The Life of a Civil War Era Army Laundress - by Jennifer Jakes

As a Civil War Re-enactor, I chose the Army Laundress as my portrayal. When I found this historical photo of a woman, her husband and three children, I focused on recreating her look and the look of her camp for mine. (My husband is a Corp. in a small artillery unit and two our daughters re-enact with us.) So I wanted to share some of the information I discovered while researching this Army occupation. Yep, you read that right. The Army Laundress was employed by the Union Army. (The Confederate Army quite possibly did the same, but my research was for the Union.) All info from: Civil War Times, Aug. 1999 - including historic photo - and Laundry Handbook by Virginia Mescher

*Appointed by the captain of the company, the first thing he assigned the laundress was her letter of good character. She was the only woman granted official status in the army camp. All others – including officers’ wives – were considered Camp Followers.

*She was usually married to or related to one of the lower ranking soldiers. Her tent was set apart from the men – and if she was married to a soldier, he normally stayed with her on Suds Row.

*While most laundresses seemed respectable enough, there were a few who made “lots of money nature’s way. One of them had a bill today against a soldier for forty dollars.” –  Quote from a private, 2^nd Minnesota Infantry. (Wow! That’s a lot of scrubbing up and down on. . .  something! Bet it wasn’t his socks. *wink* ) Such improper behavior was grounds for dismissal UNLESS the company captain chose to look the other way.

*One such “energetic” washer woman could make upwards of $40 per month. A true laundress who actually washed clothing, made about $7- $12. per month. Combined with her husband’s pay of about $13 per month, the couple could earn a good amount for that day.

*The washer woman received a tent, daily rations of food and services of the surgeon. (These must have been the perks of the job. Unless you were the woman who made……..nevermind.)

Laundry was not a one day event for women of this time. It could take up to three days to complete all the steps. Here they are in order:

Mending – Yes, dirty clothes

Sorting

Stain Removal

Soaking – Which would mean this and all of the above steps would be done on (example) Monday and left overnight to soak.

Washing(read Scrubbing) and/or Boiling – 1 wash, 1 boil, 1 rinse meant at least 50 gallons of water. (Hope they camped near a creek.)

Rinsing – 3 rinses were customary (think of wringing each piece – esp. those wool uniforms – by hand! Yes, some laundresses did have wringer (a clothes squeezer), but most outside of hospital workers did not.)

Bluing – This was used for whites. Bluing does not bleach the clothes, but once added to the final rinse, gave the illusion of “white”.

Bleaching –If the Bluing did not make the white items as white as desired, they could either be laid in the sun to sun-bleach or a chemical bleach could be used. A common chemical used was Ammonia. The most common source of ammonia was STALE URINE! (Bet those clothes smelled nice and freshly laundered. Not!)

Starching – Starch helped keep dirt from being ground into the material. Remember, these men or women did not change clothes daily. Sometimes, not even weekly.

Drying – Hopefully the laundress had a place to string a clothes line. Otherwise, clothes would be spread on the ground or on top of shrubs. (This ended Day 2 of washing.)

Sprinkling – After the clothes were dry, the starched items were sprinkled with water, rolled up and allowed to absorb the water so they were damp. This softened the starch and made clothes easier to iron.

Ironing – Flat or Sad irons (sad meant heavy) and it took 1 ½ hrs to heat a 6 pound iron. Laundresses kept several “irons in the fire” as she couldn’t wait 1 ½ each time an iron cooled. (I suspect this is where the saying too many irons in the fire came from.) They didn’t really put the iron in the fire though as that would have meant streaking soot over clean clothes so they used upside down frying pans set on the fire grate. I suppose the women might have brought their own Trivit from home. Anyway, ironing costs a soldier about 3 cents per shirt.

Airing – This was an important step as the clothes were still damp after ironing and they were folded damp, they would crease and if the weather was warm, mildew.

Folding – Even women doing laundry at home folded as most “poor to middle class” didn’t have closets.

 OK, I could go on and on with interesting facts but for now……….Go kiss your washing machine and dryer!

The Roman Name Game
 

Ahhhhh, What's in a name? 

At least for Romans...it gets complicated.

We always laughed at Grandma when she read fella's name that ended with I, II, or IV. She would have said it John One-eye. John Two-eye, or John Eye-Vee. She didn't bother with Latin. But now that I've played with the Romans, I think understand why she did it. And  where this 'One-eye' thing comes from. 

I'm going to start with the hero of my Red Fury series. Gnaeus Julius Agricola.  His full legal name is  

 Gnaeus Julius Luci filius Aniensis Agricola Foror Julii. 

Gnaeus is his forename/praenomen. 

 His family name/cognomen is Julius.

 Luci was his father's forename/ Lucius.  

His nickname/cognomen was Agricola meaning 'farmer.'

His voting tribe was Aniensis.   

He was born in the Forum Julii.

But we'll call him 

Gnaeus Julius Agricola

 since that was his formal name.

When meeting and introducing, Romans used the full proper name. Gnaeus Julius Agricola or they simplified it to Julius Agricola  during casual discussions.

He was only called by Gnaeus by his family and his wife...and only after being married. Not before.

If you did use his personal name and were not married to him or related, you were considered rude and disrespectful. And proper Romans honored respect.

Now here comes the issue as a writer and gets really complicated.

Both of his sons were named

Gnaeus Julius Agricola. 

Both of them or, no matter if it were all six of sons, all of the sons took their father's name.

(But, Julius only had two)

Now, think how this works out if you are writing a scene with both father and sons are talking. How do you keep them apart? Yeah. that is the question. 

