Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

[csuniforms]

Hello, Just spoke over the weekend on Secession cockades, ribbons and Patriotic Union cockades and ribbons. I was at the Midwest Civil War Civilians Conference in Springfield, and you should have seen their faces when I made the statement, "for the period November of 1860 through 1861, and after-- every man women and child was wearing some type of cockade or ribbon to display where there political views were-- if you are not wearing some type of cockade or ribbon for this time period--you are not authentically dressed."

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[Hank Trent]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Huh? Did you just say it for the shock value, or did you mean it literally?

I'd have looked surprised too. Every man woman and child? Literally? The slave in the field? The factory worker at her loom? The hunter or fisherman? The clerk whose political views are the opposite of his boss? The storekeeper trying not to offend anyone so he can keep doing business with everyone? The Kansan or Missourian whose neighbor had just been killed for being too vocal about his politics?

I could see it would be true in the sense that "everybody" displayed posters and bumper stickers for their favorite Presidential candidate in 2008--it certainly seemed like everybody did, even though I could name half a dozen people I know who didn't, including me--but I'd be really surprised if you could document that literally "every man woman and child" was wearing a cockade or ribbon.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Hello Hank, Yes, Everyone! This holds especially true in the South where the Secession cockade craze was inspired by the Secession of South Carolina. With the raising of the Minute Man Companies starting in October of 1860, (they wore cockades or ribbons as a badge) people were stopped without cockades or cockades of a different color and asked what their politics were. The wrong color could get you a knock on the head.
Yes, slaves too were wearing them and the horses and mules also.-- In the North the wearing of red white and blue after Ft. Sumter was covered in the newspapers. Anything utilitarian including cravats, aprons, hat ribbons, hats, socks, shoes, even postage stamps were worn in the National colors. It was said in Jackson, Mississippi that cockades were as "plentiful as leaves" on the street.

I will give you in all places, rural or hard to get too, that cockades were not worn by everyone. On the streets of every major capitol and every big city-- Wide-Awakes, Minute Men, Secessionists, and Unionists all wore their ribbons or cockades...

From my research, that cockades were so plentiful they wrote newspaper articles on what the colors meant and the Secession Cockade appeared on the cover of Harpers Weekly

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[Hank Trent]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

I will give you in all places, rural or hard to get too, that cockades were not worn by everyone.

Okay, I think we're using words in different ways.

Sure, some slaves were wearing them, some people were stopped for not wearing them, etc. Those are anecdotes to illustrate how popular they actually were, but they're not proof that every single slave on every single plantation was wearing one, or that every time a person left the house without one they were accosted regardless where they lived or who they were.

It's a more casual and metaphoric use of "everyone" to indicate that political emblems were wildly popular, but I think it could be easily misinterpreted by reenactors to mean, literally, everyone.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Hello, In some circumstances yes, everyone... On the Battery Walk in Charleston in Dec. of 1860-- yes everyone-- on the Streets of New York, well not every single person was wearing one, but enough people were, for others to take a definite notice... In New Orleans, to degrees, Secession cockades were plentiful...

Metaphorically speaking-- every single person-- no, they were probably on their way to buy one, or were stopped if they did not have one... the wearing of ribbons or knots of ribbons in the lapel was very, very, popular. It was a craze!!!

From Harpers Weekly 1861. (Streets of New York)
"The passengers in the streets wear badges, rosettes and cockades in a trinity or patriotic colors. In shawls, in cravats, in ribbons, the tri-color appears.... There is but one thought and one question. The people are soldiers. The country is a camp. It is WAR!!!!

No, If you were in rural Louisiana or rural Mississippi you might not see a cockade or ribbon on everyone. But, if you were in a big city or town you would definitely see one or knew what they meant. After Sumter, they became even more numerous-- being a symbol of the support for the Confederacy. Blue cockades were worn or kept all through the War in the South... In the North,, red-white-and blue was worn by a high number of folks all the time...

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[CSchneider]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Alright, now I'm scouring the .tiff versions of every 1861-dated photo of groups of civilians in a public setting that I can find at the LOC or other online archival collections, specifically looking at outdoor urban photographs. Sure, there are what seem to be some ribbon or cockade looking things visible here and there, but not everybody (and I don't see the folks without them being accosted or beaten either). There sure look to be some folks at both Davis' and Lincoln's inaugurations without them.

You know, "everybody" put an American flag out in front of their house in September 2001 too. But you couldn't take the plethora of quotes from newspapers about it, or reference any one of the academic articles on the psychology of post 9-11 patriotism that acknowledges that the metaphoric "everybody" did so and use it quite so literally. That "everybody" in reality was pretty much every third or fourth homeowner in my neighborhood. So let's not be telling the folks doing circa 2001 suburban New Jersey reenacting in 150 years that they would be wrong not to put a flag up in front of their authentic reproduction split-level. Really, there should be enough to be significantly more noticeable than just about any other time (hence the exaggerations and metaphors in newspapers), but most folks shouldn't.

