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!

A Haunted, Historical Summer Hideaway

This might seem like an unusual post for a blog which focuses on historical romance. There’s some history involved, but there’s a paranormal twist. And the cool thing is, this isn’t a fictional tale.
For the last dozen years or so, my family and I have been fortunate enough to have a summer hideaway on a lake to go to when the weather becomes hot and unbearable like now. There’s a story behind the history of this cottage that I still haven’t attempted to validate yet because, well, I like the mystery and suspense behind it.
I love getting away. I’m writing this post in the living room where it’s nice and cool – my excuse for beating the heat. LOL Maybe someday I’ll research the history of this house, but for now, I prefer to make up my own scenarios for the why’s and how’s.
My Aunt who now owns the cottage went to a psychic some years back after she and her husband bought the place. The psychic told her that the spirit of a Union soldier and his dog lived there. She said that William, as he was called, took his life in one of the four bedrooms upstairs. Now that is creepy, but why would he do that? Makes you wonder. At least it does me. Did the war take too much of a toll on him? And being a romantic, did he lose someone he loved?
The house was moved to where it stands now in the early 1900’s. From where, I don’t know. That’s another mystery I’d like to unravel. I believe it was build in the 1860’s. It’s completely feasible that it could’ve been William’s house. There’s only been one odd incident that made us all wonder if he has a sense of humor. We have two televisions and one day we couldn’t find the remote for one. When we came back the next time, both remotes were on the table. The psychic didn’t think that William was a mean spirit, but perhaps lonely. We’ll say hello to him and I like to think he’s watching over the place while it’s empty. And watching over us while we’re there. Though just to make sure he wouldn’t scare me, I prayed silently and asked him not to, that we weren’t there to cause any trouble, but to stay there in peace with him. And well, it’s worked so far.
I know that some don’t believe in hauntings, but for those who do, have you ever experienced anything paranormal good or bad? Did it frighten you? Have you traveled to any historical sites that are said to be haunted? And if so, did anything happen?

Bio:
Abbey MacInnis is a published author of Contemporary Western romance. Along with Contemporary, she writes Historical, Paranormal and erotic romance. Whether 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.
Visit me on
my website
my blog
Like me
Follow me on
Twitter
See what I’m reading at Good Reads

What's In a Name, Anyway?

Since this is a blog on history and/or historical romance, I thought it pretty apt to give a little information about how my pen name came about because there is both historical and personal relivance to it for me. :) I'm still in the process of researching my father's side of the family, but I know much more about my mother's side. I take great pride in my families. It's so cool to imagine how they might've lived, loved, struggled and overcome obstacles of their time. I've even gotten ideas for books based on some things I've learned. They might seem insignificant, but there's a romance story everywhere if you look closely as I'll explain later. :)
My real name obviously, isn't Abbey MacInnis. It was actually my Mom who thought of it for me. :) Koodos to her for that. :)
Abbey MacInnis comes from the maiden names of my grandmothers, both born and raised in Canada, but who, for various reasons migrated to the Detroit area and found husbands and started families of their own. My mother's family come from Antigonish Nova Scotia. I have second and third cousins who live all throughout Canada. My grandmother was the youngest of seven. She came to the US to take care of her older sister who was ill. Antigonish was mostly a farming community in the 40's and earlier, so jobs were hard to find.
My father's mother's family came to Detroit pretty much for the same reason. The car industry was booming then. People from all over North America were coming to Detroit to find work.
Abbey comes from my father's side of the family. That side is British and German. I'm still trying to research my father's side of the family, but one story I recall hearing from my grandmother before she passed away was that a Great Great grandfather (not sure how far back it goes), came from England in the 1700's. He was a physician who helped settle the territory.
I know a bit more about the MacInnis side, my mother's family. :)
They came from Scotland and settled in Nova Scotia, which in essence means "New Scotland." They arrived in Canada in the 1800's. My Great Great Grandfather spoke Gaelic. This too, is something my grandmother, my mother's mother has shared with me, so it's led me to conclude that perhaps my Great Great Grandfather might've come from Scotland. Or that perhaps his father did. :)
Here's where it gets really cool. :) My Great Grandfather, (still on the MacInnis side), served in WWI. Here's an original wood-framed black and white photo of him in his uniform.

One story my grandmother told me was one she wasn't supposed to overhear, but even as a kid, my Grandma was awesome even then. :)
She overheard her father talking to someone that he saw a German soldier. He was supposed to kill him, but the man was praying, so he didn't. I thought that was very honorable. Turns out that the two men crossed paths in a church after the end of the war, both recognizing the other.
The war took a toll on my Great Grandfather. He'd traveled from England to France to Germany on foot. Obviously conditions in the trenches were horrible, but he survived and returned to Nova Scotia.
Here's where the romance of my very long post comes in. :) I don't know if my Great Grandfather courted his wife before or after he returned from the war. I'm going to write a book centered around this though. Only a lake separated my Great Grandfather and Mother from each other. So instead of walking around the lake, he'd swim over to court her. How cool is that? :)
They married and raised a family. The Casket was the local paper. My Great Grandfather was a contributor to it for several years. I like to think that's where I got my love for writing.
On my trip to Nova Scotia in 2000 for our family reunion, I actually visited the house where my Grandmother grew up, and the grave site where her family's buried. It was a trip I'll never forget, and one I hope to repeat during my lifetime.
I'm so happy to have shared the meaning behind my pen name with you. :) I feel I'm honoring both sides of my family, and am proud I have ancestors who fought for their happiness and freedom and who lived good lives. :)

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.
Visit me on
my website
my blog
Like me
Follow me on
Twitter
See what I’m reading at Good Reads

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