Granny, get your gun?

[Stoney Dee]

In reviewing ancestors in civil war era focusing on my direct lineal ancestors it seems that several brothers from each family participated as soldiers. In all cases I have studied, that would have left at home a male head of household, a wife, female siblings aged 12 to 17, and males 6 to 8 yrs. Their residences were either east Tennessee or northern Arkansas and seem to have been small acreage subsistence farmers. Considering that there are many reported instances of assorted confrontations among the civilian population, I'm wondering if multiple firearms were available to the families and it was necessary to defend themselves, is it likely that the female members would have known how to either load and/or fire what was likely some sort of muzzle loader.

 

[C. Cash]

I think mostly these families just endured the depredations. Firing on soldiers would only bring further destruction on themselves/families/neighbors. Many of the East Tenneseans had fought in the Mexican War and there is a theme in historical narratives mentioning "squirrel rifles." Also have seen references to some of these also called "hog rifles" by modern historians....flint or percussion TN or NC longrifles up to about 40 caliber or thereabouts, with larger calibers more rare. Also some PA and VA rifles often of larger caliber. Shotguns were heavily pressed into service(especially cavalry) until better arms could be procured. So any of the above I would say could have likely been guarding the homefront. Lot of pocket revolvers show up with soldiers as well as Whitney Navys. Almost anything could have been in Southern Homes but mostly old rifles I would think. It was probably mostly boys and men shooting, but some girls and women no doubt knew how to load and shoot.

 

[DBF]

I've always found it interesting and dangerous when men underestimated the women living during the civil war. Some women used their "feminine wiles" to kill more of the enemy than shooting a gun ever could. How many spies such as Rose O'Neal Greenhow resulted in successful battle victories? I remember reading an account of a southern woman tossing boiling water on Sherman's bummers. Maybe she didn't have a gun but used a "weapon of convenience". Of course if I remember correctly they dunked her in a barrel of molasses in the hope they could sweeten her up.

Grannies can be tough. I still recall as a young child seeing my mid-western grandmother place her old grannie shoes on the neck of a chicken, pulling it off so we could have fried chicken for supper. By the way her grandfather rode with John Hunt Morgan. Never underestimate grannies.

 

[Tennessee Union Gal]

If we're talking about tough grannies, we must not forget Barbara Frietchie, memorialized in verse by John Greenleaf Whittier.

"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country's flag," she said.

 

[Tanglewood]

A little known history from Lagrange, Georgia. I've read elsewhere that Wilson was a bit stumped as to how to deal with these women, not wanting the disgrace of killing outnumbered and outgunned women in battle. That supposedly led to him agree to spare the homes and only destroy facilities contributing to the war effort.

The Girl Soldiers of Nancy Harts Militia | From the Archives | Civil War Monitor

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