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Posted by Molly on October 10, 192003 at 00:09:02:
In Reply to: vivandieres posted by sthrnrblgrl on February 15, 192003 at 19:22:31:
I'm writing a paper on Vivandieres....This is what I have found thus far.
Vivandieres, or Cantinieres as they are also often called, had a key role throughout the Civil War. Not only were they able to provide injured men on the battlefield with immediate treatment and care, but many of them actually fought along side of the men. Vivandieres were seen as interesting military figures and were usually the daughter of an officer or wife of a non-commissioned officer.
Vivandieres is a French word which first emerged from the Napoleanic period. In attempt to limit the amount of women followers, the French army regulated the amount of women appointed as vivandieres.
The Charleston Mercury, May 14, 1861 portrayed vivandieres as woman of low moral standard. While it is true that vivandieres were the only females seen by the soldiers throughout the Civil War, the role of vivandieres is often romanticized. This is but one of the few misconceptions pertaining to vivandieres. Among these misconceptions is the tendency to compare vivandieres with women who served in the army disguised as soldiers. Vivandieres did nothing to disguise their gender nor were they enlisted as soldiers.
Each troop was granted with one vivandiere. Army commanders were authorized to appoint one vivandiere or cantiniere per regiment.1 Up until this point, vivandieres and cantinieres served different purposes. Vivandieres were mainly confined to defense force camps and remained stationary to provided drinks and such to the soldiers, while cantinieres followed their troops on battles and in parade. Cantinieres also provided aid to the wounded directly on the battlefield. In 1854, the name vivandiere officially replaced the term cantiniere in the French army.2
During the Napoleanic period, vivandieres had no formal uniform, but could be easily identified by the flask they carried. In those regiments that did issue inform, dress for these woman was very similar to the uniform of the field regiment, with slight variations. These variations included the addition of a skirt over the pants as well as an apron.
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the uniform for the vivandieres changed dramatically, and continued to change to stay current with fashion of the time period. The earliest recorded photographs of vivandieres come from the Crimean War3, and it is probable that images from that war were responsible for popularizing many of the French-inspired uniforms, customs including uniforms and vivandieres in the United States at the time of the American Civil War. Some of these changes included the addition of vivandieres. The uniforms became more colorful high-waisted narrow dresses. The design of the dresses changed throughout the mid 19th century to a more fashionable garment with a natural waistline.
Vivandieres remained an established part of French armies until after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871-18724. Previously the dress and function of vivandieres had been formed after the French. After the French defeat to the Prussian Army, the French-styled uniforms were discarded.
Vivandieres in the Civil War had no standardization of uniform, which caused a great deal of variation throughout the troops. Sarah Taylor, the daughter of the First Tennessee (United States Volunteers) was described by The Cincinnati Times;
“She has donned a neat blue chapeau, beneath which her long hair is fantastically arranged; bearing at her side a highly-finished regulation sword, and silver-mounted pistols in her belt, all of which gives her a very neat appearance….”5
Mary Teppe, labeled Tippie by the soldiers, was among the few vivandieres to serve the union. Mary was around the age of 25 and was present at the first Bull Run. She also campaigned near Richmond, Fair Oaks, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, and Gettysburg. After being wounded in the ankle at Fredericksburg, Teppe received the Kearney Cross. Tepe attended many post-war regimental reunions, but was eventually driven to suicide in 1901.
Molly Divver was a vivandiere out of New York and served with the seventh New York Infantry. Divver was only nine years old.
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