Iowa Heritage Illustrated

Mannheimer, Nathan R

The Old War Still Continues\u27: Roe Howard\u27s Letters from France, 1917-1918

Beranek, Jamie

Iowa\u27s Vanishing Depots

Swaim, Ginalie

Saving the Sick and WoundedDisease and battle laid waste to Civil War troops. Iowa soldier Cyrus Boyd reported that "the mumps are raging in the Army and every other disease known to human beings. I have the jaundice and am as yellow as a Yankee pumpkin." Historian James McPherson writes, "Disease reduced the size of most reg­iments from their initial complement of a thousand men to about half that number before the regiment ever went into battle."Historian Russell Johnson notes, "The men most vulnerable to disease were those who came to the army from mostly rural backgrounds." If they had grown up in urban areas, they would have been exposed to measles, mumps, smallpox, and other communicable diseases. In large, crowded camps with poor sanitation, malaria, ty­phoid fever, diarrhea, and dysentery also took their share. "In one year, 995 of every thousand men in the Union army contracted diarrhea and dysentery," according to historian Geoffrey Ward. While serving in Arkansas, six Iowa companies of the U.S. Colored Troops lost a quarter of their men to disease.Most soldiers used rifled muskets, which fired "soft- lead minie balls [that] lost their shape on impact, shat­tered two to three inches of bone, and carried pieces of skin and clothing into the wound," according to histori­ans Laurann Figg and Jane Farrell-Beck. Soldiers wound­ed in the stomach, chest, or head were unlikely to survive; they were given morphine to keep them comfortable.Doctors did not hesitate to amputate, especially be­fore 48 hours, when infection set in. As one Civil War surgeon said, "Life is better than limb." In division hos­pitals, often miles from battle, ether was used for surgery. But because ether was explosive, chloroform was used in field hospitals, which were much closer to battlefields— and to stray bullets and cannon shot.As early as July 1862, Congress passed legislation to pay for artificial limbs, $50 for an arm or foot, and $75 for a leg. Historians Figg and Farrell-Beck contend that only a minority of soldiers with amputations actually used prosthetics. Many were probably unaware of the legis­lation or didn't qualify. More fundamentally, artificial limbs were heavy and painful and often fit poorly. There was honor in pinning up the sleeve or pant leg, or using crutches, because it reminded the public of one's sacrifice on the battlefield. Iowan George C. Brad way wrote: "A Soldier from an [Illinois regiment] was run over by the cars and has his legs ground up, so he will have to have them taken off Above his knees.... He said he would not have cared if it had been done in battle but he did notlike to think he had been through 40 battles and then be wounded in that manner."Honor also accrued to those with other kinds of battle wounds. Louisa May Alcott, a Civil War nurse and later author of the classic Little Women, assured a wounded pa­tient that his sweetheart "would admire [his] honorable scar as a lasting proof that he had faced the enemy, for all women thought a wound the best decoration a brave soldier could wear."Alcott was one of more than 21,000 women who worked in war-related medical settings. About 9,000 of that number provided bedside medical care. The rest cooked, cleaned, comforted soldiers, and tended to other tasks. Women nurses did not easily win acceptance or authority from doctors (or society), who believed that females lacked the necessary temperament, stamina, and intellect. They feared that women would get in the way, be shocked by gruesome injuries, and mortified by the sight of naked men. At first nurses had to be over 35 in age, plain in appearance, and maternal in attitude, to avoid providing temptation and risking social improprieties (although a Chicago Times writer contended that pretty nurses had a positive effect on hospitalized soldiers).As the war progressed and the number of casualties mounted, hospitals jobs were opened up to more women. Stories and illustrations in magazines began to portray these women as heroic and capable. Historian Nina Sil- ber writes that women in hospital work "crossed a for­midable divide, from a relatively safe and secure world [at home] to one of unknown horrors and difficulties." Looking back, Alcott wrote, "I was there to work, not to wonder or weep."War also tested male doctors from civilian settings. One challenge was working within a complex military hi­erarchy. More important, few doctors had experience in treating the kinds of injuries received in battle, much less the massive numbers of wounded soldiers that poured into hospitals at one time.—by Ginalie SzvaimNOTE ON SOURCESEssential sources include Laurann Figg and Jane Farrell-Beck. “Amputation in the Civil War.“ Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 48 (1993); Harry Herr. '"The Privates Were Shot’: Urological Wounds...," and James M. Schmidt, ‘"A Multiplicity of Ingenious Articles"’ both in Years of Change and Suffering, ed. James M. Schmidt and Guy R. Hasegawa; Russell L. Johnson, Warriors into Workers: The Civil War and the Formation of Urban Industrial Society in a Northern City. James M. McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom: Scott Reynolds Nelson and Carol Sheriff, A People at War, Geoffrey C. Ward, The Civil War: An Illustrated History, and Nina Silber, Daughters of the Union: Northern Women Fight the Civil War.Spring 2014 27

