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A Brief History of Vivandieres
and
Cantinieres in the American Civil War
By Susan Lyons Hughes
* above image patriotic envelope depicting a
vivandiere,
collection of the author.
Vivandieres, sometimes known also as cantinieres, were interesting military
figures with a fascinating history. By whatever name they were called, women who
followed the army in a
quasi-military capacity have intrigued observers and attracted the notice of writers for
decades. The ideal
was an attractive young woman - perhaps the daughter of an officer or wife of a
non-commissioned officer -
wearing an attractive costume and braving the vicissitudes of battle to provide care for
a wounded soldier on
the battlefield. The reality was perhaps a bit less romantic; however vivandieres
have an interesting
history. * image at right is patriotic envelope depicting a vivandiere. This
envelope was cancelled at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee in June, 1862, collection of the
author.
The French Connection
Vivandieres first appeared under that name in French armies
during the Napoleanic
period. The army, intent upon reducing the number of camp followers and hangers-on,
restricted the number of
women following the army. However, in attempt to provide some of the same services to
the soldiers, the army
regularized and militarized the presence of a few women to serve as cantinieres or
vivandieres.
Army commanders were authorized to appoint one vivandiere or cantiniere per
regiment.1
In French army practice, the functions of vivandiere and
cantiniere were
somewhat different. Vivandieres were mainly confined to garrison camps or posts,
and served as a kind
of post sutler, selling food and drink to the troops. Cantinieres followed their
regiments on
campaign and in parade, providing food and drink, and often performing the job of nursing
ill or wounded
soldiers. In 1854, the name vivandiere officially replaced the term
cantiniere in the French
army.2Vivandieres of the Napoleonic armies wore no established
uniform, but were
distinguished by a cask containing spirits. Some army commanders took the initiative to
authorize uniforms
for vivandieres, and in many cases these were similar to the uniforms of the field
music of the
regiment, with the addition of a skirt worn over trousers, and, often, a white apron.
Illustrations of some
of these uniforms can be seen in a number of sources.3
Until the Franco-Prussian War of 1871-72, Napoleonic tactics,
uniforms, and practices were
the model by which all other western countries patterned their own armies, and the
influence of French
military practices was clearly apparent in the army of the United States throughout the
first half of the
19th century. The Crimean War of 1856-58 only strengthened the appeal of the
French military. In
part this was because the Crimean War was the first war to be photographed and widely
reported in newspapers.
In addition, American military leaders were sent to the Crimea to observe the British and
French armies in
action. Three years later, when civil war broke out in the United States, the lessons of
the Crimea - and
those of the French army - were still on the minds of military leaders, including General
George B.
McClellan, who had been an observer in the Crimea.
The most obvious "transplants" of French military practice
that took root in the
United States during the American Civil War were the volunteer regiments which adopted
the name and uniform
styles of the French "Zouave" and "Chausseur" regiments. Wearing
brightly decorated
uniforms that selectively and sometimes creatively borrowed elements of their French
antecedents, Zouave
regiments were formed in both Union and Confederate armies. Another instance of French
influence in
American regiments was the adoption of a woman who served as a vivandiere or
cantiniere. In
American military practice the names vivandiere and cantiniere came to be
used interchangeably,
and many women who fulfilled this function came also to be known as "the daughter of
the regiment."
The uniforms worn by vivandieres and cantinieres changed along with
fashions
of the day. The popular silhouette of the Napoleonic period, a high waistline and narrow
skirts, was
reflected in the costumes adopted by vivandieres in the same period. By the
mid-19th
century, waistlines had dropped to a natural level, and skirts were held away from the
body in much the same
manner that fashionable crinolines supported the skirts of fashionable women. * image at left is color lithograph of French cantiniere, circa
1855, collection of the author.
The earliest recorded photographs of vivandieres date from the
Crimean
War,4 and it is probable that images from that war were responsible for
popularizing many of the
French-inspired uniforms and customs including Zouave and Chausseur uniforms and
vivandieres in the
United States at the time of the American Civil War.
Vivandieres remained an established part of French armies until
after the
Franco-Prussian War in 1871-1872. It is notable that after the defeat of the French in
the Franco-Prussian
War, the United States Army adopted uniforms and practices much more in line with those
of the Prussian Army
- the victors - and abandoned the French-style uniforms of the Civil War period.
