*STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

[KarinTimour]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Mr. Fodera:

What a delight! Thank you for that mule skinner's quote.

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, hats, balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldier's Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[yeoman]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Sir. I to would like to thank you for the "mule skinners quote" also, as it took me right back to my first summer doing construction work. I learned quick which blinken hammer, nail, saw or any other blinken tool or anyblinkenthing I was told to do and I know it still takes the right blinken tool to get the blinken job done,so thanks mule skinner.

[Darrell Cochran]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Mr. Fodera:

What a delight! Thank you for that mule skinner's quote.

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, hats, balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldier's Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

OF course one of the most famous "muleskinners" of the Civil War was Major John A. Harman, quartermaster in the Shenandoah Valley under Stonewall Jackson. Among his other prewar pursuits Harman had operated a stage line, so no doubt he knew his mules.

This anecdote is one of my favorites:

Of General Jackson, John Imboden wrote: "I never knew him to let profanity pass without a rebuke but once. The incident was reported to me by the chief actor in it, Major John A. Harman, who was Jackson's chief quartermaster, and a man of extraordinary qualifications. It happened at Edwards Ferry, on the Potomac, when our army was crossing into Maryland in the Antietam campaign. Major-General D. H. Hill's division was crossing, when Jackson rode up, and found the ford completely blocked with Hill's wagon-train. He spoke sharply to Hill (who was his brother-in-law, they having married sisters) for allowing such confusion. General Hill replied that he was not a quartermaster, or something that implied it was no part of his business to get tangled wagons out of the river. Jackson instantly put Hill in arrest, and, turning to Major Harman, ordered him to clear the ford.

Harman dashed in among the wagoners, kicking mules, and (the) apparently inextricable mass of wagons, and, in the voice of a stentor, poured out a volume of oaths that would have excited the admiration of the most scientific mule-driver. The effect was electrical. The drivers were frightened and swore as best they could, but far below the Major's standard. :D The mules caught the inspiration from a chorus of familiar words, and all at once made a break for the Maryland shore, and in five minutes the ford was cleared. Jackson witnessed and heard it all. Harman rode back to join him, expecting a lecture, and, touching his hat, said: 'The ford is clear, General! There's only one language that will make mules understand on a hot day that they must get out of the water.'

[Dusty Merritt]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Thomas Lowry's Sexual Misbehavior in the Civil War has a whole chapter on Civil War cussing, much of which is take from records of courts martial.

Among my favorite exerpts:

"Around Christmas, 1862, Captain J. Edward Savery, 5th New York Heavy Artillery, called Chaplain William A. Barnes, a 'fuck ass.'"

"J.G. Bassler...was tried for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, for calling another lieutenant 'a Goddamn cripple,' and inviting him to 'suck my ass' and 'fuck my shit.' The court added '...and other expressions too vulgar to recite.' One wonders what those might have been."

"Acting Ensign George W. Nelson, argued with another officer at Newport News, Virginia. His opponent called him a 'coward.' Nelson replied, somewhat more creatively, 'I advise you to have the top of your head taken off, the contents removed, and allow some sensible man to shit in it.'"

[sthabig]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Thomas Lowry's Sexual Misbehavior in the Civil War has a whole chapter on Civil War cussing, much of which is take from records of courts martial.

Among my favorite exerpts:

"Around Christmas, 1862, Captain J. Edward Savery, 5th New York Heavy Artillery, called Chaplain William A. Barnes, a 'fuck ass.'"

"J.G. Bassler...was tried for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, for calling another lieutenant 'a Goddamn cripple,' and inviting him to 'suck my ass' and 'fuck my shit.' The court added '...and other expressions too vulgar to recite.' One wonders what those might have been."

"Acting Ensign George W. Nelson, argued with another officer at Newport News, Virginia. His opponent called him a 'coward.' Nelson replied, somewhat more creatively, 'I advise you to have the top of your head taken off, the contents removed, and allow some sensible man to shit in it.'"

Sir,

I must thank you for these quotes...I find them most entertaining and enlightening.

Thanks,

Tyler Habig

[Dusty Merritt]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

I must thank you for these quotes...I find them most entertaining and enlightening.

My pleasure! That whole chapter had me snickering like a middle schooler discovering "Beavis and Butthead."

Here's one more gem (so to speak):

"In October, 1864, Major General D. B. Birney issued General Orders No. 39, concerning the disposition of ambulances. Written on the back of one copy of these orders is this note: "C. Getz. Suck my nuts. A. J. Bowman, Esq."

