Could the average soldier read a book?

[GermanDraftee]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

From Robert Miller's "Both Prayed to the Same God" (2007, Lexington Books):
(In discussing the role of various soldier support agencies, North and South)

" Rev. B.B. Ross found hospital patients 'greedy, yea ravenous, in their appetite for something to read....they take the tracts with delight."

"Numerous agencies were formed to meet these 'spiritual nouishment' needs, with the Evangelical Tract Society of Petersburg, Virginia being the largest and most prolific. During the war, it issued more than one hundred different tracts, with a total print run estimated at some 50 million copies!" (p.90)

(On the role of Chaplains)

"Chaplains played a wide variety of roles in both armies, and the best chaplains were those who became 'jacks of all trades' for their men - comforting the homesick, counselling the sorrowful, teaching reading and writing,, writing letters for the hospitalized, maintaining libraries, becoming postmaster, carrying men and equipment on marches,, foraging, digging wells, and rifle pits and more." (p.98)

It would appear that many could read, and did. Not all, to be certain, but more than we might commonly assume.

[YoungCampaigner]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Hello all. As an answer to Mr. Matthew Semple's request that I quote the book that I mentioned in my last post, I will as soon as I can. You see, I don't own the book myself so I will post a quote from the passage as soon as I can check it out. The name of the book is The Life of Johnny Reb by Bell Irvin Wiley and it is a great read.

I do have an interesting little bit of information, though. In my area, (specifically Lancaster County, VA, the home county of the 40th Va. Infantry) the census for 1850 states that 156 whites (out of 1,803) in the county total could not read or write. Lancaster county was a fairly average farming community in the tidewater area of Virginia, so it could fairly be said that it is fairly representational of the rest of the region. It always is a good idea to check the census records for your area to get a specific idea of wether you would have been literate or not.

Sincerely,
William Chapman
40th Va. Infantry, Co. B
and
Signal Corps of the James
http://www.theyoungcampaigner.com

[YoungCampaigner]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Hello all. In The Life of Johnny Reb, by Bell Irvin Wiley, there is a short passage in chapter XI that states

It is a significant fact that during the Confederacy a large portion of the middle and lower strata of society became articulate for the first time.

Well, if they were writing letters, they could probably read the responses that they got too!

In chapter IX, p. 161, Mr. Wiley says:

Reading provided a source of recreation for many soldiers, though army routine was not conductive to a great deal of it......
Better educated and more fortunate soldiers were procured and read books in considerable numbers.

Once again, it really is a great book. If you want to read more, I highly recommend getting this book.

[Pvt Peck]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Interesting post here... I still cannot spell to save my life but I was reading 4th year college books in 3'd grade. Funny thing about the poor, inconsistent spelling in some (a lot!) of 19th century letters, I think it was much more acceptable back then as compared to now. Ever read Artimus Ward? He, along with other American writers & humorists used wacky spelling a lot, and were very popular in their day. My thought here is that poor spelling & composition is not a reflection of reading comprehension.

Edward Parrott
"Humbug"

[YoungCampaigner]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Hello Pvt. Peck. You are probably right. That is a good point. I know from personal experience that reading comprehension and writing are very seperate things (I too was reading 4th year college level books in 3rd grade). Thanks.

Oh, by the way, please remember to sign your full name with your posts.

[Pvt Peck]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

William thanks for the heads up on the signature, now fixed. Nice site you have there too!

Edward Parrott
"Humbug"

[cap tassel]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

I've talked to my father who was an English professor and a linguist about this many times. One thing that he has mentioned regarding all the 'alternate' spelling found among letters was that spelling at that time in the English language had not been standardised across the board. In many instances if you read the writing of the soldiers, even officers and look beyond the variant spelling they are merely writing in their regional vernacular.

I agree with your father. Even in my own family history the last name is from time to time spelled differently by the same person. Other members of the family did the same thing. Ideas of proper spelling is just one more modernism that keeps us from understanding the past. It's a classic example of reeling something from then to now then holding it up to the light of modern culture.

[Pvt Peck]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Larry:

Good point about family spelling and names, my great,great grandfather who served in the 1st Georgia Inf was named Childress and we have family folks who spelled it: Childres, Childers, etc... makes tracing your ancestors a bit tricky at times!

Ted Parrott
"Humbug"

[Salt Pork]

Re: Could the average soldier read a book?

Are we just referring strictly to English literacy or are we including fluency in ones immigrant tongue. In some boughs or small rural town the langue of the old country was the only one spoken by the Regiment, these groups could write or read in their own language fine but would have trouble with English.

However I feel that someone who could read or write in any language, would have easier time learning to read or write then someone who was truly illiterate. Because 95% of the soldiers already used the Latin alphabet, so it made transition to English easier compared to someone who had to learn the Alphabet then learn to read or write.

Salt Pork

William Summe