Vivandieres in the American Civil War
The dashing image of French soldiers, especially the Zouave regiments,
in the Crimean War,
captured the imagination of Americans in the 1850s, and, by 1859, several local militia
regiments had adopted
the name "Zouave," as well as interpretations of the colorful Zouave uniforms.
Some of these local
groups sported a vivandiere in their ranks.5 At the outbreak of the
American Civil War,
most regiments were organized as independent companies of troops, raised in a local area.
Some of these
companies selected their own uniforms and accoutrements without regard to regular army
practice. And some of
these regiments also selected a local lady to serve as "the daughter of the
regiment," the American
equivalent to the French vivandiere. The 49th Ohio, organized at Camp
Dennison, Ohio in
1861, was one such regiment:
At four o’clock on Monday evening, a dress parade was held, and Miss
Ella Gibson, the
daughter of Colonel Gibson was chosen Daughter of the Regiment. Captain Hays presented
the young Miss to the
soldiers and Col. Blackman on behalf of the regiment adopted her as its daughter. Col.
Gibson was then
called out and made speech of some length.6
Calculating the exact number of women who served in this capacity is
difficult, if not
impossible. Because the presence of vivandieres was not sanctioned by the
military establishment of
either army, women who served as vivandieres are rarely mentioned in official
records. Only in
regimental histories, post-war records and personal accounts do their names and
identities emerge. In any
case, the total number of women who served in this capacity is quite small.
One documented image of a Confederate vivandiere is in an image
of Coppens’
Louisiana Zouaves taken in May 1861. The lady pictured wears a uniform that consists of
full Zouave trousers,
a short but full skirt, short jacket, plumed hat, and apron.7 Another
Southerner, Lucy Ann Cox,
served as the daughter of the regiment with the 13th Virginia through the
surrender at Appomatox.
A monument to Cox was dedicated in 1894 in Fredericksburg, Virginia.8
There is more documentation of vivandieres serving with Union
regiments, although
many remain anonymous. Naturally, many served with Zouave regiments, the
114th Pennsylvania, for
example. The 39th New York, also known as the Garibaldi Guard, a popular New
York regiment, left
for war with six vivandieres. Some of the most well known vivandieres were
Marie Tepe of
Collis’ Zouaves, Kady Brownell of the 1st (later 5th) Rhode Island,
Bridget Divers of
the 1st Michigan Cavalry, and Annie Etheridge of the 3rd and 5th
Michigan. The
exploits of these women were recorded shortly after the Civil War by Frank Moore in
Women in the War,
by L.P. Brockett and Mary Vaughn in Women’s Work During the War, and by others.
These glowing
post-war accounts are filled with romantic language describing the noble deeds of these
women which have been
well-described in other sources. Despite the over-blown language of the immediate
post-war accounts,
however, the fact remains that the self-sacrifice and courage of these women saved lives
and provided care to
soldiers who might otherwise have had none.9 As one example alone, Tepe and
Etheridge were both
awarded the Kearny Cross after the Battle of Chancellorsville.10
The career of Marie Tepe (or Tebe, in some sources), has long fascinated writers.
"French Mary," as she was styled, served in the capacity of a vivandiere
with Collis'
Zoaves, the 114th Pennsylvania, receiving an ankle wound at Fredericksburg and
being awarded the
Kearny Cross after Chancellorsville. Tepe participated in many GAR activities and
post-war regimental
reunions after the war, proudly sporting the Kearney Cross on her uniform. Her injury
continued to plague
Tepe, and she apparently committed suicide by taking arsenic in 1901.11* photo at right is Kady Brownell of the 1st (later 5th) Rhode
Island, as depicted in Frank C. Moore, Women of the War, 1866.
