| Vivandieres - Civil War |
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"Vivandieres, although rare, played a major role during the American Civil War. These brave women traveled with the soldiers for little or no pay as mascots, sutlers and nurses, while some even fought alongside their male counterparts. Vivandieres selflessly provided creature comforts to the men and were often the only females seen for weeks on end.
"Officially, vivandieres served with Zouave outfits. One example of a vivandiere was Mary Tepe of the 27th and later 114th PA. Both Zouaves and vivandieres were copied by Union and Confederate troops from the armies of France. A thin line is drawn between vivandieres and daughters of the regiment such as Kady Brownell or Annie Etheridge, who performed similar tasks. "Generally the wife or daughter of a soldier, they were higly respectable and admired, unlike women who masqueraded as men in order to fight." Sources:
Contributed by: Elizabeth Atkins |
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