Civil War women going to see their husbands by train.

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
I was reading in a Civil War magazine about wife going by train to see her husband. This gave me something to think about. Years ago my wife come to see me when I was stationed in Germany for 8 months. When she arrived she told me what an ordeal flying to see me was. While I am not doubting her that flying to see me was an ordeal, I wonder how her trip would compare to a Civil War wife taking a train to see her husband.

My wife drove an air conditioned car to the airport. She did have to park in the long term parking and walk in the heat to the entrance. A Civil War wife would have rode to the rail station in buggy in the heat and dust or walked to the train station. I guess the Civil War wife wins this one.

It was a 12 hour fight to Germany for my wife and she said the seat was not comfortable. A Civil War wife might have rode the train for two days or more. I am not sure how comfortable train seats were in the 1860s. Is this one a draw?

My wife did not enjoy the air line food. I am not sure what a wife traveling by train ate nor how good the food tasted. Not enough information to decide on a winner.

My wife did not like that she only got a half a can of pop and a lot of ice. A wife on the train in the 1860s was lucky to get clean water and probably did not get ice in her water. I think the Civil War wife wins this one.

My wife hated the small bathroom on the plane. I do not even want to think about the "lady's room" on a Civil War train. To gross to think about so no winner.

My wife said the passenger in the seat behind her stank. During the Civil War many of the passengers probably stank, especially after a couple of days on a train. Stink is stink so I guess this is a tie.

Again I am not questioning the great sacrifice my wife made to fly to Germany to see me and I am certain it was an ordeal for her. Still I wonder about just what an ordeal it was for a wife during the Civil War to ride on a train to visit their husband.

So now some questions: If the train ride took more than a day or two how did a woman change in to clean clothes? If she opened the window to get some fresh air would not the smoke from the engine and perhaps embers come through the window? Were train seats cushioned at the time of the Civil War? Would there have been sleeping cars or club cars? I still do not want to think about the lady's room on trains.
 
I was reading in a Civil War magazine about wife going by train to see her husband. This gave me something to think about. Years ago my wife come to see me when I was stationed in Germany for 8 months. When she arrived she told me what an ordeal flying to see me was. While I am not doubting her that flying to see me was an ordeal, I wonder how her trip would compare to a Civil War wife taking a train to see her husband.

My wife drove an air conditioned car to the airport. She did have to park in the long term parking and walk in the heat to the entrance. A Civil War wife would have rode to the rail station in buggy in the heat and dust or walked to the train station. I guess the Civil War wife wins this one.

It was a 12 hour fight to Germany for my wife and she said the seat was not comfortable. A Civil War wife might have rode the train for two days or more. I am not sure how comfortable train seats were in the 1860s. Is this one a draw?

My wife did not enjoy the air line food. I am not sure what a wife traveling by train ate nor how good the food tasted. Not enough information to decide on a winner.

My wife did not like that she only got a half a can of pop and a lot of ice. A wife on the train in the 1860s was lucky to get clean water and probably did not get ice in her water. I think the Civil War wife wins this one.

My wife hated the small bathroom on the plane. I do not even want to think about the "lady's room" on a Civil War train. To gross to think about so no winner.

My wife said the passenger in the seat behind her stank. During the Civil War many of the passengers probably stank, especially after a couple of days on a train. Stink is stink so I guess this is a tie.

Again I am not questioning the great sacrifice my wife made to fly to Germany to see me and I am certain it was an ordeal for her. Still I wonder about just what an ordeal it was for a wife during the Civil War to ride on a train to visit their husband.

So now some questions: If the train ride took more than a day or two how did a woman change in to clean clothes? If she opened the window to get some fresh air would not the smoke from the engine and perhaps embers come through the window? Were train seats cushioned at the time of the Civil War? Would there have been sleeping cars or club cars? I still do not want to think about the lady's room on trains.
Many years ago I worked at an historical village that had a narrow gauge steam locomotive and passenger cars for the visitors . In the early season not all of the summer help was hired on so I worked as a conductor twice a week for about a month . I got pretty basic training; how to couple and uncouple the cars , hand signals to the engineer and fireman ,emergency brake , safety checks , etc. In the early season they were using high sulfur coal and the smoke and cinders were terrible . I was constantly getting cinders in my eyes and always kept a bottle of Visine hidden in my vest . The rides were only about 40 minutes . Long train rides back then must have been pretty miserable , but I guess they beat the alternatives .
 
These comments are correct for Southern travel, but they probably apply to the North, too.