Uniforms of Civil War Vivandieres
Uniforms of vivandieres in the American Civil War varied from
regiment to
regiment. All had in common a knee-length skirt worn over full trousers, a tunic or
jacket, hat, and some
military trim or designation. This style of costume was very similar to bathing and
gymnastic costumes
depicted in fashion magazines of the period, and was suitable for the outside exercise
required of
vivandieres who lived and marched with their regiments. There was probably a
great deal of variation
in trim and materials in the costume of vivandieres because there was no
standardization of uniform
for this non-official post. Sarah Taylor, the daughter of the First Tennessee (United
States Volunteers)
joined her stepfather's regiment at Camp Dick Robinson, Kentucky in 1861. When the
regiment marched away from
Camp Dick Robinson toward Camp Wildcat in September of that year, a reporter for the
Cincinnati Times
described her thus:
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…. She wore a blue blouse, and was armed with pistols, sword and
rifle.12
Eliza Wilson of the 5th Wisconsin appeared in a soldier's letter
wearing:
… clothes of such pattern as the military (not millinery) board have ordered
for nurses in the
army, which
is the Turkish costume….The color is bright brown; no crinoline; dress reaches half way
between the knee and
ankle; upper sleeve loose, gathered at the wrist; pantalettes same color, wide but
gathered tight around the
ankle; black hat with plumes or feathers of same color; feet dressed in morocco
boots.13
The vivandieres of the Garibaldi Guard were described as wearing
"feathered hats, jaunty red
jackets and blue gowns."14
The Role of Vivandieres in the American Civil War
Though non-essential to fighting regiments, vivandieres
performed some
important functions. The most important was as a nurse. With her cask of spirits or a
canteen of water, a
vivandiere gave a wounded or sick soldier immediate attention, comparable to a
modern triage
situation. Some vivandieres were well-armed for self-defense, such as Sarah
Taylor, who carried a
sword, rifle and pistols. Annie Etheridge carried two pistols, and Marie Tepe was also
armed with a pistol.
Among the deeds of valor performed by vivandieres were Kady Brownell's actions at
the battle of New
Bern, where, carrying the colors into battle, Kady ran with the flag to the center of the
field to show the
Union troops that the 5th Rhode Island was not the enemy.15
Often the vivandiere was the wife of a soldier or the daughter of an officer,
and the
"daughter of the regiment" commanded the respect of soldiers in ways that other
types of camp
followers could not. A soldier in the 5th Wi
The Daughter of the Regiment: A Brief History of Vivandieres and Cantinieres in
the American Civil
War
THESE ARE ARCHIVED PAGES OF THE OLD EHISTORY SITE click here for the NEW eHistory site These pages are not actively maintained and may have errors in content and functionality
A Brief History of Vivandieres
and
Cantinieres in the American Civil War
By Susan Lyons Hughes
* above image patriotic envelope depicting a
vivandiere,
collection of the author.
Vivandieres, sometimes known also as cantinieres, were interesting military
figures with a fascinating history. By whatever name they were called, women who
followed the army in a
quasi-military capacity have intrigued observers and attracted the notice of writers for
decades. The ideal
was an attractive young woman - perhaps the daughter of an officer or wife of a
non-commissioned officer -
wearing an attractive costume and braving the vicissitudes of battle to provide care for
a wounded soldier on
the battlefield. The reality was perhaps a bit less romantic; however vivandieres
have an interesting
history. * image at right is patriotic envelope depicting a vivandiere. This
envelope was cancelled at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee in June, 1862, collection of the
author.
The French Connection
Vivandieres first appeared under that name in French armies
during the Napoleanic
period. The army, intent upon reducing the number of camp followers and hangers-on,
restricted the number of
women following the army. However, in attempt to provide some of the same services to
the soldiers, the army
regularized and militarized the presence of a few women to serve as cantinieres or
vivandieres.
Army commanders were authorized to appoint one vivandiere or cantiniere per
regiment.1
In French army practice, the functions of vivandiere and
cantiniere were
somewhat different. Vivandieres were mainly confined to garrison camps or posts,
and served as a kind
of post sutler, selling food and drink to the troops. Cantinieres followed their
regiments on
campaign and in parade, providing food and drink, and often performing the job of nursing
ill or wounded
soldiers. In 1854, the name vivandiere officially replaced the term
cantiniere in the French
army.2Vivandieres of the Napoleonic armies wore no established
uniform, but were
distinguished by a cask containing spirits. Some army commanders took the initiative to
authorize uniforms
for vivandieres, and in many cases these were similar to the uniforms of the field
music of the
regiment, with the addition of a skirt worn over trousers, and, often, a white apron.
