Name: John Allen Darnell, III
Subject: English
Period: 1st
Date: July 8th, 2009
Approximate Time 100 minutes
Objective:
TSW examine the idioms from the Civil War period to understand author’s purpose and in order to write a letter using the “Ciivil War Slang.” (1b) (DOK 3)
Materials: Slang info, loose leaf paper, pictures, handout sheets.
Do Now: Write down three “slang” phrases you and your friends use.
Set: TSW read the different slang phrases that they use in everyday life and TTW relate it to the lesson.
Procedures:
1. Do Now (3 min)
2. Set (5 min)
3. TTW introduce the Civil War time period. (3 min)
4. TTW show civil war pictures. (6 min)
5. TTW introduce and read the slang terminology with the class. (15 min)
6. TTW discuss the slang terminology used today with the class. (5 min)
7. TSW read a Civil War letter to familiarize themselves with the writing of the period. (15 min)
8. TSW write a letter that incorporates the slang of the period (25 min).
9. TSW use colored pencils and crayons to make the letters appear they are from that time period (images, wear and tear, etc.) (10 min)
10. TSW present their letters to the class (10 min).
11. Closure. (5 min)
Closure: TSW discuss the letters they have written with the class and review the objective.
Assessment/Evaluation:
Objective: TSW examine the idioms from the Civil War period to understand author’s purpose and in order to write a letter using the “Ciivil War Slang.” (1b) (DOK 3)
Informal: TTW initiate class discussion (M) on Civil War slang (C) and observe the students.
Formal: TSW write a letter (M) set during the Civil War era that incorporates the slang of the period (C) to be recorded for a grade (D).
Soldier Talk & Civil War Slang
The military of today has a distinctive and sometimes confusing catalog of terms, unique and all its own. Many of the terms used by modern soldiers are based on the first letters of a military label and often they use informal terms for pieces of equipment, fellow soldiers, or the places where they are based. It was no different during the Civil War. The Civil War soldier had a wide variety of names for the things they used in their daily routines and also invented many slang terms or nicknames for their equipment, experiences, and other soldiers. Many of these expressions were based on military terms, lighthearted humor, or biblical references and can still be found in our everyday language.
Here are some examples of Civil War expressions and nicknames:
accoutrements- A soldier's fighting equipments, made of leather.
a beat- A lazy soldier who dodges work.
bombproof- An underground shelter, used also to describe officers who never went to the front.
bones- Dice.
buck and gag- A form of punishment.
carriage- The wooden mount for artillery, also used to describe a lady's shape.
dogrobber- The soldier of a group who cooks for everyone else.
dog tent- A small, two-man tent.
first rate- Feeling well and very happy.
forage- To search for food from nearby farms.
Fresh Fish- New recruits.
greenbacks- Money or script.
gum blanket- Rubber-coated cloth sheet used as a rain cover.
haversack- Cloth bag for carrying the rations & utensils.
homespun- A clothing item made of homemade or home spun cloth.
housewife- A sewing kit.
horse sense- Smart or to use good sense.
Johnny- Union soldier's term for a Confederate soldier.
Jonah- A soldier who always brought misfortune and bad luck with him.
"The luck of Cain"- one who has bad luck or is prone to illness.
paper collar man- Someone who has money or is financially well off.
picket- A guard or guard duty.
sacred soil- Virginia mud.
sawbones- The surgeon of the regiment.
seeing the elephant- A man's first experience in combat.
shebang- A temporary shelter of poles & branches.
shirker- A soldier who would not do his duty on the battlefield.
smart like a fox- Slick and cunning.
tough as a knot- In good health.
top rail- The best place to be. Number One!
traps- Accoutrements
vittles- food or rations.
Yank- Confederate soldier's term for a Union soldier.
Soldiers also used phrases such as "snug as a bug in a rug", "chief cook and bottle washer", "been through the mill", and "scarce as hen's teeth." When soldiers gathered around the campfires to cook, "grab a root" was a social term meaning to help oneself to some vegetables. A soldier often referred to his camp as his "digs" and his fellow soldiers as "the boys".
Do you and your friends use similar expressions when you talk about yourself or items that you own? If you think about it, we bet you would find a lot of slang terms used by you and your friends everyday.
Keywords:
horse
sense
buck and gag
accoutrements
Jonah
saw
bones
fresh fish
My Very Dear Sarah:
The indications are very strong that we will move in a few days - perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.
Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure – or it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. “Not my will, but thine, O God, be done.” If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this government, and to pay that debt.
But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows – when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children – is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?
I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death – and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.
I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved, and I could not find one. A pure love of my country and the principles I have often advocated before the people and “the name of honor that I love more than I fear death” have called upon me, and I have obeyed.
Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on, with all these chains, to the battlefield.
The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God, and to you, that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard for me it is to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me – perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar - that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.
Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.
But, oh Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night – amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours - always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.
Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.
As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father’s love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters. Tell our mothers I call God’s blessing upon them.
O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.
- Sullivan
My dear Lullie,
I hasten to write to you by the first opportunity after my arrival here. We arrived here on the morning following the day on which your father left us in Albany after riding all night. The cars were very full and our ride was not very pleasant. We are encamped here with four or five thousand others in our little tents which are three breadths of osnaburgs [a heavy, coarse weave of cotton cloth] in length and about two in breadth at the bottom. The bottom of them is covered with pine straw and our blankets and so forth are packed up on one end which with the camp chest forms our whole furniture.
We drew from the government two tin pans like our milk pans and a zinc bucket which is all we have to cook or eat with. We are entitled to more but the state officers say they have not got them. The cooking, which is not easy for us at any time, becomes very troublesome with only these implements. We drew yesterday a hand full of salt another of sugar a little coffee and rice and meal and beef and a little bacon and some soap and half a candle.
Our tents are scattered for two miles along the Rail Road. Our company has dug a well and cleaned up the ground for our cap which is all they have done. The officers' tents are situated a short distance in front of ours in a long row and are considerably larger than ours and are double-- that is they have an awning or sheet over them, which makes them much drier and more comfortable than ours. Our encampment reminds one of the big house for master and the little houses for servants on the plantation.
Our company and field officers have not yet been appointed. Slaughter of Albany will be Colonel of the Regiment. Today is Sunday and while I write a company is amusing themselves by trying to excel in jumping before my tent and another is shooting at something in the woods on my left. On the whole I find everything very much as I expected and not disappointed.
Buly and Billy seem in very good spirits and are getting along very well. I am very anxious to know how you and LeRoy are getting along. I hope you are not made sick by our departure. And how do you get along with your school. I am afraid you will not like it much. Your best course is however to keep busy with your mind and attention employed and you will be much happier.
I am solicitous about you lest your health should suffer on account of your anxiety about us who are in the war. You need not be uneasy about us as I think we shall not be sent out of the state. We are getting along very well. I should be very glad indeed to see you and the baby. Write immediately and I will endeavor to keep you informed about us here. When you write tell me about all the friends at home. Uncle Richard and your own folks and any news that you may know. We have not been mustered into service or received our money yet. We are expecting Jake to come on from Albany in a few days. He will be of much service to us here.
Receive with this letter my love to you and kiss Le for me.
Your Devoted Husband,
Milo