The Civil War Recipe Box: Johnnycakes

The other day, I booked a trip for my 21st birthday. Not one for drinking until I pass out, I will instead be traveling to the beautiful Fall River, Massachusetts and spending the night in Lizzie Borden's bedroom in the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast (what up). I can't wait for ALL THE HISTORY! And maybe I'll even befriend a ghost.

(Lizzie's Room - which I really want my room to look like)

While looking over the itinerary, it mentions how, the next morning, guests are served for breakfast the final meal the Borden family ate on the fateful morning of August 4, 1892. One of the listed specials was johnnycakes.

Johnnycakes are flat, cornmeal cakes that are baked or fried on a griddle. They originated as a staple food in the states around 1600. As I mentioned, they were eaten in the Borden house and, as the title of this blog hints, they were eaten years earlier during the American Civil War. Though they were eaten all across the United States, the peak of their popularity was in the Northeast.

The recipe for johnnycakes is very simple and quite fun if I do say so myself. I have made the dish before and found the cakes to my liking.

Ingredients:

1 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of ground yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 cup of milk
2 TB of butter

Toppings:

Syrup, molasses, or preserves can be used. The Lizzie Borden house provides powdered sugar and cinnamon as well.

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Combine the cornmeal, salt, boiled water, and milk in a medium bowl and stir well.
Melt the 2 TB butter in a skillet or a cast iron griddle over medium heat.
Pour 1 TB of batter into the skillet like a pancake to cook.
Let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until the edges are light brown in color. (Use a spatula to turn them).
Serve them hot with your choice of toppings.

That's it. If you make johnnycakes, or have tried them before, leave a comment below and tell us what you thought of them, what your favorite toppings are, or even a photo.

Until next time.

XOXO, Kate

William Sherman: The Original Wrecking Ball

As much as this is a historical blog where I like to share facts and stories about the American Civil War, sometimes I throw in a short post for humorous reasons. Plus, I'm in the mood to laugh tonight after all my multi-murderer research.

Oh, speaking of multi-murderers, last week I opened a blog about America's first documented serial killer (sometimes known as the Chicago World's Fair Serial Killer) Dr. Henry Howard (H.H.) Holmes. You can check out my "Mistress of the Murder Castle" blog here:

http://murdercastlemistress.blogspot.com/

Since it just went live, it only has two posts at the moment. However, I'll be adding more soon.

Anyway, back to the Civil War. I was listening to "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus this afternoon. Yes, I'll admit that I was listening to the "new" Miley. Though I don't care for most of her newer songs, sometimes I find a winner that sticks in my head. Of course my mind took the lyrics and gave them a historical spin. For some reason, the line "I came in like a wrecking ball" made me think about William Sherman, his March to the Sea, and the burning of Atlanta. Then I made this.

William Sherman: The Original Wrecking Ball

Until next time.

XOXO, Kate

I am, To You, A Stranger

Happy Valentine's Day :)

I'll admit it. Though I've always been single on Valentine's Day (sometimes a counselor to my friends) I'm a sucker for romance. Plus, being a historian, I love reading and writing stories about historical couples.

For example, in one of the confessions of HH Holmes, he professes a love for Minnie Williams. Yes, I'm well aware that he killed her eventually but I thought it was very romantic (that may be a bit strange but whatever). The following was a snippet from a conversation I had with one of my professors about it.

Me: See? He did have a soul.

Professor: Or he was lying to gain sympathy.

Me: It was a romantic sentiment. Don't ruin it for me.

Anyway, for many reasons, the heart of one of my favorite historical relationships beat during the American Civil War. The story of the love that existed between a northern belle and a southern sympathizer. The story of John Wilkes Booth and Lucy Lambert Hale.

(Just a note, neither of these pictures were taken during the Civil War. The photo of John was taken around the time of his first Richmond engagement in 1858. The photo of Lucy has never been dated but it was probably taken around the time she married William Chandler in 1874).

 

It is unknown when John and Lucy first met but it was most likely in 1862. Both had rooms in the National Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC and may have met in or around that location. They were independent, vivacious, bold, forward thinking, and liked having control. In each other, John and Lucy met their match and carried out a loving, passionate, and sometimes intense relationship that mixed both love and war. In 1863, John proposed to Lucy and they were engaged to be married come 1865.