Julius had a daughter. 

 She married Cornelius Tacitus who didn't bother to mention her in his histories, so we can presume her name was

Julia

Daughters kept their father's name however in the feminine form of an 'a' usually.

Julius/Julia. Valerius/Valeria. , Lucius/Lucia. Aelius/Aelia

And if there were more than one daughter...

 there was 'Julia Prima', "Julia Secunda" and so on. 

And she didn't change her name to her husband's, but kept her father's name

Gnaea Julia Agricola

Now, add her voice to her brother and father's conversation and, if I stayed 'proper,"  I would have the poor reader going bonkers. Trust me I really tried to keep it simple.

 

I used 'Younger' and 'Elder' some as in 'Pliny the Younger,' adopted nephew of 'Pliny the Elder'.  This is fine with one son on board. In Vows of Revenge I have the elder Cassius Julius Gullus and the younger Cassius Julius Gullus. Gullus meaning 'rooster. 'But two sons? Yikes! Fortunately, there was only one son to deal with and that was enough.

So I have to break rules  and allot nicknames as I did with 'Nonia Rosa' who is referred to in Threatened Loyalties as' Rosa.' Unless she's in trouble. And she did have an older sister named 'Nonia Prima' but she wasn't in the book much.  Rosa's brother was 'Marcus Nonius Balbus' but I called him improperly as 'Marcus.' Her father Marcus Nonius Balbus was called 'Balbus' because that was what the research books called him. However, if I did have to introduce the father it was 'Marcus Nonius Balbus'. Balbus meaning 'stutterer'. But he doesn't stutter. Well Marcus pretends to stutter...Marcus the son does, I mean...the younger Nonius. You know the Younger Marcus Nonius Balbus....

Nuts isn't it? I still don't think I've  mastered this Roman name game, but I'm appreciating Grandma's idea of 'One eye' and Eye-Vee.

Available Amazon...September 2012  At last!!!!!

Judy Ridgley
My website: http://www.jfridgley.comRPride website http://www.rpridepublishing.com

My blog- Writer's Riding Right: http://www.jridgley.wordpress.comMy Roman blog- http://www.juliagaleriacasca.wordpress.comDreamin' blog- http://www.rpridepublishing.wordpress.com

Fourth of July in the 1800s !

Skagway, Alaska 4th of July celebration

1880s

1855

Civil War Veterans 4th of July celebration

The Life of a Laundress by Jennifer Jakes

DOWN AND DIRTY: THE LIFE OF A LAUNDRESS

Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Naughty, naughty. *insert Tsk here* And while I will touch upon some of the “horizontal” work a Laundress could do to earn a little extra money, the main part of this post deals with the long hours of the world’s other oldest profession: Scrubbing clothes.

As a Civil War Re-enactor, I chose the Army Laundress as my portrayal. When I found this historical photo of a woman, her husband and three children, I focused on recreating her look and the look of her camp for mine. (My husband is a Corp. in a small artillery unit and two our daughters re-enact with us.) So I wanted to share some of the information I discovered while researching this Army occupation. Yep, you read that right. The Army Laundress was employed by the Union Army. (The Confederate Army quite possibly did the same, but my research was for the Union.) All info from: Civil War Times, Aug. 1999 - including historic photo - and Laundry Handbook by Virginia Mescher

*Appointed by the captain of the company, the first thing he assigned the laundress was her letter of good character. She was the only woman granted official status in the army camp. All others – including officers’ wives – were considered Camp Followers.

*She was usually married to or related to one of the lower ranking soldiers. Her tent was set apart from the men – and if she was married to a soldier, he normally stayed with her on Suds Row.

*While most laundresses seemed respectable enough, there were a few who made “lots of money nature’s way. One of them had a bill today against a soldier for forty dollars.” –  Quote from a private, 2^nd Minnesota Infantry. (Wow! That’s a lot of scrubbing up and down on. . .  something! Bet it wasn’t his socks. *wink* ) Such improper behavior was grounds for dismissal UNLESS the company captain chose to look the other way.

*One such “energetic” washer woman could make upwards of $40 per month. A true laundress who actually washed clothing, made about $7- $12. per month. Combined with her husband’s pay of about $13 per month, the couple could earn a good amount for that day.

*The washer woman received a tent, daily rations of food and services of the surgeon. (These must have been the perks of the job. Unless you were the woman who made……..nevermind.)

Laundry was not a one day event for women of this time. It could take up to three days to complete all the steps. Here they are in order:

Mending – Yes, dirty clothes

Sorting

Stain Removal

Soaking – Which would mean this and all of the above steps would be done on (example) Monday and left overnight to soak.

Washing(read Scrubbing) and/or Boiling – 1 wash, 1 boil, 1 rinse meant at least 50 gallons of water. (Hope they camped near a creek.)

Rinsing – 3 rinses were customary (think of wringing each piece – esp. those wool uniforms – by hand! Yes, some laundresses did have wringer (a clothes squeezer), but most outside of hospital workers did not.)

Bluing – This was used for whites. Bluing does not bleach the clothes, but once added to the final rinse, gave the illusion of “white”.

Bleaching –If the Bluing did not make the white items as white as desired, they could either be laid in the sun to sun-bleach or a chemical bleach could be used. A common chemical used was Ammonia. The most common source of ammonia was STALE URINE! (Bet those clothes smelled nice and freshly laundered. Not!)

Starching – Starch helped keep dirt from being ground into the material. Remember, these men or women did not change clothes daily. Sometimes, not even weekly.

