I don't think I'm victim shaming anyone. My point is that unless you look into the evidence, you don't really know the whole story. Yes, rape did occur and probably on both sides, especially on lawless areas like Missouri. But just because someone claimed they were raped doesn't make it so.

Take a look at women in Europe who "collaborated" with the Nazis. Were some of them probably forced into it? Yes. But I'm sure some of them also "collaborated" for their own personal benefit. Should we be referring to those women as victims?

The example I gave in my post was a woman who claims she was raped by Sherman's troops. Well she lived dozens and dozens of miles from where Sherman's March went. So most likely these soldiers were probably not from Sherman's Army but we can't be sure since she didn't obviously write down their names. We know her husband was serving with the Confederate Army in Virginia at the time. We know she gave birth 9 months later. Could she have been raped? Possibly. But there is no way to know for certain.
Personally I don't see why I wouldn't view women who "collaborated " as victims. They were put in extraordinary situations not of their making and forced to make decisions based on survival. I personally would find it odd to suggest "but they could have chose deportation, starvation, or death instead" It would be similar to women in slavery, if faced with survival or personal virtue, some are certainly going to choose survival......that they were forced into making such a choice doesn't exempt them from being victims in my mind..........

During the CW it seems large numbers of women, both black and white were reduced to becoming camp followers/prostitutes...I suppose there could have been some strange surge in nymphomania......though I've always tended to think its what had became necessary for survival after running away and having nothing or having been burnt out or deported and having nothing........Personally making decisions based on survival isn't exactly the same as making free choices to me.........

Not to mention as sad as these choices would be to make for oneself.......often they had children to consider how could they provide for, protect, or better their lives as well.........
 
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