Impressions Soldier"s Games

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

This a game I had not heard of before - evidently a CW version of pinball, and just as popular with the boys. Vintage boards are found online and according to Wikipedia:
"Bagatelle (from the Château de Bagatelle) is a billiards-derived indoor table game, the object of which is to get a number of balls (set at nine in the 19th century) past wooden pins (which act as obstacles) into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over. A bagatelle variant using fixed metal pins, billard japonais, eventually led to the development of pachinko and pinball."

The author below mentions it's use in a Union hospital as entertainment for the patients-

With another gift of tools, the boys in Ward 20 knocked up a nice little bagatelle board with glass balls and a cambric cover. Ward 6 went over to inspect and imitate. … but I promised them that if they would make a first-rate board, they should have all that was necessary. So they went to work, and the result was a beauty. The table is seven or eight feet long, covered with scarlet flannel, and with turned balls and walnut cups, and the men of the ward have enjoyed every minute of its existence for the past month. I have never gone in when there hasn't been a crowd round the table pushing balls or keeping count, and I really think that the health of the ward has improved under the treatment.
Source: page 496-497

Letters of a family during the war for the union, 1861-1865 .. : Bacon, Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey, 1833-1906 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

2 v. 20 cm

archive.org

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

Faro was pretty popular. Easy to cheat at too.

Faro (banking game) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Sheltowee]

This a game I had not heard of before - evidently a CW version of pinball, and just as popular with the boys. Vintage boards are found online and according to Wikipedia:
"Bagatelle (from the Château de Bagatelle) is a billiards-derived indoor table game, the object of which is to get a number of balls (set at nine in the 19th century) past wooden pins (which act as obstacles) into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over. A bagatelle variant using fixed metal pins, billard japonais, eventually led to the development of pachinko and pinball."

The author below mentions it's use in a Union hospital as entertainment for the patients-

With another gift of tools, the boys in Ward 20 knocked up a nice little bagatelle board with glass balls and a cambric cover. Ward 6 went over to inspect and imitate. … but I promised them that if they would make a first-rate board, they should have all that was necessary. So they went to work, and the result was a beauty. The table is seven or eight feet long, covered with scarlet flannel, and with turned balls and walnut cups, and the men of the ward have enjoyed every minute of its existence for the past month. I have never gone in when there hasn't been a crowd round the table pushing balls or keeping count, and I really think that the health of the ward has improved under the treatment.
Source: page 496-497

Letters of a family during the war for the union, 1861-1865 .. : Bacon, Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey, 1833-1906 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

2 v. 20 cm

archive.org

Reminded me of a post I submitted a few years ago- got no responses.

This seems to show a census question regarding "no. Billiard tables". Or maybe some tax record?

Huh??? Still befuddled……

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

Reminded me of a post I submitted a few years ago- got no responses.

This seems to show a census question regarding "no. Billiard tables". Or maybe some tax record?

Huh??? Still befuddled……

View attachment 542152

Ordinary L?

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Reminded me of a post I submitted a few years ago- got no responses.

This seems to show a census question regarding "no. Billiard tables". Or maybe some tax record?

Huh??? Still befuddled……

View attachment 542152

Good one! Here's a definition I found of an Ordinary (see below). My guess is that the census is saying that the homestead is not used as a tavern or an inn? Billiard tables would be appropriate in that case I suppose. Our ancestors liked games just as much as we do evidently

Among the most important businesses in early America was the ordinary, also called a tavern, a public house of entertainment, or an inn. Colonial travel-whether by foot, horse, cart, wagon, or riding chair-proved difficult and tedious. An ordinary along the road or in a town offered a welcome sight. It provided rest and refreshment for the traveler but meant much more. For people who lived nearby, the ordinary became a place to gossip, exchange news, transact business such as selling land, hold auctions for livestock, pick up mail, and talk politics. It might even be a place to scheme about independence from England.

Source:

In colonial times, what was an "Ordinary" building in the communi...

In colonial times what was an Ordinary building in the community - trivia question /questions answer / answers

www.funtrivia.com

 

[Sheltowee]

Ordinary L?

Dunno. Think this was a record on Ancestry- for my gr grandfather. Original document was unavailable.

 

[ColonelBuckwalter]

Dunno. Think this was a record on Ancestry- for my gr grandfather. Original document was unavailable.

I played on an L shaped pool table at a club one time waiting to see a band play. That was a twist. Made me worse at the game. That is difficult.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Or is the census taker saying there is an Ordinary in the "L" of the house??
Maybe @lupaglupa or @Fairfield would have some experience with seeing this notation.

 

[Sheltowee]

Good one! Here's a definition I found of an Ordinary (see below). My guess is that the census is saying that the homestead is not used as a tavern or an inn?

Among the most important businesses in early America was the ordinary, also called a tavern, a public house of entertainment, or an inn. Colonial travel-whether by foot, horse, cart, wagon, or riding chair-proved difficult and tedious. An ordinary along the road or in a town offered a welcome sight. It provided rest and refreshment for the traveler but meant much more. For people who lived nearby, the ordinary became a place to gossip, exchange news, transact business such as selling land, hold auctions for livestock, pick up mail, and talk politics. It might even be a place to scheme about independence from England.

Source:

In colonial times, what was an "Ordinary" building in the communi...

In colonial times what was an Ordinary building in the community - trivia question /questions answer / answers

www.funtrivia.com

Interesting…..thanks. Wonder if there was a tax on billiard tables- based on some connection to gambling? Just very odd.

Was surprised the OP got nothing but silence.

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/billiard-tables-in-census.192659/

 

[johan_steele]

Reminded me of a post I submitted a few years ago- got no responses.

This seems to show a census question regarding "no. Billiard tables". Or maybe some tax record?

Huh??? Still befuddled……

View attachment 542152

The "no of" mentioned were for tax purposes. The individual only lists one horse but has a 4 horse carriage or has a billiard table but claims to be all but broke. Well… 4 horse carriage but only 1 horse, billiard table but says too poor to pay taxes. Further investigation may be in order.