English

Saving the Sick and Wounded

Thrown Upon Their Own Exertions: Women on the Civil War Home Front

A Living Statue of Liberty at Camp Dodge

Iowa Heritage Illustrated, vol.93 no.2, Summer 2014

Iowa Heritage Illustrated, vol.93 no.1, Spring 2014

Selling WarW ar-re la ted  p roducts like these, advertised in 1862, appealed to  both soldiers and civilians.H e a v y  A r t i l le r y .Manual for Heavy Artillery, for the uee of Volunteer]?. Service of Piece—of Guu on Siege Carriage, 8-inch Siege Howitzer—10-inch Siege Mortar—8-inch Siege Mortar— Cocliom Mortar—10-inch Sea-Coast Mortar—13-inch Sca- Coaat Mortar—Stone Mortar—Barbette Gun«—Casemate Guns—3-inch Columbians—24 pdr. Howitzer, &c. 1 voL 12mo, plates, red cloth, 75 cent«.Sent free, bv mail, on receipt of price.D. VAN NOSTRAND, Publisher, 102 Broadway.V A L E N T IN E S  FO R  1862.Cupid and the Union, The largest stock of Valentines is now ready for dealer« by M. T. COZANS, No. 122 Nas­sau Street, New York.My popular $5, $10, $15 Lots, now ready.Union Comics, 24 kinds—5 cents each.Orders attended to, Wholesale and Retail.1000 kinds from 3 cents to $10 each.M a rch in g  A lo n g ,The famous Army Song and Chorus, sung in all of the Cauipa on the Potomac. Price 25 cts. Also, Anthem of Liberty, words and music by R. Storm Willis, 30 cts., aud 20 other New Patriotic Songs.DRUMS and TRUMPETS, descriptive of a Military Pa­rade (with beautiful picture), 35 cts., and Camp Life, prico 50 cts., introducing all of the U. S. Army Camp Signals. Sent by mail on receipt of the price.FIRTH, POND & CO., 547 Broadway, New York.T h e  S ta n to n  W r it in g  D e sk .To Soldiers, Sailors, Travelers, and the general Public. This is the best Portable Writing Case yet invented; contains 18 sheets paper (3 varieties), 18 envelopes (3 va-ieties), 1 bottle ink, with me­tallic screw top, worth alone half the price of the desk, 0 steel pens, 1 pencil, 1 sheet blotting pa­per. and 1 accommodation pen­holder. lYicc 35 cents. Soldiers forwarding 55 cents, the Dcak will be sent free by Haro den's Ex­press, through the Quartermaster of their camp. Gf.o. W ilkinson & Co., Bookseller, Stationer, &c., 2G Ann St., New York. Agents Wanted. Send for Circular.Also, F.mery and Crocus Muslin for cleaning Arms and Equipments—approved by the Government. Price 25 c. per package of 9 pieceB. Sent fre • by H&rnden*« Express on receipt of 40 cents. Clubs for 6 packages for $1 50.LEGS& A R M S  S  E L P  H  0  s  PATENT 51G BROADWAY.NX SEND FOR A CIRCULAR.MILITARY GOODS.S w o rd s  for P re se n ta tio n , S ashes, B elts , a n d  E p a u le tte s , G uns, P is to ls , a n d  R evo lvers.Every article in the Military Line Wholesale nrd Retail.W .  J .  S v m s  &  B r c . ,Th e  g r e a t e s t  n o v e l t y  o f  t h eDAY.—Peirce’« Army Game Casket, for the use of SoldierB and everybody. You have, in a neat email box for the pocket, Che3s, Checkers, Backgammon, Cards, Dominoee, and all the popular Game* of the day—all for G3J cents retail. I>argc discount to Sutlers and Dealers.Send stamp for Circular. JOHN H. TINGLE Y, Pub­lisher, No. 15*2J Fulton St., New York.ARMY CARTRIDGE REVOLVER.CO]_ __ADVANTAGES OF THESE REVOLVERS.Aro light and simple in construction, durable, and safe to carry, are easily and quickly loaded and cleaned.Shoot 7 Water-proof Cartridges, which can bo procured from any gunsmith in the country.The Cylinder is firmly locked by a spring un­derneath at the instant of discharge, preventing accidents which frequently occur with other Rê  volvers.Never miss6s, and can bo fired 100 times with precision, without cleaning.The Cylinder is not removed to load, and no accident can happen from improperly closing the same after loading.DI RE CT I ONS .Place the hammer at half cock.Press back spring A, and side-plate B, at same time.Insert cartridges and push them home.Push out discharged sliells with small rod. Carry, when loaded, with the hammer on the cylinder between the Cartridges, and they can not be exploded by accident.P ENETRATI ON.At 15 feet, penetrates V inches pine wood.At 30 feet, penetrates G inches pine wood.At 60 feet, penetrates 5 inches pine wood.P RI CE.No. 1—Small pocket size................. $0 50 each.No. 2—Four, five and six inch barrel. 1(5 50 each.No. 1—Cartridges, per 100................  