Illustrations of some
of these uniforms can be seen in a number of sources.3
Until the Franco-Prussian War of 1871-72, Napoleonic tactics,
uniforms, and practices were
the model by which all other western countries patterned their own armies, and the
influence of French
military practices was clearly apparent in the army of the United States throughout the
first half of the
19th century. The Crimean War of 1856-58 only strengthened the appeal of the
French military. In
part this was because the Crimean War was the first war to be photographed and widely
reported in newspapers.
In addition, American military leaders were sent to the Crimea to observe the British and
French armies in
action. Three years later, when civil war broke out in the United States, the lessons of
the Crimea - and
those of the French army - were still on the minds of military leaders, including General
George B.
McClellan, who had been an observer in the Crimea.
The most obvious "transplants" of French military practice
that took root in the
United States during the American Civil War were the volunteer regiments which adopted
the name and uniform
styles of the French "Zouave" and "Chausseur" regiments. Wearing
brightly decorated
uniforms that selectively and sometimes creatively borrowed elements of their French
antecedents, Zouave
regiments were formed in both Union and Confederate armies. Another instance of French
influence in
American regiments was the adoption of a woman who served as a vivandiere or
cantiniere. In
American military practice the names vivandiere and cantiniere came to be
used interchangeably,
and many women who fulfilled this function came also to be known as "the daughter of
the regiment."
The uniforms worn by vivandieres and cantinieres changed along with
fashions
of the day. The popular silhouette of the Napoleonic period, a high waistline and narrow
skirts, was
reflected in the costumes adopted by vivandieres in the same period. By the
mid-19th
century, waistlines had dropped to a natural level, and skirts were held away from the
body in much the same
manner that fashionable crinolines supported the skirts of fashionable women. * image at left is color lithograph of French cantiniere, circa
1855, collection of the author.
The earliest recorded photographs of vivandieres date from the
Crimean
War,4 and it is probable that images from that war were responsible for
popularizing many of the
French-inspired uniforms and customs including Zouave and Chausseur uniforms and
vivandieres in the
United States at the time of the American Civil War.
Vivandieres remained an established part of French armies until
after the
Franco-Prussian War in 1871-1872. It is notable that after the defeat of the French in
the Franco-Prussian
War, the United States Army adopted uniforms and practices much more in line with those
of the Pru
Vivandieres, sometimes known also as cantinieres, were interesting military
figures with a fascinating history. By whatever name they were called, women who
followed the army in a
quasi-military capacity have intrigued observers and attracted the notice of writers for
decades. The ideal
was an attractive young woman - perhaps the daughter of an officer or wife of a
non-commissioned officer -
wearing an attractive costume and braving the vicissitudes of battle to provide care for
a wounded soldier on
the battlefield. The reality was perhaps a bit less romantic; however vivandieres
have an interesting
history. * image at right is patriotic envelope depicting a vivandiere. This
envelope was cancelled at Cumberland Gap, Tennessee in June, 1862, collection of the
author.
The uniforms worn by vivandieres and cantinieres changed along with
fashions
of the day. The popular silhouette of the Napoleonic period, a high waistline and narrow
skirts, was
reflected in the costumes adopted by vivandieres in the same period. By the
mid-19th
century, waistlines had dropped to a natural level, and skirts were held away from the
body in much the same
manner that fashionable crinolines supported the skirts of fashionable women. * image at left is color lithograph of French cantiniere, circa
1855, collection of the author. 
The career of Marie Tepe (or Tebe, in some sources), has long fascinated writers.
"French Mary," as she was styled, served in the capacity of a vivandiere
with Collis'
Zoaves, the 114th Pennsylvania, receiving an ankle wound at Fredericksburg and
being awarded the
Kearny Cross after Chancellorsville. Tepe participated in many GAR activities and
post-war regimental
reunions after the war, proudly sporting the Kearney Cross on her uniform. Her injury
continued to plague
Tepe, and she apparently committed suicide by taking arsenic in 1901.11 * photo at right is Kady Brownell of the 1st (later 5th) Rhode
Island, as depicted in Frank C. Moore, Women of the War, 1866.