Period Usage of the word “Cool”

[NY Pvt]

An excerpt from Captain (later Colonel of the 176th NYV) Charles Nott of the 5th Iowa Cavalry’s book originally published in 1865, and later reprinted in the January 1970 CWTI p. 13 pp2. Here Captain Nott describes a scene at a rural Tennessee homestead in 1862. Capt. Nott wrote letters to the school that he regularly taught back in New York before the war. It was from these letters he used to publish his book in 1865.

”But dinner done, at this house I speak of, there came before me another little custom that may surprise some of my friends. The mother of the family took her pipe, which I had often seen before, and was not surprised at; but the daughter farthest from me dived down in her pocket and after rummaging there a minute brought a plug of tobacco, and then deliberately took a chew! The second and then third followed; and then the three young ladies drew up around the sacred heath (which some of their cousins were fighting to protect from the pollution of us Yankees) and indulged in a little social spitting. It is embarrassing if you are not used to it, to ask a country belle a question and then have her turn her head suddenly the other way and spit before she answers you. The first time we witnessed this interesting ceremony, a young officer of our party thought he would do something cool- he would ask a woman for a chew of tobacco. So, marching up, he said, “Miss, will you be so kind as to give me a chew of your tobacco?” The rest of us felt annoyed; but the girl quietly, and as a matter of fact, fumbled in her pocket and brought out the old plug.”

While an interesting observance, this is the second time I’ve heard of the word “cool” being used in a period primary resource written during the period, and the first I can actually remember coming across myself. It is interesting to note the CWTI editor wrote how Capt. Nott used “simple language suitable for high school pupils, and of a style better liked today than the usual flowery language of 1861-65.” Does anyone else have period references of “cool” being used, and if so I am wondering if there is a regional usage?

[PogueMahone]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I believe the usage here equates to "brave", as in "cool under fire", "cool as a cucumber", etc.

I have seen the word "hip" used in an article commenting on men's fashions. The writer described someone's appearance and ended with "Ain't that hip, man?"

[Hank Trent]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I believe the usage here equates to "brave", as in "cool under fire", "cool as a cucumber", etc.

I agree, with a slightly negative connotation when used in this context, sort of like "cheeky," but with a positive connotation when used for being "cool under fire." This 1860 British slang dictionary relates it to impudence in the phrase "a cool hand."

I can vividly remember the one time I got to say "That was pretty cool," at a reenactment. Even though it sounded so wrong, it was almost the same situation as the quote in the OP. I was starting on a long trip with a fellow and after half a day on the road already, we were discussing how we were going to split paying for things. He admitted that actually, he hadn't brought any money. I said, "So you just agreed to come along, assuming I'd pay for everything?" He shrugged and nodded. I said, wait for it... "That was pretty cool." :D

I have seen the word "hip" used in an article commenting on men's fashions. The writer described someone's appearance and ended with "Ain't that hip, man?"

Seriously? Where?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I have heard, second-hand, of a Confederate during a siege having the meal he was cooking splatter him after a nearby artillery hit, but wasn't bothered and replied "it's cool" when his messmates inquired of his welfare. Whodathunkit? (Which, incidentally, appears in print during our period, too.)

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

The context in the quote sounds to be cold or cruel.

[ScottCross]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

From the Dictionary of Americanisms

COOL. Used in familiar language, in England and in the United States, in the sense of impudent. Punch gives a dialogue between the years 1845 and 1846, which is a good illustration of this word.

1846. "Come, answer me, answer me, old Forty-Five,
As an old man a young should answer;

I've much to learn; so, while you're alive,
Just resolve me this point if you can, sir:
What's the coolest thing that you've seen Forty-Five?"

1845. "Why, Peel, when he said to Commons and Peers
That the Income Tax should end in three years--
That was, p'raps, the coolest thing."

1846. "What else have you seen that was cool, Forty-Five?"

1845. "Why, Jonathan threatening that he'd annex us,
If we grumbled about his annexing Texas--
That struck me as rather cool."

[Silas]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

See page 339 of Anderson's book on the 1st Missouri Brigade.

[PogueMahone]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

Seriously? Where?

A copy of the Chattanooga Daily Rebel my father has. I believe it was a May 1863 or 64 edition. It has been several years since I've pulled it out to peruse it, but maybe I'll do that next time I've over there.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

A copy of the Chattanooga Daily Rebel my father has. I believe it was a May 1863 or 64 edition. It has been several years since I've pulled it out to peruse it, but maybe I'll do that next time I've over there.