Drying – Hopefully the laundress had a place to string a clothes line. Otherwise, clothes would be spread on the ground or on top of shrubs. (This ended Day 2 of washing.)

Sprinkling – After the clothes were dry, the starched items were sprinkled with water, rolled up and allowed to absorb the water so they were damp. This softened the starch and made clothes easier to iron.

Ironing – Flat or Sad irons (sad meant heavy) and it took 1 ½ hrs to heat a 6 pound iron. Laundresses kept several “irons in the fire” as she couldn’t wait 1 ½ each time an iron cooled. (I suspect this is where the saying too many irons in the fire came from.) They didn’t really put the iron in the fire though as that would have meant streaking soot over clean clothes so they used upside down frying pans set on the fire grate. I suppose the women might have brought their own Trivit from home. Anyway, ironing costs a soldier about 3 cents per shirt.

Airing – This was an important step as the clothes were still damp after ironing and they were folded damp, they would crease and if the weather was warm, mildew.

Folding – Even women doing laundry at home folded as most “poor to middle class” didn’t have closets.

 OK, I could go on and on with interesting facts but for now……….Go kiss your washing machine and dryer!

***

Find out more about Jennifer and her books at her website

Real Historical Figures in Fiction

First of all, I must say, I cannot believe it is June already! Where did this year go??? As I get older it seems that the years fly by faster and faster... What about you?

Secondly, I must share with you my new cover! THE HIGHLANDER'S REWARD is the first The Stolen Bride Series (6 books planned)--Scottish romance, family saga. I am so excited to introduce you to Magnus and Arbella. This book will release on July 15th as an ebook (Amazon, B&N, I-Books, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords), and then I will make it available in print in the late Fall. So tell me, what do you think of the cover???

(This cover was made especially for me by my dear friend 

and partner in crime, Kim Killion at Hot Damn Designs!)

Now, that I've distracted you with my beautiful cover *g*, let us get back to the topic I chose to write about today: using real historical figures in fiction.

I LOVE to put real historical figures in fiction. It adds a sense of believability and credibility to your story. It also gives readers a sense of the time and what was truly happening. In THE STOLEN BRIDE SERIES, which takes place in the late 13th century, William Wallace makes appearances in each book. I have always found his story to be fascinating as well as that of the fight for Scottish independence from Longshanks aka the English King. His desire to weed the Scots out of their own country was just astounding. Naturally, using this time period as my back drop, my characters will also have to endure what the Scots of that time had to endure.

When adding real figures into your books, it is important to study up on them. For this series, I had to learn about the different battles obviously, but also what William Wallace was like. Even though he only makes brief appearances, I wanted those appearances to be as authentic as possible. He was an impressive man, not only in his intelligence and military strategy but physically. A documentary I watched claimed he was about 6'6 and muscular...so dreamy...but alas, he is not my hero. Magnus Sutherland from THE HIGHLANDER'S REWARD will hopefully have you all sighing. 

If a reader (such as myself) knows something about the historical figure you use and it doesn't ring true, they will be disappointed. What is the best way to do research on a historical figure? I do several things: books, internet, documentaries. I like to have at least 2 sources saying the same thing. Documentaries are my favorite resource for research and you'll find that on YouTube there are TONS of documentaries from the History Channel.

Well, back to writing!

Cheers,

Eliza

Eliza Knight is the award-winning, multi-published author of sizzling historical romance and erotic romance. Visit her at her Website, her historical blog History Undressed, her reader blog For the Love of Books, Twitter: @ElizaKnight or Facebook. 

Anniversary of Canada's Titanic by Anna Markland

I have blogged about this tragedy before, but since the catastrophe of the Empress of Ireland occurred in the month of May 1914, I thought visitors who may not have heard the story before might be interested in reading about it.

On its 100th anniversary, the sinking of the Titanic continued to fascinate people around the world. But another shipwreck, almost equal in human tragedy, has slipped from popular memory, even though the vessel helped build modern Canada.

The Empress of Ireland sank in May 1914 in the St. Lawrence River after colliding with the Storstad, a Norwegian coal ship. A total of 1012 passengers and crew died, compared with the Titanic’s 1514.

The loss of the Empress of Ireland remains the largest maritime accident in Canadian history.

The Storstad After the Collision

Unlike the Titanic, which went down on its maiden voyage, the Empress of Ireland regularly plied the Atlantic Ocean. Between 1906 and her sinking, the Empress completed 95 round trips, mostly between Liverpool, England, and Halifax or Quebec City. She was one of two Canadian Pacific ships plying the Atlantic between the UK and Canada, bringing thousands of immigrants, most drawn by the prospect of free land on the Prairies.

For years, the remains of the Empress lay on the river bottom off Rimouski, Quebec, where it was picked over by souvenir hunting divers. It was designated a national historic site in 1988, but it wasn’t until 11 years later that the Quebec government tightened regulations to stop souvenir collecting. A small museum dedicated to the Empress now operates in Rimouski for half the year.

The Empress of Ireland played a huge role in forming modern Canada. It’s estimated approximately 500,000 Canadians are descendants of passengers who arrived on the ship. It is Canada’s Titanic.

The day before the tragic sinking, the Empress of Ireland had left Quebec City, bound for Liverpool. Sailing in fog, she was struck near Rimouski by the Storstad, which sliced an enormous gash in the starboard side of her hull. Water rushed in and the ship listed severely, allowing more water to rush in through open portholes. With the ship on its side, some survivors squeezed out of portholes on the opposite side of the ship. But most passengers were trapped inside and drowned. The ship sank in 14 minutes.

