CivilWarTalk Throwback Thursday, 7-25-2019

James N.

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Asst. Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
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Indeed, and she was a very interesting character to whom I hope to devote a few more photos in the future.
Please do!!!!!

Having already introduced my old reenacting friend Iris Welch to you, for this week's Throwback Thursday, I thought I'd answer @JPChurch , though I doubt this was exactly what he had in mind! As previously noted, Iris was a proverbial live wire; the first time I met her she was wearing a costume of her own design that looked suspiciously like Civil War Nurse Barbie, appropriate since she was an RN herself. This was back in the 1980's around the time of the 125th Anniversary events; in fact in the photo above I'm still wearing on the breast of my frock coat the red shamrock Second Corps insignia for Caldwell's division that we received at the Gettysburg event for the Wheatfield scenario, making it likely this was also in 1988.

Iris was scarcely built for the role of soldier, but she was adamant about being one, and was in fact even working on a potboiler romance novel about a girl who runs away from home to join the army. Since I was at the time chairman of our North Texas Reenactment Society as well as captain of our Union infantry contingent, she was something of a pest. I finally gave in and introduced her into one of our unit drills in Dallas' Old City Park, using the excuse that she was doing research for her novel! Wearing the uniform she had bought for her unenthusiastic husband Tony and carrying my original '42 musket and accoutrements Iris toughed it out during drill as these photos record. I'd hoped that the wool uniform and carrying the long ten-pound musket would cure her of her ambitions, but she even made it at one of our later events the next spring onto the battlefield at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, fodder for another time!

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Anyone else having (preferably) old Civil War-related photos, mementoes, or memorabilia from reenactments, vacations, or other or travel is welcome and encouraged to post them here in this weekly thread!
 
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James N. ,

My Confederate reenacting group, the 17th Miss. Infantry, had a young lady as a soldier in the ranks.

Jenn Canary was a soldier and embraced that role to the absolute hilt. She cut her hair, wore loose fitting clothes, rarely spoke, drilled and soldiered with the best of us, and could load and fire her rifle (Springfield '61) in nine times like a veteran.

She would do her duties in camp from sentry to wood details, fill canteens and to top it all off, she would never got to those extra-large port-a-johns for the ladies, always going to the "men's" johns.

Once, during a national reenactment, the commander of the ANV reenactment group, made her a left guide for the battalion, and he had no idea she was a 'girl.' She even had the honor of having unsuspecting male reenactors 'relieve' themselves in front of her during a break in battle scenarios at that event. Never broke character or broke a smile during that 'little' incident.

Just sayin', she could soldier with the best of us and do it right.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
 
James N. ,

My Confederate reenacting group, the 17th Miss. Infantry, had a young lady as a soldier in the ranks.

Jenn Canary was a soldier and embraced that role to the absolute hilt. She cut her hair, wore loose fitting clothes, rarely spoke, drilled and soldiered with the best of us, and could load and fire her rifle (Springfield '61) in nine times like a veteran.

She would do her duties in camp from sentry to wood details, fill canteens and to top it all off, she would never got to those extra-large port-a-johns for the ladies, always going to the "men's" johns.

Once, during a national reenactment, the commander of the ANV reenactment group, made her a left guide for the battalion, and he had no idea she was a 'girl.' She even had the honor of having unsuspecting male reenactors 'relieve' themselves in front of her during a break in battle scenarios at that event. Never broke character or broke a smile during that 'little' incident.

Just sayin', she could soldier with the best of us and do it right.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
As did many women during the war. What I am finding is that the perception is key. If the men thought she was one of them, then she was. No one expects someone to “step out of rank” and assume a different gender/role. One of the reasons women were such successful spies..the guys didn’t think they had it in them! (Fools! Did they never hear their wives gossip, or wonder how they kept such and so secret??)
 
As did many women during the war. What I am finding is that the perception is key. If the men thought she was one of them, then she was. No one expects someone to “step out of rank” and assume a different gender/role. One of the reasons women were such successful spies..the guys didn’t think they had it in them! (Fools! Did they never hear their wives gossip, or wonder how they kept such and so secret??)

@Mrs. V ,

We also have to be aware of the standards of beauty and manhood at the time.

If you would have visited the newly restored Ohio Statehouse, you would find the Senate chamber painted in pink. At the time, the color pink was considered a 'manly' color, as it was likened to the color of blood.

It was also quite common to refer to handsome, young men as almost 'girlish' in features, as having such features in a man was considered quite handsome in the day.

I have read that perhaps 200 women disguised themselves as men in attempting to serve with the Union army and that at least one woman's skeleton was unearthed at the railway cut at Gettysburg with full gear as a Confederate soldier. Maybe someone can confirm what I recall from memory and confirm or deny that poor recollection.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
 
Thanks a bunch James N.!!!! Gotta love a gal that can tote around a '42, especially if the matching bayonet's on the end of it!!!! She looks wonderful in her Yankee soldier's uniform but I think I liked her best in the pic you posted before...can you refresh our memories?? And once again, please continue with more Iris fodder!!!
 
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Back in the dark ages of reenacting, the wife of a friend begged him to take her reenacting with him. He finally agreed, but only if no one could tell that she a women. She drilled until she could handle a musket like a man then she trimmed her hair, bound up her already sparse chest and promised to avoid conversation. The effect was perfect, so he agreed to take her with him. They donned their Union blue and attended a regional farb fest (there were darn few "authentic" reenactments in those days). During the battle she decided to take a hit and play dead. Unfortunately the Federals were driven back, allowing an enterprising Confederate to loot the fallen. She played it cool, and it didn't take him long to realize that he had made an embarrassing mistake. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. For the rest of the weekend every time he would encounter her, he would turn scarlet and profusely beg her forgiveness. Having had the experience of portraying a soldier, she decided it was time to investigate crinolines. [Names, places and dates have been omitted to protect the embarrassed.]
 
… Jenn Canary was a soldier and embraced that role to the absolute hilt. She cut her hair, wore loose fitting clothes, rarely spoke, drilled and soldiered with the best of us, and could load and fire her rifle (Springfield '61) in nine times like a veteran.

She would do her duties in camp from sentry to wood details, fill canteens and to top it all off, she would never got to those extra-large port-a-johns for the ladies, always going to the "men's" johns...

Just sayin', she could soldier with the best of us and do it right.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
Thanks a bunch James N.!!!! Gotta love a gal that can tote around a '42, especially if the matching bayonet's on the end of it!!!! She looks wonderful in her Yankee soldier's uniform but I think I liked her best in the pic you posted before...can you refresh our memories?? And once again, please continue with more Iris fodder!!!
Unfortunately, Iris didn't quite fit into the "authentic" category very well, including fumbling around with the musket. There's only a little left and I think I'll save it for another Throwback, but will say in explanation that she gave up mainstream reenacting altogether; once her daughter got old enough, I understand they became involved in the activities of the SCA or Society for Creative Anachronism.
 
Good grief, "creative anachronism".....I did take note that her breast plate shown in the pic of her was somewhat prominent, would that define creative anachronism????
 
Good grief, "creative anachronism".....I did take note that her breast plate shown in the pic of her was somewhat prominent, would that define creative anachronism????
You DO know those are the pseudo-medieval "reenactors" whose venue is usually so-called Medieval Fairs, complete with jousting, etc.? Iris was always more into "dress-up" than serious reenacting like that @unionblue has described, and once she even dragged me to Dallas' Medieval Times Restaurant.
 
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