-Craig Schneider

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

I will state with conviction, that the wearing of cockades or ribbons in the months leading up to Fort Sumter were so popular that the contemporary newspapers of the day were running articles describing what they meant as to color and style-- they were on the front cover of Harpers Weekly, the front cover of New York Illustrated News-- they are mentioned in many Southern diaries and memoirs as being seen on the streets of Southern cities-- they wrote poems and songs about the "blue cockade"-- Just go to google and type in Secession Cockade, and see what you find-- and do google books too. Hundreds of hits for the Blue Cockade--

As I did my research "I" came to the conclusion that the wearing of patriotic colors in early months of 1861 was universally witnessed and excepted-- Looking at "ALL" the photos of citizens you can find for 1861 and can find only a few with cockades or ribbons-- I rest my case-- I will state for the record-- if you are a civilian reenactor, docent, or civilian living historian, your impression is not complete until you don something with an appropriate cockade or ribbon, secession bonnet, apron, hair ribbon, cravat, lapel ribbon, or even a postage stamp on your hat! Now did every single person have one,-- or have their picture taken with one on, NO!-- I dont have any photos of me wearing my American Eagle shirt during 9-11, but I did wear one for months...

My research using contemporary newspapers and diaries on Secession cockades and red-white-and blue ribbons and badges leads me to the conclusion that these items were extremely popular and made by the thousands-- especially in the deep south-- That everyone who did not wear one was beaten-- NO-- were people beaten and threatened-- oh yes, definitely-- Do I have accounts for every single city and town in the US, NO-- can I base a plausible conclusion on what I have found-- oh, yes... That the Minute Men kept track of who was for Secession and who were Union men-- oh, yes-- did Union men where red-white-and blue in the South? Yes, did they put them away when war came-- yes they did! A red-white-and blue cockade with a Palmetto leaf was seen on the streets of New York and noticed! After Fort Sumter they disappeared!

The statement-- "if you were not wearing some kind of ribbon or cockade in the early months of the Secession crisis and up to and just after Fort Sumter-- your political conviction worn on your person, you are not portraying the typical individual of the US at this critical time-- They are colorful and unique to this period and are under utilized by the Civil War community today-- what a great teaching aid!!

I will retract that "EVERYBODY" had one-- but will state again-- they were seen everywhere from Texas to the streets of Washington D.C. and people did take notice--

They were obviously more popular after Fort Sumter in the North-- and in South Carolina -- read the Southern papers-- they show up in every town eventually, and while it could be that the editor of some of these papers was for Secession and was trying to make it appear that Secession cockades were, "everywhere", I can only take notice what was stated, not what someone wanted to have his audience believe.


Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[Ferguson's Artillery]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

In April, at Charleston's 150th Fort Sumter, it will be appropriate for any soldier or civilian to wear a secession cockade. Such early War events offer the opportunity to wear something which might seem anachronistic if worn by too many of the participants in a later War reenactment. Dress up your impression and embrace the war fever which swept through South Carolina! Sure, "everyone" is an overstatement, but only because one can always find an exception to anything, anytime, anywhere. In the right setting, the absence of a cockade would surely be noticeable, and probably call your patriotism and political persuasion into question. During the late (19) Sixties, someone in our high school started handing out black armbands to protest the Vietnam war, and then someone else handed out red, white and blue armbands to support the war, and I assure you that [B]everyone[B] was wearing one or the other. I suspect that the same happened in the early (18)Sixties.

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

In April, at Charleston's 150th Fort Sumter, it will be appropriate for any soldier or civilian to wear a secession cockade. Such early War events offer the opportunity to wear something which might seem anachronistic if worn by too many of the participants in a later War reenactment. Dress up your impression and embrace the war fever which swept through South Carolina! Sure, "everyone" is an overstatement, but only because one can always find an exception to anything, anytime, anywhere. In the right setting, the absence of a cockade would surely be noticeable, and probably call your patriotism and political persuasion into question. During the late (19) Sixties, someone in our high school started handing out black armbands to protest the Vietnam war, and then someone else handed out red, white and blue armbands to support the war, and I assure you that [B]everyone[B] was wearing one or the other. I suspect that the same happened in the early (18)Sixties.

Hello Chris, I have three quotes from people who were alive at the time of the firing on Fort Sumter and during the Secession vote in South Carolina-- that the wearing of something "SECESSION" whether a bonnet or cockade or ribbon-- having a Secession flag on your home or business-- putting cockades on everything-- and on the garrison troops that surrounded Fort Sumter, was a very popular thing to do!!! It was stated that many of the South Carolina Volunteers were not uniformed, but almost to a man, each wore some kind of cockade or Palmetto ribbon as a sign of their devotion--

Tom Arliskas
CSuniforms

[Outrider]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

I dont think that anyone is denying that it was a very popular thing to do/wear but that not EVERYONE did it or were necessarly in danger of being assaulted if they did not.

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

I dont think that anyone is denying that it was a very popular thing to do/wear but that not EVERYONE did it or were necessarly in danger of being assaulted if they did not.