According to author Derek Grout in Empress of Ireland, The Story of an Edwardian Liner, those 14 minutes would make few people proud.

“There were no gentlemanly cries of ‘Women and children first!’ In the dark of night it was a free for all and surviving the sinking was a matter of luck at best.”

A board of inquiry would later blame the crew of the Storstad, but Norwegian authorities conducted their own investigation and disputed these findings. A Canadian documentary, The Last Voyage of the Empress, re-enacted the collision and concluded the fog was mostly to blame, but Empress Captain Henry Kendall was not without fault.

A salvage operation shortly after the collision recovered the ship’s mail and 212 bars of silver, worth about $1.1 million today.

Within months of the sinking, World War One was underway, and the thousands of men dying in the trenches every day soon overshadowed the casualties of the Empress of Ireland.

Some believe Canadian Pacific wanted to keep things quiet. With ships on the Atlantic, a railway and hotels spanning Canada, and more ships on the Pacific, it was possible to circumnavigate the globe without leaving the care of CP. The company was reluctant to air details of the sinking.

In 1971, David Brinnin, an American poet, literary critic and travel writer, dismissed the significance of the Empress of Ireland wreck. Brennin wrote that the dead were nothing better than “a lot of middle class Anglo-Saxons and a long roster of Salvation Army officers and executives from one end of Canada to the other.”

The Salvation Army was in fact devastated by the loss of many of its officers from Canada, and holds a memorial every year.

So in 1998, when maritime historian David Zeni published his book on the ship, he titled it The Forgotten Empress.

A few small tales have lived on. According to James Croall, writing in the 1978 book Fourteen Minutes, the ship’s cat, a yellow tabby “of doubtful antecedents”, fled down the gangway just as the ship was leaving. A steward ran after him and brought the cat back, but again the animal bolted and was left behind.

Efforts are underway to ensure that when the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland rolls around in 2014, Canadians will be more aware of this nationally important maritime disaster.

This story struck a small personal chord for me. Many years after this tragedy, I sailed to Canada as an immigrant aboard the CP’s Empress of England. We too left from Liverpool to Quebec City to begin a new life.

It also occurs to me this would be a great background story for a romance novel!

Anna Markland is the Canadian author of two medieval romance series, The Montbryce Legacy, and Sons of Rhodri. Book I of the Legacy, Conquering Passion, is still available for only 99 cents on Kindle.

We're Here ! -- Now What??? by Jennifer Jakes

So as promised, I'm continuing the post about the YUKON or KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH of 1897-1899. Today we're talking about the routes the men and women had to take - carrying their heavy loads of supplies listed last month.

Most prospectors landed in either the port of Dyea (Alaska) or Skagway (Alaska). They could then take either the Chilkoot or the White Pass trails to the Yukon River. Then they would sail down-stream to the Klondike *We'll discuss water travel next time. If the men landed in winter, then the freezing rivers meant they didn't get to the gold fields until summer. Out of nearly 100,000 gold seekers, only between 30,000 and 40,000 of the stampeders made it to the Klondike.

Waiting for spring thaw at Bennett Lake, 1898

The people who landed at Skagway had to make their way over White Pass before traveling to Bennett Lake. The trail started with a gentle-enough slope, but it progressed over several mountains with narrow paths, the wider parts covered with boulders and sharp rocks. So many of the horses that were used to help carry all the supplies died, the men named the ravine area Dead Horse Gulch, and the route Dead Horse Trail. But what if you couldn't afford a horse? Especially if you'd heard the stories of Dead Horse Trail! Well, men divided up their belongings into bundles that could be carried -- or into heavier loads that could still be pulled by hand on a sled. But no way was 1 man pulling or carrying the 1000 lbs of supplies. So what did he do? He walked back and forth, moving a little at a time. A prospector would end up making about thirty round trips, a distance of at least 2,500 miles before he had moved all of his supplies over the pass and to the end of the trail.
Those whose ship made port at Dyea traveled the Chilkoot Trail. They had to cross the Chilkoot Pass to reach Lake Lindemann, which fed Lake Bennett located at the head of the Yukon River. Chilkoot Pass was higher than the White Pass, but for whatever reason, more people used it.The trail passed up through camps until it reached a flat ledge. This was just before the main climb; beyond this point the route was too steep for animals. (Makes me wonder what they did with their horses if they had them?) Anyway, this point was known as the Scales, where supplies were weighed before stampeders could enter Canada. (Customs, anyone? Do you have anything to claim?) It could take as much as a whole day to climb the 1,000 feet of the pass, back and forth, carrying small bundles or pulling your sled. Packers were men you could pay to carry or help carry your supplies. . But....they could charge up to $1 * $27 now* PER POUND !!

Avalanches were common up in the mountains. On April 3, 1898, an avalanche claimed the lives of more than 80 people travelling over Chilkoot Pass.
Next time we'll talk about the various other land routes and the sometimes deadly water routes to the GOLD!!!
Visit Jennifer Jakes at her WEBSITE or her BLOG

The Bayeux Tapestry Comes to Life by Anna Markland

For any writer of medieval romance set at the time of the Norman Conquest of England, the Bayeux Tapestry is an invaluable resource. I studied it carefully while writing the first book of my series The Montbryce Legacy. In Conquering Passion, my hero, Rambaud (Ram) de Montbryce, is given the responsibility by William the Duke of Normandy of building the invasion fleet.

I found it incongruous that the launch of the fleet was held up for six weeks because of unfavourable winds. Surely if the Normans were descendents of the Viking Norsemen they would simply have rowed across the Channel. But no, a close examination of the tapestry clearly shows there were no oarsmen, only men holding the tillers and the wind filling the square sails.

