Grim souvenirs?

[archieclement]

I know after Sand Creek it's alleged body parts were taken as souvenirs, as well other Indian battles i think. Nat Turner was skinned and supposedly made into wallets and purses.

Has anyone ever came across such items in any museum?

 

[G Low]

I've read somewhere about an Indian fighter cutting skin off a dead Indian to make a horse bridle. Starting from the heel about an inch wide cut up the leg on up around the shoulders and back down the other leg to the heel. Pretty rough

 

[G Low]

The Jamestown Settlement arch museum (absolutely incredible and a must see) still has a complete skeleton of a young man killed by the natives on display complete with the arrow point that is believed to have caused his death. Also On display are the bones/skull of a young girl who died there and was, unfortunately, partially used as food during the cannibalism period during one of the winters there

Down at ripley's in st Augustine they had an iron cage Dunkin' chair supposedly like one used for the Salem witch trials. If you drowned you were innocent

 

[archieclement]

The Jamestown Settlement arch museum (absolutely incredible and a must see) still has a complete skeleton of a young man killed by the natives on display complete with the arrow point that is believed to have caused his death. Also On display are the bones/skull of a young girl who died there and was, unfortunately, partially used as food during the cannibalism period during one of the winters there

This is type of displays was curious about, and examples of.

 

[gary]

I've heard of soldiers pulling gold teeth from live prisoners ( both sides) also in guadal canal, Japanese cutting meat off live prisoners to cook and eat. Marines passed this story around so there weren't many prisoners.

They cannibalized their own and American aviators who were captured. I don't recall reading of anything from Andersonville.

 

[archieclement]

They cannibalized their own and American aviators who were captured. I don't recall reading of anything from Andersonville.

Think you can find rare accounts of soldiers of both sides looting personal effects after battles......but other guerrilla warfare and Indians at Pea Ridge, mutilation of dead for trophy's seem rare in ACW

Well besides Sand Creek and perhaps others against natives.......

 

[gary]

Post-battle looting goes back a long way. Even if it was not for wealth, it was for armor and weapons. Plenty of accounts during the Peninsula War (British & Portugese v. Napoleon). The Greeks set up a trophy of arms/shields gathered from the fallen enemy. Gurkhas were also known to bring back body parts as trophies and proof of their kill.

It's been said that the British fight for King and Country, the Germans for Der Vaterland, the Japanese for their Emperor and the Americans for loot. Right after a battle the Lootwaffe scoured the battlefield. Marines were no different.

Sand Creek shocked the nation and the other casualty was Chivington's political ambitions. Anytime he ran for office, all someone had to do was to mention Sand Creek and he would lose the election. If you visit Sand Creek, Amache PoW camp (where the American Japanese were interred) is nearby and a few buildings have been restored. I also visited the ruins of Fort Lyon and New Bent's Ffort on the same day.