I would love to see the whole context. The Chattanooga Daily Rebel is available on a newspaper database I subscribe to, and I tried to search, but it's machine-read text so it'll miss some words or give false hits. There were about 80 hits for "hip," too many to look at them all, but most seemed to be wounds, brands on horses, or "s hip" misread. I tried adding or subtracting other words of the phrase, but no luck. I also tried "hipped," no luck. That does show up in the period, or at least earlier, as slang for unhappy or depressed:

1770 London:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Dv82AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA547&output=html

...found him sitting in a very melancholy attitude in his study, with his head leaning upon his hand. "Hey day, my old friend, are you hipped? What is the matter with you?"

1841 US:

http://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/dvlhdc.htm

As we entered the passage, the contrast between the external glare, and the interior gloom, struck heavily upon my spirits. Not so upon those of the unhappy Dammit, who offered to bet the Devil his head that I was hipped.

1838 London

http://books.google.com/books?id=tkoZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA330&output=html

...that Harriet had got a headach [sic] and was "hipped,"...

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Shenandoah64]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

In June 1864, the adjutant of the the 12th West Virginia infantry wrote a letter home describing the bravery of his brigade commander, Col. Joseph Thoburn, at the battle of Piedmont in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The adjutant referred to Thoburn as "Cool Joe."

Scott C. Patchan

[Tom Craig]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

My wife, while researching a completely unrelated topic found what appears to be in line with the modern usage of the word "cool." I'll ask her to post it this evening, but it came from an advertisement for an "aquatic garden" (like an aquarium) in Boston, owned by P.T. Barnum, in which the garden was quoted as something like the "coolest thing" to be seen.

Take care,
Tom Craig
1st Maine Cavalry

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

While it's not an incidence of the word "cool," it is another word we'd consider modern slang used in a period source. "Dude".

In his book, "Ten Years in the Ranks: US Army" Agustus Myers recalls in his early days of medical school a fella who took considerable pride in his appearance and spent much time in meticulous grooming. He notes: "He spent much time in "primping" himself and the boys called him the dude."

[Slacker Drummer]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I believe the usage here equates to "brave", as in "cool under fire", "cool as a cucumber", etc.

While "cool under fire" as an entire phrase implies bravery, "cool" itself in that sense means calm and collected, not brave. I think in the OP's example, "cool" could easily have been used for several of Webster's definitions, none of which are our modern slang usage:


2 a : marked by steady dispassionate calmness and self-control cool and calculating administrator>

2 b : lacking ardor or friendliness cool impersonal manner>

or

4 : marked by deliberate effrontery or lack of due respect or discretion cool reply>

[jcraig]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I came across an ad for P.T. Barnum's Aquarial Gardens in Boston. It says:

Barnum's Aquarial Gardens
The Coolest Place of Amusement Ever Constructed

The ad goes on to describe the attractions at the gardens, which does not imply that it is cold or calm.

The add is in this document, which is a very fascinating bit of history (nothing to do with this topic)

http://www.neaq.org/about_us/mission_and_vision/aquarium_history/The_Forgotten_Aquariums_of_Boston_Third_Edition.pdf

[Hank Trent]

Re: Period Usage of the word “Cool”

I came across an ad for P.T. Barnum's Aquarial Gardens in Boston. It says:

Barnum's Aquarial Gardens
The Coolest Place of Amusement Ever Constructed

The ad goes on to describe the attractions at the gardens, which does not imply that it is cold or calm.

The add is in this document, which is a very fascinating bit of history (nothing to do with this topic)
http://www.neaq.org/about_us/mission...rd_Edition.pdf

Looking for other newspapers notices at genealogybank.com to see if anything implied the aquarium had a uniquely cool temperature (a big attraction for people wanting to go someplace in the summer) I ran across something else funny, but first...

A review of the "Aquarial Gardens in Bromfield street [Boston]" in the May 24, 1859 New York Tribune mentions "Not only are the fishes well ventilated... but care is also given to preserving a proper temperature of the water, so that the brook trout, on a warm day, are rejoiced, and comforted by a generous lump of ice, to bring back the sun-heated waters to the more genial temperature of their native mountain brooks."

So it's possible Barnum's aquarium was literally cool, due to specially cooled water in some tanks and the general evaporation. Another ad which mentioned his aquarium did mention the "cool and comfortable" temperature of the lecture room as an attraction in hot weather (from the June 19, 1862 Newark Daily Advertiser):



An ad below Barnum's in the July 5, 1862 Boston Herald, advertising the National Theatre, said the theatre was "the best, most artistic and original entertainment ever exhibited at the lowest price and at the coolest and best ventilated Theatre in Boston."

So I dunno. Without seeing at least one other usage of "coolest" to mean exciting/novel the way we use it, I'm not totally convinced it wasn't referring to temperature as a selling point in summer ads.

The other funny thing...

Sometimes newspapers got their reports absolutely completely correct. On April 13, 1861 (a few lines below a notice for an aquarium) the Boston Traveller announced


Can't really improve on that, even with 150 years of hindsight!

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com