One of the reasons the Normans were ultimately victorious is that they had mounted troops. While it may be difficult to believe that hundreds of horses were transported on these relativley crude longboats, that too is clearly shown in the tapestry.

The tapestry, which is actually an embroidery, was completed in England by Anglo-Saxon artists who were well known for their embroidery skills. It was sent to Bayeux where William the Conqueror's half brother, Eude (Odo) was building a cathedral. He was Bishop of Bayeux and had fought alongside William in the Battle of Hastings.

The tapestry details the reason for the invasion-Harold Godwinson's "stealing" of the throne of England after the death of Edward the Confessor.

My latest release, Defiant Passion, tells the story of the coming of the Normans from the Celtic viewpoint of the Welsh resistance to Norman rule. Many readers have suggested that the villain-turned-hero Rhodri from Conquering Passion is worthy of his own story. So I gave him his own series, entitled The Sons of Rhodri. Defiant Passion is Book One, and Dark and Bright (coming soon) will tell the story of Rhodri's oldest son, Rhys. Readers met Rhys briefly in A Man of Value.

The Conqueror's insistence on a record glorifying and justifying his invasion of England has left us with a tremendously rare glimpse into a medieval event that completely changed the course of history.
I hope you enjoy this nifty animated version of the Tapestry where history comes to life.



Quick reminder you can qualify to win a Kindle if you leave a comment. Plus a free download of Defiant Passion will be awarded to one lucky commenter on today's post.

Some History on Fine Dining in Victorian New York City

If there's one thing I love about writing historical romance, it's doing the research for each specific book. There's so much detail involved in writing a story, in particular, with Historicals. You have to research the historical period itself, taking into consideration all the goings on of the day. For instance, war, court cases, society, social structure, and location, where you'll do it all over again. i find searching for timelines extremely helpful. It puts me smack-dab in the center of a year and locale. Then once you get a handle on all that, you can narrow your focus. :)

There's so much to consider, fashion, society traditions, servants, and so much more. Like food? Yep... :) But unfortunately, we must kill our darlings for the sake of the story. :)

Yes, it's difficult cutting unnecessary facts and fun information, but sometimes that must be done in order to not make your story read like a history textbook. :)

While doing research for my historical, His Fifth Avenue Thief, the hero suggests that he and the heroine dine at Delmonico's, nicknamed "The Citadel," because of its grandeur. It stood three stories tall with two columns flanking its entrance said to have come from the ruins of the ancient empire of Pompeii. The first and second floors featured large "saloons" or dining rooms with inlaid floors and the most expensive decor. The third floor contained several private dining rooms, as well as the kitchen. The cellar included wine vaults stocked with 16,000 bottles of French wine.

Delmonicos first began as a pastry shop and wasn't made a restaurant until 1831 by the Delmonico's, two brothers from France. For the next ninety years, Delmonico's would be the place to dine if you were anyone of importance. It was said that author Mark Twain and opera singer Jenny Lind loved to frequent Delmonico's.

In 1836, five years after the restaurant's grand opening, it was recorded that Delmonico's was the first place to ever print a menu for diners. Before then, patrons would simply eat what was prepared each day, but Delmonico's provided it's patrons a true Parisian fine dining experience. In the 1830's, Delmonico's menu offered 340 entrées, 11 soups, and 40 hors d'oeuvres

This is a sample of what they served then and how items were priced. It's amazing now to see how "hamburger steak," priced then at ten cents was considered expensive back then. :)

Regular beefsteak, pork chops and fried fish are each 4 cents, roast beef, roast mutton and chicken stew are all 5 cents, and roast chicken is 10 cents. Delmonico's menu is 12 pages long with over 350 dishes listed.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/fdelmonicosrestaurant.html

Delmonico's was most known for creating Delmonico's steak and potatoes. Two other famous dishes created there were Lobster Newburg and baked Alaska.

I couldn't include all of that in my story. Though it would've been fun. :) That's pretty much what I learned for less than a page of story. :) Doing as much research as I did, I love using some of what I've learned to enrich my books. :) It's the small details that help give character depth and emotional layers, not to mention enhance the setting.

His Fifth Avenue Thief blurb:
Two years prior, Irishman Aaron O’Connel took his life from rags to riches. Chance and wits have kept him alive in 1850’S New York City. But no amount of money or success can bring his love Cathlene back from the dead. When a thief sneaks her way into his mansion, the last woman he expects to find absconding with his belongings is his long lost wife.
Abandoned on New York’s shores, a widowed, penniless, and ruined Cathlene O'Connel was left to fend for herself in an unfamiliar world. Fear and circumstance drove her to a life of thieving in order to survive, but her heart risks the biggest danger of all when Aaron hands her a scandalous proposition: A son in exchange for her freedom.
Now that he has her back, Aaron doesn't intend to let Cathlene slip between his fingers. He'll do whatever it takes to regain her trust and love. But when an enemy from Cathlene's past resurfaces, Aaron not only faces battling for Cathlene's heart, but also her life.
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Thar's Gold In Them Thar Hills....... by Jennifer Jakes

OK, as far as I know no one really ever said that except in the movies - but in 1897-1898 men and women alike not only believed it but risked their lives and livelihood to find some of that gold.

This post is going to be the first of a series about the Klondike Gold Rush which is the setting for my work-in-progress, ALASKAN HEAT.  I’ve found so many interesting facts about the era and the people that I thought it would make a great post. J I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to leave a comment and your email addy to be entered in the drawing for the Kindle!

