" Women In The Army ", 5th Wisconsin Soldier Liked Having Us Around, 1861

JPK Huson 1863

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Joined
Feb 14, 2012
Location
Central Pennsylvania
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Women have been following men off to war since, well, war became something to go off to. Or they showed up by themselves, to the benefit of anyone already there.



A soldier/correspondent from the 5th Wisconsin seems to have been awfully prolific, writing almost entire pages for his home newspaper. Too much to post, one section is too good not to share ( although now ' following ' him, he'll be back.... ).

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Ladies- and by ladies I mean all of us- showed up all over the war. Their efforts were resisted variously, from " But men will tempted ( as if nurses wore scanties and lace ) " to " But they're so fragile " to " But but but, what if they see something " or, " What if they get hurt ( they did ) " ? Someone should have asked the men in camps, on battlefields and in hospitals. No buts, seems to have been an agreement having women around just, plain made life better. The argument had barely begun in officialdom but this nice man made up his soldier mind pretty early in the war.

August, 1861.

lady in camp 1b Grant_County_Herald_Wed__Aug_14__1861_.jpg

Never heard this one, women were more protected in the army than home- makes a crazy kind of sense despite the assumption we required all that protecting.

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Isn't he terrific? Someone, respected, protected ( sorry, it's the era ) and awfully happy married a very good guy.
 
I need to start bookmarking you, @JPK Huson 1863! This would be amazing for when I (inevitably, by the rumors floating around and the need to get out of a corset/hoop) end up in a soldier's kit....


Oh goodness, Grace, you know those nice people who ask someone ' How are you ' then are forced to sit through 30 minutes of how that person is ( frequently there's a drained boil in there ) ? Itching to escape, too polite to leave? That would be you, eyes glazing over, if you got me started on female soldiers. Happy to help, just thought a warning only fair. :angel:
 
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