Women RARELY traveled alone. In the early war period, trains had passenger cars for men, cars for slaves, and cars for women (though their accompanying men and attending slaves were allowed in the women's car, if there was room). Many a hurrying business man would offer his services as escort to a solitary lady in order to help her out --- and get a place in the ladies car.

Water was frequently provided in the ladies car, but never ice. Most passenger cars had little toilet rooms and all had stoves for heat. Food was hastily eaten at stations with such services, though the eating establishment was not provided by the railroad. Stops for food was usually 20 to 40 minutes, with a post dinner fight to regain your seat. The bill-o-fare was one set menu -- and late in the war, you were frequently given beans and cornbread, period.

Food and newspapers were sold in the cars by young boys in some towns. Women sometimes sold food through the windows into the cars. Smoke and cinders were a problem and burned many an eye and garment. The ladies car was the last on the train, so it got the best air. Body smell -- there was plenty to go around. Changing clothes -- not on travel days.

Many of the women traveling were heading to tend a wounded or sick soldier. Others were trying to get out of the way of advancing armies. Several times, the Confederates stopped the passenger trains in order to ship more food to Richmond. This was never advertised in advance and stranded hundreds of ladies in towns the were unfamiliar with and with no hint as to when they would be able to resume their travel.
 
These comments are correct for Southern travel, but they probably apply to the North, too.

Women RARELY traveled alone. In the early war period, trains had passenger cars for men, cars for slaves, and cars for women (though their accompanying men and attending slaves were allowed in the women's car, if there was room). Many a hurrying business man would offer his services as escort to a solitary lady in order to help her out --- and get a place in the ladies car.

Water was frequently provided in the ladies car, but never ice. Most passenger cars had little toilet rooms and all had stoves for heat. Food was hastily eaten at stations with such services, though the eating establishment was not provided by the railroad. Stops for food was usually 20 to 40 minutes, with a post dinner fight to regain your seat. The bill-o-fare was one set menu -- and late in the war, you were frequently given beans and cornbread, period.

Food and newspapers were sold in the cars by young boys in some towns. Women sometimes sold food through the windows into the cars. Smoke and cinders were a problem and burned many an eye and garment. The ladies car was the last on the train, so it got the best air. Body smell -- there was plenty to go around. Changing clothes -- not on travel days.

Many of the women traveling were heading to tend a wounded or sick soldier. Others were trying to get out of the way of advancing armies. Several times, the Confederates stopped the passenger trains in order to ship more food to Richmond. This was never advertised in advance and stranded hundreds of ladies in towns the were unfamiliar with and with no hint as to when they would be able to resume their travel.
So perhaps my wife did suffer equally on her fight to Germany to visit me.
 
I never thought about women riding the train alone to visit their husband. My (however many greats) grandfather was POW and my grandmother had to ride the train I suppose to go visit him? I have copies of the letters she granting her permission, so I would assume she went and visited her husband.
 
Women RARELY traveled alone. In the early war period, trains had passenger cars for men, cars for slaves, and cars for women (though their accompanying men and attending slaves were allowed in the women's car, if there was room).
I think that Southern women had a harder time of the war. Union nurses in DC clearly were traveling alone or in the company of other nurses. Louisa May Alcott seems to have traveled alone from Massachusetts to Washington--and, before that, she traveled within Massachusetts by her self. The immigrant experience often saw women crossing the Atlantic without a male escort. Jackson's Women in the Nineteenth Century" specifically cites examples of Irish immigrants.

For northern women--and perhaps southern--the important factors were social and situational: that is, only wealthier women could afford to travel with a retinue of chaperones at the very time that there was a shortage of available men.
 
Riding on a train in the 1850's and 60's was a dirty experience, cinders, ash etc. I am sure the smell in the train cars was bad, meals and food was usually eaten at stops at stations. People still tended to bring food and rink aboard. They could also be crowded. There could be other problems also, like sleeping, the wooden bench people were uncomfortable to many, and many trains had any kind of plush seating. Of course opening the windows to let in air, also let in ashes and cinders. No fun for anyone one involved, including children of every age, drunks etc.
 
Riding on a train in the 1850's and 60's was a dirty experience, cinders, ash etc. I am sure the smell in the train cars was bad, meals and food was usually eaten at stops at stations. People still tended to bring food and rink aboard. They could also be crowded. There could be other problems also, like sleeping, the wooden bench people were uncomfortable to many, and many trains had any kind of plush seating. Of course opening the windows to let in air, also let in ashes and cinders. No fun for anyone one involved, including children of every age, drunks etc.
All very good points, I agree
 
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