Yukon Territory 1897

The Klondike Gold Rush

The gold rush started in July, 1897 when two ships docked - one in San Francisco and one in Seattle - each carrying miners returning from the Yukon. The miners carried large amounts of gold and didn’t hesitate to proclaim great amounts of wealth was to be had in the Yukon. The press was alerted and papers carried the story to the masses – stories as ridiculous as gold nuggets lying just barely underground. * More on the reality in later posts.*
Soon, miners of all shapes and sizes – both male and female - called "stampeders", were on their way to the gold fields. Within six months, as many as 100,000 gold-seekers headed to the Yukon. Only approximately 30,000 completed the trip.

Most stampeders knew nothing about where they were going, so pamphlets were available to help them on their way. *Note: The United States was still in economic decline at this time, so the lure of money, much less a way to get-rich-quick made many leave or sell what little they had and head to Alaska. *

 Many of the pamphlets were pure fiction, some written by men who never even made the journey. But nevertheless, the pamphlets made outrageous claims of “easy” routes to the gold fields. Outfitters – both along the West coast and in Alaska - sprang up overnight that were more than happy to sell the stampeders whatever they needed to get started – most of the time at outrageous prices, especially the outfitters in Alaska. The supplies included food, clothing, tools and camping, mining and transportation equipment. Helping the outfitters in this regard were the Northwest Mounted Police who required all stampeders to have one year’s supply of goods before they allowed them across the border into Canada. *More about the different routes in later posts*  The supplies equaled roughly one ton of goods per person.

Here is a list of required supplies.

1898 Supplies
McDougall and Secord Klondike Outfit List (clothing & food):

2 suits heavy knit underwear 6 pairs wool socks 1 pairs heavy moccasins 2 pairs german stockings 2 heavy flannel overshirts 1 heavy woollen sweater 1 pair overalls 2 pairs 12-lb. blankets 1 waterproof blanket 1 dozen bandana handkerchiefs 1 stiff brim cowboy hat 1 pair hip rubber boots 1 pair prospectors' high land boots 1 mackinaw, coat, pants, shirt 1 pair heavy buck mitts, lined 1 pair unlined leather gloves 1 duck coat, pants, vest 6 towels 1 pocket matchbox, buttons, needles and thread comb, mirror, toothbrush etc. mosquito netting/1 dunnage bag 1 sleeping bag/medicine chest pack saddles, complete horses flat sleighs

100 lbs. navy beans 150 lbs. bacon 400 lbs. flour 40 lbs. rolled oats 20 lbs. corn meal 10 lbs. rice 25 lbs. sugar 10 lbs. tea 20 lbs. coffee 10 lbs. baking powder 20 lbs. salt 1 lb. pepper 2 lbs. baking soda 1/2 lb. mustard 1/4 lb. vinegar 2 doz. condensed milk 20 lbs. evaporated potatoes 5 lbs. evaporated onions 6 tins/4 oz. extract beef 75 lbs. evaporated fruits 4 pkgs. yeast cakes 20 lbs. candles 1 pkg. tin matches 6 cakes borax 6 lbs. laundry soap 1/2 lb. ground ginger 25 lbs. hard tack 1 lb. citric acid 2 bottles Jamaica ginger

*This list found on Adventure Learning Foundation Site. http://www.questconnect.org/index.htm

Remember, all of this per person had to be hauled over a mountain range. That’s what we’ll talk about next month. J
****
You can find Jennifer Jakes and all her books at her  Website

Why Medieval? by Anna Markland

Hello to everyone,
As this is my first post to the new blog, I thought I’d introduce myself and answer some questions readers have asked me.
Why did I choose to write medieval romance?  I am very interested in family tree research and over the course of the last few years I've written mostly family histories. Any fiction I wrote was contemporary, but I was working full time and didn’t think to publish any of it.

When I found myself with more time on my hands, I decided to take advantage of the changes sweeping the publishing industry and write novels.When I’m reading, my favourite genre is historical romance. Though I enjoy a good Regency, I’m more drawn to medieval.

In my genealogical pursuits I had done a great deal of research on the area of England where I was born. I stumbled across a story of a young noblewoman who had been exiled with her father. His crime was the blinding and mutilation of another baron during an argument over a piece of land.

On further investigation I learned that the woman turned out to be a very unpleasant person herself. But the seed was planted in my mind and I wondered what life would have been like for a young noblewoman cast out of her castle home and forced to wander with her irascible father. This was the initial beginning for Conquering Passion—except I made my heroine lovable!

I have traced my own family back to the late Middle Ages, but it has always been my ambition to go as far back as the Norman Conquest. So I decided to start my stories at that point in history!  I became completely immersed in the details of the Conquest. It amazed me how little I knew about the period even though it had such a profound influence on the history of England—land of my birth! My interest in ancestry and roots is what led me in the direction I’ve gone with my fiction writing. My stories follow the lives of the members of one family through successive generations.

My novels have also given me the opportunity to write about several of the Kings of England, from Harold Godwinson and William the Conqueror in Books One and Three, William Rufus in Book Two, and Henry I in Book Four.
For some strange reason known only to my subconscious mind, I didn’t write the books in chronological order! So if you prefer to read a series in that order you should read Book Three before Book Two!

I also tackle issues in my books which have resonance in our modern world. Books One and Three deal with post traumatic stress, and Book Four details the long term effects of solitary confinement. Book Two deals with the issues of illegitimacy and religious hatreds. It's difficult to write romance set in the Middle Ages without describing the pitiful rights women had.Their often dire plight at the hands of the men who held sway over their lives features in all my books.

