Interesting tidbits from Sarah Morgan Diary.

[jandksuttorp]

From "Sarah Morgan; The Civil War Diary Of A Southern Woman"

Aug 19th (1862, Baton Rouge, LA)

Yesterday two Colonels, Shields & Breaux,(30th LA) both of whom distinguished themselves in the battle of Baton Rouge, dined here. Their personal appearance was by no means calculated to fill one with awe, or even to give one an idea of their rank; for their dress consisted of merely cotonade pants, flanel [sic] shirts, and extremely short jackets, (which, however, is rapidly becoming the uniform of the Confederates [sic] States)...

Aug 23rd

...This morning Withers' battery [1st Mississippi Light Artillery] passed Mr Elder's on their way to P. Hudson, and stopped to get water. There were several buckets served by several servants; but I took possession of one, and filled the canteens as fast as the soldiers handed them to me, to their great amusement. What a profusion of thanks over a can of water! It made me smile, and they smiled to see my work, so it was all very funny. It was astonishing to see the number of Yankee canteens in the possession of our men. Almost all those who fought a B.R. are provided with them. In their canvass, and wire cases, with neat stoppers, they are easily distinguished from our rough, flat, tin ones.


John Eric Suttorp

[Drygoods]

Re: Interesting tidbits from Sarah Morgan Diary.

Wait till you get to the purple overshirts diary entry!:D That was a WOW for clothing imho

[jandksuttorp]

Re: Interesting tidbits from Sarah Morgan Diary.

Thats funny, fore that was and is my next entry! This diary was hard to put down, I have slips of paper sticking out everywhere from it saving the good stuff for reference.

Sept 10th. (1862)
Yesterday I was interrupted to undertake a very important task. The evening before, mother and Lilly happened to be in a store where two officers were buying materials for making shirts, and volunteered to make them for them, which offer they gladly accepted, though neither party knew the other. They saw that they were friends of Charlie, so had no scruples about offering their services; The gentlemen saw that they were ladies, and very kind ones, besides, so made no difficulty about accepting. Lilly undertook a purple merino, and I took a dark blue one. Miriam nominally helped her; But her very sore finger did not allow her to do much. Mother slightly assisted me; but I think Lilly and I had the best of the task. All day we worked, and when evening came, continued sewing by the light of these miserable home made candles. Even then we could not finish, but had to get up early this morning as the gentlemen were to leave for Port Hudson at nine o'clock. We finished in good time, and their appearance recompensed us for our trouble. Lilly's was trimmed with forlds of blue from mine, around collar, cuffs, pockets, and down the front band; While mine was pronounced a chef d'oeuvre, trimmed with bias folds of tiny red and black plaid. With their fresh colors, and shining pearl buttons, they were really very pretty.
We sent word that we would be happy to make as many as they chose for themselves or their friends, and the eldest, with many fears that it was an "imposition" and we "too good," and much more of the same kind, left another one with Charlie for us. We cannot do too much, or even enough for our soldiers. I believe that is the universal sentiment of the women of the south.

Sunday Sept 14th 1862.

I have been so busy making Lieut. Bourge's [30th LA] shirt, that I have not had time to write, besides having very little to write about. So my industry saved my paper, and spared these pages a vast amount of trash. I would not let any one touch Lieut. Bourge's shirt, except myself; and last evening when I held it up completed, the loud praises it received satisfied me it would answer. Miriam and Miss Riply declare it the prettiest ever made. It is dark purple merino. The bosom I tucked with pleats a quarter of an inch deep, all the way up to the collar, and stitched a narrow crimson silk braid up the centre to hold it in its place. Around the collar, cuffs, pockets, and band down the front, the red cord runs, forming a charming contrast to the dark foundation. Indeed I devoted the sole article the Yankees let fall from my two workboxes- a bunch of soutache- to the work. Large white pearl buttons completed the description, and my shirt is really as quiet, subdued, and pretty a one as I ever saw. I should first hear the opinion of the owner, though. If he does not agree with all the others, I shall say he has no taste.

John Eric Suttorp

[jandksuttorp]

Re: Interesting tidbits from Sarah Morgan Diary.

Sept 24th (1862) Sis' Wedding Day, 1850
Yesterday the General saluted us with "Young ladies, if you will ride in a 'Confederate' carriage, you may go to dress parade this evening." Now, in present phraseology, "Confederate" means anything that is rough, unfinished, unfashionable or poor. You hear of Confederate dresses, which means last year's. Confederate bridle, means a rope halter. Confederate silver, a tin cup or spoon. Confederate flour, is corn meal, etc. In this case, the Confederate carriage is a Jersey wagon with four seats, a top of hickory slats covered with leather, and the whole drown by mules. We accepted gladly, partly for the ride and sight, partly to show we were not ashamed of a very comfortable conveyance; So with Mrs Badger as chaperon we went off in grand style.
I must say I felt rather abashed, and wished myself at home as we drove in town, (Port Hudson) and had the gaze of a whole regiment rivetted on us. But soon the men fell in line, and I did not feel so painfully conspicuous. I was amused at a contrast nearby, too. There was but one carriage present, besides ours, though there were half a dozen ladies on horseback. This carriage was a very fine one, and in it sat three of the ugliest, dowdiest, worse [sic] dressed females I ever saw. We three girls sat in our rough carriage as comfortable as could be, dressed-well! we could not have been dressed better- and looking our very best. Sans mentir, I think the Confederates were much the most respectable. And what a sad sight the 4th La. was, that was then parading! Men that had fought a Shiloh and Baton R., were barefooted. Rags was their only uniform, for very few possessed a complete suit, and those few wore all varieties of colors and cuts. Hats could be seen of every style and shape, from the first ever invented, down to the last one purchased evidently some time since. Yet he who had no shoes, looked as happy as he who had, and he who had a cap, had something to toss up, that's all.

John Eric Suttorp