50No. 2—Cartridges, per 100................1 00Enanfeled black leather Holster, Belt, and Cartridge-case.....................  2 00Address “ WM. IRVING,No. 20 Cliff street, New York.S o ld iers , S a ilo r s , M a r in e s , & c .,Wounded, or WIDOWS and CHILDREN of those killed in the present war, or died from wound« or sickness in­curred from service therein, can have theirP e n s io n s , B o u n t ie s ,  B a c k  P a y ,&C., by calling upon or addressingSOMES & BROWN,Solicitor« for Penaionorv, <fcc., Oflico No. 2 Pork Place, un­der Broadway Bank, New York City, and comer 7th and F Streets Washington, I>. C.Ag e n t s  w a n t e dTo «ell Yale’« Flag of our Union and Military Gift and Stationery Package«. Agent« who arc now selling im­itation«, put up by other parties, are respectfully requested to «end tin their address and we will forward them a sample with circular, which will at once satisfy them that they can make more money and give better satisfaction by selling our packages than any other« in market. Address J. W. YALE, Proprietor, Metropolitan Gift Book Store, Syra­cuse, New York.R ea d in g  in C am p.Book«, Magazines, or Papers will be sent to any address within the Federal lines, postage paid, upon receipt of the money.Catalogue* and information supplied, with pleasure, without charge, stamps being enclosed for return postage. WALTER LOW, Publishers’ Circular Office,39 Walker Street, New York.A  N e w  E d itio n  ofHarper’s War MapN o w  R e a d y .P r i c e  S i x  C e n t s .Sent by mail on receipt of price.HARPER BROTHERS, New York.Ewans’ P o rtab le  A rm y S toves «re indi>ponHa-ble for Soldiers in the field. Cooking Stove with every con­venience for raes5* of four officers, with seven feet ol pipe, packs in mess cheat twenty by twenty-four inches, and twelvo inches deep, price complete, $15. Tent / tenter, will heat any teut iu the «crvicc, pack« with six feet or * pipe in box ten by ten inches, and eight inches deep, price $5. Send for circular. J. W. EVANS, 21 John St.THIS DAY PUBLISHED. — INFANTRYTACTICS For the INSTRUCTION, EXERCISE, AND MANŒUVRES OF THE SOLDIER A Compa­ny, Line of Skirmisher», Battalion, Brigade, or Corps d'Armce. By Brig.-Gen. Sikas Caskv, U. S. Array. In 3 vola. $2 50. Sent free by mail on recept of price.D. VAN NOSTRAND, Publisher,No. 192 Broadway.A  U sefu l P r e s e n t  t o  th eOFFICERS OF OUR ARMY!MILLIGAN'S ARMY MLtS-KL.i lL.LS.(PATENT APl’UKD FOIi.)G O T O I R 6 N  CA « T° H  C W SINNs KEtftfTii».* iuo>t compact and complete arrangement for n mess of four person« ever offered to the army. Weight fifteen pounds. Occupioa two-thirds the ppace of a cubic footl Sold by nil dealer« in Military goods. lYice $12. Libera, discount to the trade. Wholesale depot 4 Platt St., N Y. Send for oiroular. MILLIGAN BROTHERS.F re e  to Soldiers.WAR.— We want the address of every soldier in the Union army. Wo wish to send to every soldier something that will increase hi* comfort. Also" the ad­dress of every sutler and dealer in goods for the soldier. W. II. CATELY ¿z CO, 102 Nassau Street, N. V'.Im p o r ta n t to  A rm y  and  N a v y  Officers.FIELD GLASSES, SUMMONS’ BINOCULAR LANDSCAPE GLASS. Inval­uable to FporDmen, officer?, travellers Arc. ; compact, port- able, efficient: combining ex­traordinary defining power and wide field of observation. Cat­alogues sent free, by enclosing stump.SEM M O N S, O ptician,CG9I Broadway, under Lafarge House, N. Y.For WoiiiuIm either ocfaslonrd 8>y Use <B»e KS«yonrl, Kitbrc, or IhsMt'S, Sorr-i or ESrul.m,To which every Soldier and Sailor are lia­ble, (here are no medicines so safe, sure, and convenient, os Holloway’s Pills and Oiuiment The poor wouuded and almost dying sufferer might have Iris wounds dressed immediately if he would only provide himself with this matchless Ointment, which should be tlirus into the wound and sneare l a ’f round it, then coved with a pie:e of linen from his knap­sack and compressed with a handkerchief. Taking, uight and morning, f, or 8 Pills, to cool the system and prevent intlamation.F.very Soldier's Knapasclc and Seaman’ Chest shonld be provided With these valua­ble Remedies.(Ads are from Harper's Weekly, 1862, except bottom right, from [Toledo] Iowa Transcript, January 21, 1864.)

