Tattooing in the Civil War Was a Hedge Against Anonymous Death

Belle Montgomery

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Hidden tattoos captured soldiers’ pride and patriotism, but also had a practical use.
In 1876, on Oak Street between Oliver and James, a long-lost block of lower Manhattan that now lies underneath a housing project built in the 1950s, a New York Times reporter found the sign he had been looking for—“Tattooing Done Here.” Inside the shop, which he described as “a tavern with a well-sanded floor,” he found Martin Hildebrandt, the most famous tattoo artist in 19th-century America.


Short and talkative, with a crucifix inked on his back, Hildebrandt was happy to tell reporters about his unusual trade. As far as historians can tell, he was the first person in the United States to set up a permanent shop as a tattoo artist, at a time when body art was still a hidden practice in the country, associated with circus performers, faraway cultures, sailors, and native tribes.

But quietly Americans of all sorts were getting tattoos. Secret societies such as the Masons and Good Fellows had their members inked with special signs, and as Hildebrandt would tell the Times reporter, he’d worked on people from high and low society—from mechanics and farmers to “real ladies” and gentlemen. During the Civil War, when he’d served in the Union’s Army of the Potomac, Hildebrandt had initiated at least a brigade’s worth of soldiers into the culture of ink.
For the rest of the story and more photos go here:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/civil-war-tattoos


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BTW, are there any recorded cases in the CW where id's where made because of tatoos?
Looks like they talk about that under the pic of Andersonville a bit.
"in which he “attempted to present a truthful account of soldiering.” In the book, he described tattooing as a ubiquitous practice." -"It was like writing one’s own epitaph, but the custom prevented many bodies from being buried in ‘unknown’ graves,’” he wrote.
- Obviously he witnessed it being a lieutenant colonel in the 65th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
 
BTW, are there any recorded cases in the CW where id's where made because of tatoos?
In 1860s New York, tattooing was most popular among the working classes. There were many different motivations for getting ‘inked’, be it for identification purposes, to express feelings for a loved one, or simply to fit in. Of the 319 Irishmen who enlisted in the navy from New York in July 1863, over 30 of them had tattoos:

Name Age Occupation Tattoo
Allan, William 24 Laborer Cross on his right breast, heart on his left breast
Auction, Martin 20 Laborer Anchor on his right hand
Breshnan, John 23 Printer “hoha”? On his right forearm
Cahill, Patrick 21 Seaman Cross on his right arm
Cahill, Peter 30 Fireman Women on both his forearms
Carter, William R. 16 None “12” on his left forearm
Cautlon, Edward 23 None Name on his left forearm
Conway, William 21 Painter “42” on his left arm
Coulter, James 21 Mariner Cross on his right arm, anchor and heart on left arm
Crowley, John 29 Mariner Anchor on his right hand
Donnelly, Patrick 30 Laborer Crucifix on his left forearm, name on his right forearm
Flood, Thomas 21 Printer Soldier on his left forearm
Grady, James 22 Bricklayer “J.G.” and star on his right forearm
Gugerty, Michael 23 Trunk Maker Monument? on his right forearm
Hickay, William 34 Mariner Crucifix on his right forearm
Hill, Thomas 21 Laborer Star on his left hand
Holden, Patrick 22 Fireman “13” on his right forearm
Keough, Philip 23 Bricklayer Tattooed on the arms
Layton, Henry 22 Mariner Star on his left hand
Mansfield, Thomas 17 None Blue spots on his right arm (tattoo or scar?)
McCarthy, John 30 Laborer “J.McC.” on his left forearm
McCarthy, John 35 Mariner “M.P.” on his left wrist
McGill, James 35 Mariner A.M.’ on his right forearm
McNally, William 41 Mariner Woman and “I.C.” on his right arm
Murray, Francis 21 Laborer “F.M.” on this right arm
Murray, Patrick 21 Laborer Name on his right arm, crucifix on his left arm
Reilly, John 25 Machinist Anchor on both his forearms
Smith, Henry 28 Mariner Cross on his right forearm
Staldon, Charles 21 Shoemaker Cross on his right arm
Sweeney, Miles 23 Shipsmith “M.S.” on his right forearm
Whilon, Robert 23 Fireman ” B. O’Brien” on his right forearm
Wogan, William 22 Laborer “17” and “East River” on his right forearm
REST OF THE STORY HERE:Marked Men: The Tattoos of New York Irishmen, 1863
https://irishamericancivilwar.com/2013/07/31/marked-men-the-tattoos-of-new-york-irishmen-1863/
 
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