I disagree-- True, on the streets of New York no, you could wear a Secession cockade up to Fort Sumter and not be beaten, than they were gone-- for what reason, the fear of confrontation?-- In Baltimore, men were beaten for wearing Secession cockades-- On the streets of St. Louis men were beaten for wearing the wrong cockade in the wrong part of the city.. A Floridian Union man feared for his life-- In Texas, Union men were beaten and some hung. In Louisiana or Alabama comes a story of a Union man who had his head shaved and rode out of town on a rail. On a Steamboat somewhere on the Mississippi a Union man drew his pistol at a group of gentleman wearing Secession cockades-- EVERYONE!!! EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE COUNTRY, NO!! that is true-- A lot of examples of confrontation OH, YES..

CSuniforms
Tom Arliskas

[Hank Trent]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Alright, now I'm scouring the .tiff versions of every 1861-dated photo of groups of civilians in a public setting that I can find at the LOC or other online archival collections, specifically looking at outdoor urban photographs. Sure, there are what seem to be some ribbon or cockade looking things visible here and there, but not everybody (and I don't see the folks without them being accosted or beaten either). There sure look to be some folks at both Davis' and Lincoln's inaugurations without them.

You know, "everybody" put an American flag out in front of their house in September 2001 too. But you couldn't take the plethora of quotes from newspapers about it, or reference any one of the academic articles on the psychology of post 9-11 patriotism that acknowledges that the metaphoric "everybody" did so and use it quite so literally. That "everybody" in reality was pretty much every third or fourth homeowner in my neighborhood. So let's not be telling the folks doing circa 2001 suburban New Jersey reenacting in 150 years that they would be wrong not to put a flag up in front of their authentic reproduction split-level. Really, there should be enough to be significantly more noticeable than just about any other time (hence the exaggerations and metaphors in newspapers), but most folks shouldn't.

-Craig Schneider

Thank you! I think that's a realistic assessment. The example of the sense that flags were being flown by "everyone" after 9/11, even though they weren't literally flown by everyone, is a good illustration of something similar in our lifetimes. There's enough rigid dogma that creeps into reenacting, using words like "always" and "never" and "everyone" and "no one," that I hate to see more get added.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

It seems to me that people of the time we portray liked to use the words ALL and EVERYBODY as well. It was used to make a dramatic point to convey an important message as it is today. I think any reasonably intelligent person that hears those words should take them with a grain of salt, Because we know, of course there is "NO" way to determine if all or everybody did the same anything at anytime, or is there? Just my .02:)

MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [MEMPHIS, TN], December 9, 1860, p. 2, c. 2
A gentleman of this city, now travelling in Mississippi, says the Nashville Gazette, writes back to a friend as follows:
The further down I get, the more secession I see. Not content with wearing the blue cockade themselves, the people put them up on wagons, carriages, riding horses, etc. At one place where I stopped, all the negroes had them on. You may safely put Mississippi down as dead out for secession.

http://books.google.com/books?id=kQwEAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA813&ots=1E-Gluur5V&dq=everyone%20wore%20a%20secession%20cockade&pg=PA813#v=onepage&q&f=false

The convention in Charleston passed the ordinance of secession on the 20th, followed by scenes of excitement rarely seen in the history of that city. The church bells were rung; horsemen dashed through the streets, waving their hats and shouting the news; everybody wore a secession cockade; women and children joined the men in singing secession songs; the governor, officials, and public men made burning speeches from the balconies of the hotels and their residences to cheering thousands; salutes were fired, and the city brilliantly illuminated at night.

[tr17]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Well, I was at the conference and heard Tom's talk. One of the advantages I have as compared to going on what he posts here is I saw all his documented accounts, original images, etc. He made a very compelling argument for wearing a cockade or a patriotic ribbon during the fall of 1860 until summer of 1861 portrayals. For myself, this summer when I do living history in the Lincoln's Home Neighborhood I plan on wearing one. All that being said I know not everyone in Springfield, IL in the fall of 1860/spring of 1861 (or for that matter anywhere else in the midwest) would necessarily be wearing one. Would a farmer from rural Sangamon County bringing his goods to market have one? ...or a laborer? It just doesn't seem to be practical. One of the questions I did have and didn't have a chance to ask him was why did he ends the cockade/ribbon time slot at the summer of '61?

Tim Ruyle

[csuniforms]

Re: Secession Cockades and Patriotic Cockades--!?

Hello, Why did I end the wearing of ribbons for the summer of 1861. From the research I had, and this holds true to the South, all the different colors and styles the whites, the blacks, the black and whites, the blue and whites, these were replaced by the late summer with the Red-white-red and the light blue cockade of the Minute Men. These two became the dominant colors of the South. Research shows that these were used all through the War, but not in the numbers you saw for late 1860-Spring 1861. So they still wore cockades.
In the North, Red-white-and blue was extremely popular and commonly worn and seen. This holds true for the 4th of July and any other military or political rally or patriotic gathering.

CSuniforms
Tom Arliskas