[Secesh]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

The F word as a synonym for sex was around long before the Civil War, and if not mistaken, actually started in Old England in the early 1700's. In some areas prostitution was illegal, and all arrests had to be logged into the day book, including the charges against the suspect. In the case of prostitution, the charge was "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", oftentimes abbreviated to F.U.C.K. It would appear the word "traveled" to America from there.

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

"J.G. Bassler...was tried for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, for calling another lieutenant, 'A Goddamn cripple,' and inviting him to, 'Suck my ass,' and, 'Fuck my shit.' The court added, '[...]and other expressions too vulgar to recite.'"

This one is particularly amusing; I can just imagine the giggles it stirred up, both in and out of the court.

[Enfilade]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Just this past weekend I had the pleasure of watching on C-Span, an interview with Maurizio Viroli, Professor of Politics at Princeton University on his recent book "Niccolo's Smile". He has written several books on Machiavelli. He teaches about him as well.

One question in particular was about his(Machiavelli and his friend's)use of the "F-Word" being prevalent in 16th Century Italy(Florence) and including it in his newest book. Viroli mentioned that he left it in his book because it was colorful language and used at this time openly in letters back and forth in correspondences between friends. He said that sometimes this colorful language was just that, colorful without being vulgar, just like some literature is vulgar without using expletives. That is why he left it in this book. For that reason and it's historical significance.

I remembered this thread and why the "F-Word" was not limited to our American Civil War, nor can it be limited to History at least starting as far back as with the 16th Century. The more that I study any History, ours or someone elses, it reveals many new fascinating occurences. And I am planning on getting this book soon as well. Just thought this was an interesting note to this thread and another instance that it was much more common than we believe.

Mark Berrier
North State Rifles

http://www.northstaterifles.com

[Bruce Schultz]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Snopes.com dispels the myth that the f-word was an acronym for "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge."

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/fuck.asp

[Secesh]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

SNOPES may be correct...... However, morals of the day being what they were, I find it hard to believe that people openly hung placards stating that they were having sex thanks to the king's consent. The fact that you needed the consent of the king to get married should have been enough, and common sense says that married couples were "doing it". Unmarried sex was definitely frowned upon, so why would you need the king's consent to engage in what was possibly illegal activity, ESPECIALLY in the eyes of the Church, who alone were a force to be reckoned with? Lastly, HOW MANY couples were living together in any given kingdom at any given time? You mean every one of them had a placard on their door??? Was this placard something that needed to be renewed periodically, or was it good as long as there was starch in the root? As extended families often lived together would there be more than one placard on the door, or could you get a "blanket" placard covering everyone in the house??? Were they color-coded?? Where did the king and his advisors get all this time to sort thru applications and sign off on everyone's fornication??? Who's watching the kingdom??? If traveling, did you hang it off the wagon, or simply wear it around your neck??? Could you be arrested for displaying an expired fornication placard??? Placard making must have been a thriving business at one time....Nope, sorry...That explanation for the origin of the word sounds like a crock of John Crapper to me (in my humble opinion, lacking a king's consent to state so). :)

[WoodenNutmeg]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

Everyone and their grandmother knows that the Internet would never lie.

[Bruce Schultz]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

SNOPES may be correct...... However, morals of the day being what they were, I find it hard to believe that people openly hung placards stating that they were having sex thanks to the king's consent. The fact that you needed the consent of the king to get married should have been enough, and common sense says that married couples were "doing it". Unmarried sex was definitely frowned upon, so why would you need the king's consent to engage in what was possibly illegal activity, ESPECIALLY in the eyes of the Church, who alone were a force to be reckoned with? Lastly, HOW MANY couples were living together in any given kingdom at any given time? You mean every one of them had a placard on their door??? Was this placard something that needed to be renewed periodically, or was it good as long as there was starch in the root? As extended families often lived together would there be more than one placard on the door, or could you get a "blanket" placard covering everyone in the house??? Were they color-coded?? Where did the king and his advisors get all this time to sort thru applications and sign off on everyone's fornication??? Who's watching the kingdom??? If traveling, did you hang it off the wagon, or simply wear it around your neck??? Could you be arrested for displaying an expired fornication placard??? Placard making must have been a thriving business at one time....Nope, sorry...That explanation for the origin of the word sounds like a crock of John Crapper to me (in my humble opinion, lacking a king's consent to state so). :)

If you take the time to read what Snopes says, it agrees that all that acronym stuff is horse manure. It gives a very detailed etymology of the term and Snopes clearly says that none of it has to do with getting consent from the king or unlawful carnal knowledge. Here's the link again:

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/fuck.asp

[Secesh]

Re: *STRONG LANGUAGE* Use of F word during Civil War

It doesn't have pictures....