 

John's death (and the following events) crushed Lucy and sent her into a deep depression that lasted for the rest of her life (she died in 1915 at the age of 74. She was a mere 24 years old in 1865. He was 26). Her mourning gown was, in fact, her wedding gown dyed black. She wrote a letter to Edwin Booth, John's older brother, confessing she would have married John even at the foot of the gallows. Edwin mentioned this letter when he wrote to his sister, Asia Booth Clarke, "I have had a heart-broken letter from the poor little girl to whom he had promised so much happiness."

 

 

Most of the personal papers (diaries, letters) belonging to John and Lucy were burned and few pieces remain in existence today. Due to this, the timeline detailing the courtship of John and Lucy is somewhat fuzzy. For example, some historians speculate that John did not meet Lucy until 1865 due to a note written in Asia Booth Clarke's "Unlocked Book."

"He gave the greater part of a day to the torturing composition of a valentine acrostic to send to the lady of his love. Junius tried to be serious over his poetic agonies, but they recalled the labors of the boy at school, and now it seemed as difficult to invent as it had been to remember. Unheeding the amusement he caused, he persevered, even through the night, and the next morning he triumphantly read out his easy flowing verses; the result of his lubrication was a success. The following passage from a letter by Junius Booth after he and Wilkes had returned to New York alludes to this valentine."

"John (Wilkes) sat up all Monday night to put Miss H's Valentine in the mail, and slept on the sofa so as to be up early; kept me up last night till 3 1/2 AM to wait while he wrote her a long letter - kept me awake by every now and then using me as a Dictionary."

-Asia Booth Clarke and Junius Booth Jr.

It's impossible that John and Lucy could have first met in February of 1865. Among other reasons, he attended Abraham Lincoln's Second Inauguration as her guest in March of 1865 and it would have been unlikely for her to have brought him if they had just met.

The letter Asia and Junius speak of no longer exists. However, there is a Valentine's Day letter that has survived the test of time. The note, probably written around 1862, was very short and did not resemble the longer letter Asia referred to. Furthermore, it was signed anonymously (John wrote his name as "A Stranger"). John had gone out once with Elizabeth Hale, Lucy's older sister, and having felt no attraction to her, was trying to woo Lucy, who he had become smitten with. However, communications became misunderstood between them and she began toying with him by acting as if he didn't exist.

"Ever since our little dining room debacle, I’ve imagined that he fell of the face of the Earth and have treated his presence in my life as such. And that is a rather large presence considering we are in the same hotel and he has apparently memorized my daily routines."

-Lucy Hale (from my in-progress book about her)

This first Valentine's Day note was written before the beginning of their courtship and was one of John's final efforts to win Lucy's heart.

My dear Miss Hale,

Were it not for the License which a time-honored observance of this day allows, I had not written you this poor note...You resemble in a most remarkable degree a lady, very dear to me, now dead and your close resemblance to her surprised me the first time I saw you. This must be my apology for any apparent rudeness noticeable.

To see you has indeed afforded me a melancholy pleasure, if you can conceive of such, and should we never meet nor I see you again-believe me, I shall always associate you in my memory, with her, who was very beautiful, and whose face, like your own I trust, was a faithful index of gentleness and amiability. With a Thousand kind wishes for your future happiness

I am, to you,

A Stranger

Finally, John was successful. Lucy fell in love with the letter and eventually (when he revealed himself) with the author. He and Lucy would begin a courtship soon after, eventually become engaged, and remain together until his death in 1865.

Sometimes, when I look up from my writing and catch a glimpse of the photos of John and Lucy on my desk, I say a prayer they have found each other again.

Until next time.

 

XOXO, Kate

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Before I explain the obvious Frozen reference in the title, I have an announcement to make. My little blog has gotten 1,002 views since it opened! WOOHOO! It may seem like a small feat to all you blog veterans but, for a first time blogger, I consider this a major milestone. This is how I feel right now.

X 10...million :D

Anyway, between "snow-pocalypse" moving in and having the soundtrack to Frozen stuck in my head, I decided to post about how snow affected Civil War soldiers. Just like today, it snowed in the winter months of the Civil War. Snow didn't stop just because fighting was happening.