The books in my Montbryce Legacy series have proven popular, and the first three are now available on Amazon in digital and paperback formats. Book One, Conquering Passion is the longest, and the most popular, but readers who’ve read it are then buying Books Two and Three, which is of course delightful. I’m glad they are as fond of the Montbryce family as I am. Readers have told me they are particularly taken with Hugh de Montbryce in If Love Dares Enough. He’s a virgin hero, and there aren’t too many of those in medieval romance!

I have just published the Kindle edition of the fourth book in my trilogy! Yes, The Montbryce Legacy is now an obsession! This book is entitled Passion in the Blood, and paperbacks will be available from Amazon.com in about three weeks. It’s the story of the two legitimate sons of Ram de Montbryce, the hero of Conquering Passion.

BTW, today (Mar. 14th) is the first day Passion in the Blood is FREE on Amazon-for a limited time

I’m also writing a novella to kick off another series, Sons of Rhodri. The Rebel Chieftain, will tell the story of Rhodri ap Owain, a Welsh rebel who first appears in Conquering Passion. Another project I’m working on is the creation of a downloadable Family Tree for the Montbryce Family.

I’m often asked how I came up with the titles of my books. Because my first book was about the Norman Conquest of England I wanted the title to reflect that. Also it’s a love story, so somehow, Conquering Passion evolved. I liked it because of the double entendre.

The title of Book Two was for a long time based on a quote from Shakespeare. But I had to change it from Kindle Fire With Snow—guess why? It’s now entitled A Man of Value, based on a quote from Einstein. It seemed appropriate because the hero is a man who discovers he is the epitome of everything he has always despised, and only love eventually leads him to see he is still a man of value.

If Love Dares Enough comes from a quote from Lord Byron. I chose it because the hero risks everything the family holds dear for the woman he loves.

Passion in the Blood came about because I wanted to continue the notion that the second generation has inherited “the Montbryce curse”—they are unlike most noblemen in that they are in love with the women they eventually marry!

In conclusion, I want to thank my readers for taking the Montbryce family to their hearts. Be reassured there will be lots more stories coming. As I mentioned, Rhodri ap Owain’s family has spawned a new series, Sons of Rhodri, and Caedmon FitzRambaud’s family will begin another one later this year. Caedmon’s daughter, Blythe FitzRambaud will be the first heroine in that series. Her adventures will take the readers to medieval Germany and introduce them to Heinrich, Holy Roman Emperor. This will be a bit of a departure for me because my stories to date have revolved around the lives and loves of the men of the family.

Readers are welcome to visit my Facebook Fan Page, Anna Markland Novels, and my website www.annamarkland.com, where they’ll find a link to my blog. I’m also a Goodreads author. My digital books are for sale in all the usual places, except Passion in the Blood which is exclusive to Amazon. Signed paperbacks can be ordered on my website, and you can enter to win one of 5 signed copies of A Man of Value on Goodreads until March 17th.

One lucky commenter on this blog will win a copy of any one of my books-yourchoice.

A Brief History of Saint Patrick's Day

Ever wonder about the history of Saint Patrick's Day? No, it's not just a day for drinking and being merry. There's much that's happened that's completely evolved and Americanized this long-celebrated holiday.

Many people think that Saint Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland. it was recounted for hundreds of years that Patrick stood on a hill called Croagh Patrick with only a wooden staff in his hand and banished all the snakes from the land. There were never any snakes in Ireland at all. Snakes were used as a metaphor for banishing Pagan beliefs in Ireland, which was replaced two hundred years after Patrick's mission with Christianity. Otherwise, there's not much known about Ireland's patron saint.

This religious holiday is celebrated on March 17, on Saint Patrick's feast day and the aniversery of his death. The holiday's been celebrated in Ireland for over a thousand years. It takes place during the Catholic season of Lent. On Saint Patty's Day in Ireland, folks traditionally would attend church in the morning and party during the afternoon. Dancing, eating meat and drinking and being merry were usually frowned upon during Lent, but these restrictions were waved during this very special holiday. :) They ate Irish bacon and cabbage. corned beef wasn't consumed until the early twentieth century on New York City's lower east side. The Irish learned of this less expensive substitute from the Jewish immigrants. How cool is that? Indeed, St. Patrick's Day has truly been Americanized.

This holiday, along with millions of Irish immigrants over the years has found it's way to the United States. During the nineteenth century, famine and poverty brought many of the Irish to the US. Though the first St. Patty's Day parade was held much earlier in 1762 in New York City, when Irish soldiers serving in the British army marched through the city.

There are more Irish Americans in the US than Irish in Ireland, 34.7 million Irish Americans, which is more than seven times the population of Ireland. The largest concentration of Irish Americans live in Boston and New York City.

Ever wonder why on this day we drink green beer, or why Lake Michigan in Chicago runs green, when in fact, Saint Patrick's color was actually blue? Ireland is known as the "Emerald Isle," because of the landscape. Also in Ireland, the shamrock was associated with more a political slant and uprising in the eighteenth century by the Catholic Nationalists as well as to explain the Trinity in Christianity. Shamrocks would be placed in the lapels as a way to express pride in ones nation. However in the United States, green was originally worn as a way to identify oneself as Irish.

St. Patty's Day isn't just celebrated in the UNited States and in Ireland, but in Japan and other locales around the world as well. After all, who doesn't like a party? :)

So my friends, here's a toast from me to you come Saturday. :)
May your blessings outnmuber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
And my absolute favorite:
May you be in heaven one half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

Slainte!