Selling War

Civil War ChildrenTWO CHILDREN STARE across a stream at mounted soldiers, while two others sit with their hands in their laps, seemingly oblivious.But how could they be oblivious—to war?Like youngsters everywhere, children during the Civil War absorbed what they saw and heard and sensed—at home and school, in town and church. As historian James Marten tells us, "Children missed little of what the war had to offer, from the pageantry and the excitement to the hardships and the tragedy."And as children do, Civil War girls and boys mim­icked the adult world. They made believe they were wounded soldiers and charging cavalry. They play­acted the war as small generals commanding troops, as little nurses bandaging soldiers, as spies, prison­ers, and deserters. They cheered news of a victory and marched around the parlor with toy drums. Iowa farm woman Marjorie Ann Rogers recalled that before her husband enlisted, he "often took the boys with him if the [local] war meeting was near enough to return home that night, as they were both good singers.... He and the boys sometimes did all the singing. The boys caught the spirit of the times and would go through the program of the meeting at home, singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' and 'America.'"But growing up during the war was not child's play. The war pulled away older brothers and fathers, leaving households filled with stress, uncertainty, and fear. "Do you wonder that the children of that time grew prema­turely old, [fearing] the blanched face of their mother?" asked an Ohioan years after the war. "How often 1 [had] seen mother snatch a paper, and, without drawing a breath, scan the list of dead and wounded, and whenever we boys went for mail, how, when a letter was handed out with the well known [hand]writing ... we would run like deer for home, to be met at the gate."After his father had left for the war, young Frank Rogers carried a loaded pistol in his pocket. As he ex­plained to his mother, "Father told us all to take care of you and I will."Community tensions over loyalty crept into chil­dren's classrooms. Historian Hubert Wubben tells us that teachers were fired for perceived "disloyal and traitorous sentiments." In Jasper County, "teachers re­solved that they would try to infuse their pupils with a spirit of patriotism [and] asserted that teachers who failed to properly appreciate soldier efforts to preserve the Union were unworthy members of the profession." Although teachers taught patriotic songs and poems, they were warned not to "allow the children to sing inflammatory songs" like "John Brown's Body."And, of course, there were teenagers as young as 15 who entered the war as drummer boys and then died of dysentery, or who picked up fallen flags and then took their share of bullets and cannon fire.The war created as many as 20,000 to 30,000 sol­diers' orphans nationwide. At the Iowa Soldiers Or­phans Home in Davenport, records up through 1866 list child after child whose father had died because of the war. Many of the 510 children were probably "half­orphans," whose widowed mothers were unable, often financially, to care for them.Surely war was the cruelest to children in the South. Food shortages weakened them, particularly slave children. James Marten writes that "their most coherent memories of northerners were . . .  of bullies and bandits who left pillaged plantations and hungry slaves in their wakes." The war's legacy to Southern children was devastation.In 1860, children made up a third of the U.S. popu­lation. In hundreds of ways, the great conflict of the next four years affected them. "Their innocence was challenged," Marten states, "and their naivete blast­ed [as the war] shoved them into the world of their parents."So that is why this special issue on the American Civil War begins with those who had little voice and no authority—the children.by Ginalie Swaim, editorSpring 2014 3

Civil War Children

Historical treasures from our collectionsThe Meaning o f Victorian Hairwork"Hair is at once the most delicate and lasting of our materials and survives us, like love,” author Leigh Hunt wrote in an 1850s Godey's Lady’s Book.The yellowing pages above prove that They are from a small album created in the 1850s by Florida Collins. Florida traded locks of hair with friends and family and fastened them to the pages.Florida was also learning to braid and weave longer strands of hair into modest examples of hair- work, a type of Victorian faneywork. Girls and women learned hairwork from each other or from women’s magazines, which printed patterns and instructions and advertised the thin wire, wooden bobbins, and other supplies needed.Hairwork was one way to remember those whohad moved away and memorialize those who had died. Civil War widows fashioned hairwork into brooches and lockets, rings and watch fobs.These were worn as mourning jewelry.Those who excelled at haiwork created remark­ably intricate wreaths. They wrapped long strands around wire and then shaped them into petals, leaves, and stems. Framed and preserved under glass domes, haiwreaths may seem a peculiar artform to us to­day, but to Victorians they represented great meaning and required considerable patience and skill. Although Florida Collins was a novice, her album, preserved in the collections of the State Historical Society of Iowa, bespeaks friendship, family, and memory, just as she intended 150 years ago. — The Editor96 Iowa Heritage Illustrated

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