Aside from locking a bayonet onto a rifle and charging into a sea of death, camping in the winter was one of the hardest trials a soldier had to face. Roads became almost impossible to use and lack of activities to pass the time caused overwhelming amounts of boredom. Supplies, including food and medicine, were unable to get through the elements and many soldiers died of disease while encamped. In fact, more soldiers died in camps than on battlefields. Although winter was a time to settle down, bond with fellow soldiers, and have some fun, the winter months were also bleak, long, and a struggle for both warmth and survival.

"The view is wild, bleak, and desolate"

-George McClellan (155th Pennsylvania Infantry)

During warmer months, soldiers slept in canvas tents or wrapped in blankets on the ground. In winter, they settled into more permanent forms of lodging. "Winter huts" were built with nearby materials like trees, mud, and leaves. Some even included fireplaces. However, these were not cozy abodes. Many had serious construction problems.

"Last night was very stormy – this morning no better. Our house leaks all over, and our chimney works badly, which make things rather uncomfortable."

-Lieutenant Charles Stewart (124th New York Volunteers)

Winter camps resembled run down villages of sorts. Some had street names and even a place of worship. However, the camps lacked clean water and proper waste disposal. Disease spread faster than rats in a tenement house and death usually followed in the wake.

As I mentioned before, food and medicine grew scarcer as the war went on. When the roads became slick with ice, snow, or mud, supply wagons had trouble traversing the frozen terrain. The Confederate troops suffered much more than their northern enemies since they were under lockdown and being starved by the blockade.

"Within a few hours of Washington, men are dying of scurvy because they haven’t transportation enough to give us potatoes & onions. Some of my men are in a horrible state."

-Captain Henry Livermore Abbott (20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry)

Boredom among the troops was a constantly pressing issue. To combat it, soldiers established day to day activities including drilling, camp cleaning, religious services, letter writing, card games, and sharing stories. Another popular game that all ranks of soldiers gleefully participated in was snow ball battles.

"There is a string band in the regiment, and occasionally they have a serenade around the different companies and call out the Colonel and captains to make them a speech, which is generally responded to."

-Sergeant Henry G. Orr (12th Texas Cavalry)

As with all war related events, winter during the American Civil War the seemed neither romantic or heroic. Even when soldiers didn't have to load a gun for battle, they still had to struggle for survival.

"We bivouac on the cold and hard frozen ground, and when we walk about, the echo of our footsteps sound like the echo of a tombstone. The earth is crusted with snow, and the wind from the northwest is piercing our bones. We can see our ragged soldiers, with the sunken cheeks and famine glistened eyes."

-Sam Watkins (First Tennessee Regiment)

Until next time.

XOXO, Kate

(Quotes, photos, and inspiration taken from www.civilwar.org)

Asia Booth Clarke

Those that know me know that, while I love studying the actual American Civil War, my main fascination is in the Lincoln Assassination and Conspiracy. That being said, I'm always on the lookout for new information, whether it be photographs or newspaper accounts, that I've never seen before.

Last night, I stumbled on this photo of Asia Booth Clarke, John Wilkes Booth's older sister.

 

There is a sketch of her full body as seen here.

 

 

However, that picture I have not yet found.

 

I only photo I have seen of Asia that is similar to the first is this one.

 

 

The photo is a vignette, meaning it is cropped to show only her face. If you look closely, you'll notice that her hat and dress are the same. Same buttons, same collar, same flower looking thing on the collar. However, and this might just be me, but her facial expression looks different when you compare the two images. She looks more serious in the second, cropped version. The most likely explanation is that these are two different images taken during the same photography session. If you look at images of her young brother, John Wilkes, you will find quite a few different images from the same set.

 

Anyway, I was excited to find a new, very cool image and wanted to share it with you all. Tomorrow I visit Edwin Booth's Players Club to conduct some research. Maybe I'll find the photo of Asia that the sketch was taken from on display there. Wish me luck :)

 

Until next time.

 

XOXO, Kate 

The Sun: Public Enemy #1

I just noticed that I don't have a post on Civil War fashion yet. So while home from class due to snow, I decided to compare clothing for women in the Civil War and clothing for women now.

