Civil War Tattoos

[major bill]

In the 18th Century sailors retuning home with tattoos caused a resurgence of tattoos in Western Culture. In New York City in 1846 German immigrant Martin Hilbrandt opened perhaps the first tattoo shop in the U.S. During the Civil War Hilbrandt traveled across the country tattooing Civil War sailors and soldiers.

We do not know how honest Civil War veteran Wilber F. Hinman was when he wrote in his novel Corporal Si Klegg and His Pard: "Every regiment had its tattooers, with outfits of needles and India-ink, who for a consideration decorated the limbs and bodies of their comrades with flags, muskets, cannons, sabers and an infinite variety of patriotic emblems and warlike and grotesque devices."

By the Spanish American War this practice was wide spread among American sailors, soldiers, and adventurous civilians. Here is David E. Warford a Rough Rider with his tattoos.

 

[Booner]

Wow. The "illustrated Man" in the flesh!

 

[Two Eyed Jack]

It appears that Mr. Warford spent a considerable amount of time getting ink.

Found this interesting article on the subject: https://irishamericancivilwar.com/2013/07/31/marked-men-the-tattoos-of-new-york-irishmen-1863/

 

[lelliott19]

"We had not been on Meridian Hill long before we had a fever
for making bone rings. Some of the workmanship and designs
were really good, but as the cutting grew better, you will remember
that the designs were less and less commendable, being too often
of an obscene character. Another mania was that of having
India ink and vermillion pricked into the arm and breasts. At
one time it looked as if half the regiment would be tattooed
before our three months were out. And it is surprising how the
goddesses and Yenuses, and all kinds of half covered women
predominated over the other designs in this nonsense."

History of the First - Tenth - Twenty-ninth Maine regiment. In service of the United States from May 3, 1861, to June 21, 1866, Maj. John M. Gould, page 46. https://archive.org/stream/firsttenthninth00goulrich/firsttenthninth00goulrich_djvu.txt

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Ya know, i have never really thought of this - probably because i am devoid of tattoos myself.

But out of all the period images of half-dressed soldiers showcasing their wounds - I can't recall seeing a single tattoo on even one of them.

You'd think at least one would have slipped through the cracks...?

 

[Waterloo50]

This is how a professional Civil War period tattooist would set about his work.

Hildebrandt's method was to take a half dozen No.12 needles, that he 'bound together in a slanting form, which are dipped as the pricking is made into the best India ink or vermilion. The puncture is not made directly up and down, but at an angle, the surface of the skin being only pricked.' Wet gunpowder and ink were also sometimes used as a colorant to mix into the needle-marks. Once the tattoo was completed, blood and excess colouring were washed off the skin using either water, urine or sometimes rum and brandy. These tattoos could take up to an hour and a half to complete and all for the reasonable price from fifty cents to $2.50.

Obviously they really didn't have an understanding of infection so I was a good job that they washed the blood and colouring away with alcohol or urine. I wonder if the men covered the tattoo for a few days afterwards. Those tattoos must have itched like hell against woollen clothing.

 

[Boonslick]

Most of the crew and officers aboard the confederate raider, Shenandoah received tattoos when they landed at Ascension Island (Pohnpei), Micronesia.

 

[Waterloo50]

Ya know, i have never really thought of this - probably because i am devoid of tattoos myself.

But out of all the period images of half-dressed soldiers showcasing their wounds - I can't recall seeing a single tattoo on even one of them.

You'd think at least one would have slipped through the cracks...?

I've never seen even the slightest hint of a tattoo in any CW photos, but then the men are usually dressed in their finest. Its odd really, I always think about tattoos being a relatively modern phenomenon excluding things like tribal tattoos. Its strange that the themes of the tattoos have never really changed, half naked women, the names of loved ones are still used today. I have tattoos myself and just like the men back in the CW they mean a great deal to me, tattoos can tell you a lot about a person and it was probably the same back then. I wonder if any confederate soldiers ever had a confederate flag tattoo, I've seen plenty of Brits with Confederate flag tattoos but then, they don't risk getting captured and shot.