Abbey’s Bio…
Abbey MacInnis is a published author of Contemporary Western romance. Along with Contemporary, she writes Historical, Paranormal and erotic romance. Whether she’s being swept off her feet by a Medieval knight, regency rake, or cowboy or cop, her heroes are always strong men who’ll love their women unconditionally.
On most days, Abbey can be found at her computer, penning her latest tale. A tale where love, respect, and passion combine to create a satisfying and happy ending. She invites you to step in to the pages of her romances, to leave your worries behind and get swept up in her world.
Check out my latest release:
His Fifth Avenue Thief
Two years prior, Irishman Aaron O’Connel took his life from rags to riches. Chance and wits have kept him alive in 1850’S New York City. But no amount of money or success can bring his love Cathlene back from the dead. When a thief sneaks her way into his mansion, the last woman he expects to find absconding with his belongings is his long lost wife.
Abandoned on New York’s shores, a widowed, penniless, and ruined Cathlene O'Connel was left to fend for herself in an unfamiliar world. Fear and circumstance drove her to a life of thieving in order to survive, but her heart risks the biggest danger of all when Aaron hands her a scandalous proposition: A son in exchange for her freedom.
Now that he has her back, Aaron doesn't intend to let Cathlene slip between his fingers. He'll do whatever it takes to regain her trust and love. But when an enemy from Cathlene's past resurfaces, Aaron not only faces battling for Cathlene's heart, but also her life.

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The History Of Men's Underwear: A Brief Discussion

THE HISTORY OF MEN’S UNDERWEAR

A Brief Discussion by Jennifer Jakes

Remember that commercial with Michael Jordon? I'm sure that wasn't the first time the boxer vs brief question was asked, but it did make the question popular.
Me, I'm a rebel. I prefer boxer briefs on my hubby. You get the best of both worlds. They're tight enough to be sexy -- because I hate that baggy boxer look -- and yet, they don't make me think of panties -- as briefs do -- when I look at them.
And because my hubby has really sexy legs and I like the way they look in boxer briefs . . . but I digress.

The first men's underwear was probably the Loincloth, a simple strip of material or leather. A loincloth was also used to describe material pulled between the legs and fastened like a diaper. Not a good look for anyone :(  Greek and Roman men reportedly wore Loincloth.

During the Middle Ages, Loincloth was replaced by loose trouser like pants called Braies. Braies were a step-in design and laced at the waist and mid-calf. Wealthy men also wore Chausses. 

By Renaissance, Braies became shorter to accommodate longer styles of Chausses -- and chausses gave way to hose. But since neither Braies nor chausses were meant to be worn beneath they weren't technically underwear.

      Codpieces came into fashion when doublets (coats) became shorter and the hose alone would have left a man’s privates exposed. They were the height of fashion from the 1540s to 1590s, becoming more decorative and padded rather than just a practical covering. Braies were replaced by cotton, silk or linen Drawers which were worn for years and years and years. And years. I couldn't find much information on how much -- if any -- the basic design changed.

However, in the mid 1800's mass production of underwear began and people started to buy their drawers instead of making them at home. The Unionsuit also became popular in the mid 1800's – 1868 actually -- and had the drop seat in the back.

In 1874, the Jock Strap came along to provide support for the bicycle jockeys riding upon cobblestone streets.

The first underwear print ad ran in the Saturday Evening Post in 1911, an oil painting, not a picture. That would have been indecent! In WWI soldiers were issued button front shorts - though they were often still worn with a union suit. (Which by the way became 2 pieces in 1910 - what we call long-johns).

By 1935 Coopers Inc. sold the world's first men's briefs, the design dubbed Jockey since it provided the support once only offered by a jock strap. 30,000 pairs of new Jockeys sold within the first 3 months of introduction. In the 1950's manufacturers began to make men's underwear from colored and/or printed material. In the 1970's and 1980's advertisers began appealing to the sexual side of selling, foregoing the long time ad practice of comfort and durability. Speaking of comfort - or lack thereof - the thong became popular in the 1990's.

So there you have it. Everything you ever wanted to know - and maybe some things you didn't want to know - about men's underwear;)

Thanks for visiting today! I'll be giving away 1 copy of my erotic romance novella, 

TWICE IN A LIFETIME, to a commentator. 

 BLURB – TWICE IN A LIFETIME

Be Careful What You Wish For. . .

No-nonsense stuntwoman Isabella Douglas will do anything to stop an unwanted divorce and reclaim the happy life she had, even allow her old friend to concoct a magical spell to turn back time. But when the spell goes awry, Izzy finds herself trapped aboard a 1768 Caribbean pirate ship with a captain who’s a dead ringer for her sexy as sin husband, Ian. Convinced he’s playing a cruel joke, she’s furious – until she realizes he doesn’t know her or believe they’re married.

Captain Ian Douglas does not have time to deal with an insane woman who claims to be his wife; he has to save his kidnapped sister. But as Izzy haunts his dreams and fills him with erotic memories he can’t explain, he’s forced to admit he feels more than lust.

Trapped in a vicious cycle of past mirroring present, Izzy knows they only have days to find Ian’s sister and prevent disaster from striking a second time. If she doesn’t, their marriage will be destroyed again – along with the man she loves.

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Jennifer Jakes is the multi award winning author of RAFE'S REDEMPTION, voted Best Romance 2011 and TWICE IN A LIFETIME. She is currently working on a historical romance set in 1898 during the Yukon Gold Rush. You can learn more about Jennifer at www.jenniferjakes.com