In all seriousness, I have no idea how women wore all those layers without fainting or suffering from heatstroke every single day. Women probably lived for the winter months when the air was blanketed with chill. Summer, when it could reach about 100 degrees, must have been brutal. And unlike modern women who change their wardrobe with every season, female clothing in the Civil War didn't alter much from spring through winter.

The sun must have been the worst enemy of all women. I know that parasols were supposed to keep the sun off and fans provided some (SOME) bursts of cool air. However, I have personally used both options and can tell you that parasols will not block every single ray of sun, fans will make you hotter once your wrist is sore and you stop moving. It's simple math even I can understand. Layers + more layers = trapped body heat.

Now, I know there are many women who wish to go back in time just to wear all the amazing clothing. And I will admit that I am one of them (although I reenact as a soldier). But while I love hoops, bustles, and all the dresses Rose wears in Titanic, I wish I could have them all in my closet so I could wear them in front of my air conditioner.

So, without further ado, here is my "Clothing Comparison." It will make you glad you don't live in the Civil War era in August.

2014:

Wore: Short (mid-thigh), one shoulder dress from Mandee and sandals.

Time to dress: 3 1/2 minutes

Verdict: Almost died in summer heat.

1865:

Stockings: Before the time of ankle socks or going sockless in flats, almost every woman wore stockings. The lone exception was being too poor to afford them. Stockings were usually made of silk or cotton depending on the wealth and status of the woman wearing them. Black stockings were commonly used for everyday and white stockings were usually found at balls. Yes, there were specific colors for specific occasions.

Chemise: The chemise resembled a plain nightgown that was short sleeved and about mid-calf length. It was the basic undergarment that served the purpose of barrier between body oils and the corset. Most were made of cotton and white in color. Because this garment got the dirtiest, it was washed the most often. Laundry was horrible on fabrics since there were no special detergents or fabric softeners. Colors would bleed off the fabric and white didn't show the wear caused by washing.

Drawers: Think of this as the cousin to modern day underwear. However, underwear in 1865 is not the same as underwear in 2014 that you buy at Victoria's Secret. Drawers were tied around the waist with a drawstring and fit like baggy pants. Remember those gaucho pants all the girls used to wear? (I bought a pair after the trend fell by the wayside so I wouldn't be in the same pants as every other girl at my school). Anyway, the difference between drawers and modern underwear was that drawers were crotchless. (Although I think they still sell similar styles at all the hooker shops in Hollywood). The reason for this design feature was that women did not remove clothing to go to the bathroom. They would just lift their dress. These were also made of white cotton. Some might have had some lace around the hem of the legs.

Shoes: Yes, shoes had to go on early since, once corsets and hoops were on, a woman could not bend over enough to put on shoes. You could try but it would be really uncomfortable. Ladies shoes consisted of either boots or slippers depending on the occasion. Boots were worn during the day and fastened with buttons on the side. Lace up boots came later. (Take notes, Robert Redford. Robin Wright's shoes in The Conspirator were totally not authentic). Boots had little to no heel so there would be less strain on the ankles and back when walking. Unless you were going somewhere by carriage, train, or horseback, you were walking. Slippers resembled modern day ballet shoes and were worn to formal events as they were easy to dance in. They were very delicate and were not made to be worn everyday. But because it was not proper for women to lift the hems of their dresses very high, shoes were rarely seen.

Corset: When I say corset, I do not mean the Barbie pink one from Frederick's of Hollywood. Those are not constructed in the same way because they are meant to look pretty, not to achieve a certain body shape. A corset was one of the most important structural foundation pieces that a woman would wear because it helped achieve that famous silhouette you see in Civil War era pictures. Most women wore corsets on a daily basis.

Corset Cover: Because it was difficult to wash a corset, the corset cover did what the title states. It prevented color or dirt from rubbing off onto the corset. There were many different variations. For example, some buttoned in the front and some bore a resemblance to the modern tank top.

Petticoats: There were a few layers of petticoats. First was the under petticoat. It was worn over the chemise and drawers and under the hoop. This was useful for keeping warm during the winter. Another petticoat was worn over the hoops. Then there were the over petticoats. One or two over petticoats would be worn on top of the hoop so that the boning and lines wouldn't show. These too were petticoats made of white cotton. However, quilted petticoats made for better warmth in the winter.

Hoops: The staple of the Civil War era look. Most hoops were not a perfect round shape. There was a bigger part in the back to give dresses the appearance of having trains. Yes, hoops could be rather large. However, most were widened due to the number of petticoats underneath them. And despite the myth that only rich women could afford hoops, most women owned at least one.

Corded Petticoat: This is not another layer. However, it can be interchanged with the hoop. Working women who didn't have servants or volunteered in camps could not wear hoops. They were a serious fire hazard and hard to work in. Corded petticoats were stiffer in order to give dresses some shape but were not a danger around open fires or in the chaos of base hospitals. However, corded petticoats were not worn in the presence of company. If someone were to visit, a hoop would be worn. Think of it as the modern version of those "working sweats."

Dress: Finally. The dress. Most came in two pieces, bodice and skirt, because it was easier to put on two pieces and not one giant piece. Like modern women, Civil War era women had dresses for different occasions. A work dress would just be worn around the home since no one wanted to stain their best gown. Nicer dresses would be worn out. The fanciest garments would be shown at formal events. Ball gowns usually laced up in the back and required some assistance to put on. Yes, there was some assembly required. Day dresses tended to button in the front. And "Civil War era" didn't mean women had no fashion sense. Just like today, there were trends, magazines, and an overwhelming sense of style. Because the basic shape of dresses did not differ from woman to woman, decorations, embellishments, and fabrics choices all showcased personal style.

Outerwear: No matter the season, women always wore a hat or bonnet, a pair of gloves, and some kind of shawl or cloak. The season didn't matter. Being modest in public did. Summer shawls were usually thinner and cloaks in the winter were heavier to keep out the cold. Fur was also a popular winter choice and many women owned at least one piece that featured it. Remember that there was no PETA.

Time to dress: Depending on what you were wearing, it could take maybe 15 to 20 minutes to dress.

Verdict: I'll go with WTF for 300, Alex. Seriously, how woman survived wearing all these clothes is beyond me. While soldier uniforms aren't much cooler, they are not as restrictive and I've learned a few tricks for keeping cool. So even though I love Civil War era clothing for women, I also love my air conditioner to keep me from passing out :)

Until next time.

XOXO, Kate

You Are Looking for Who?

While looking on eBay to see if there were listed items connected to the Lincoln Conspiracy, I found someone selling an authentic John Wilkes Booth Wanted Poster. For those familiar with the TV show Pawn Stars, you may remember the episode it was featured on.

However, there were a few different versions of the poster printed in 1865. The one being sold now does not have the pictures of Booth, John Surratt, and David Herold at the top. I'm not sure if any of those still exist, but that's the one I would purchase.

Viewing the poster, I noticed that the description of Herold was changed once again. Although the descriptions of Booth and Surratt remained almost unchanged, the one for Herold was rewritten for each new printing. (His name was also spelled wrong. It was David E. Herold but written as David C. Harold). I started searching around for images of the different posters and comparing each description. (Yes, that is what I do for fun).

I realized that without the photos that were added to later posters, the descriptions given of the men might not have been as helpful as the Union thought.

When I was younger, I used to love watching the show Cyberchase on PBS Kids. In one of the episodes, the three main characters go looking for the main villain. They were in this monster town and asked if anyone had seen a man with green skin wearing a cape. They ended up finding Dracula due to using general words to describe the person they were searching for. In a similar sense, many men were, and continue to be, mistaken for Booth because they have the same characteristics as those listed on the wanted poster.

Here are a few different versions of the John Wilkes Booth Wanted Poster.

 

 

 

The first was one of the original posters. It offered a $30,000 reward and was designed by Lafayette Baker, not Secretary of War Stanton. This version gave a longer description of Booth and one of the still unknown Lewis Powell. He had attacked Secretary of State Seward. The other two gave the same description of Booth and listed the full $100,000 reward. Also note that most of the description space went to John Surratt and not Booth. The last one featured pictures.

 

However, there was a problem with the earlier posters because they used descriptions alone. This was one of the reasons innocent men were lynched after being mistaken for Booth. Unless someone had met Booth, it was hard to locate him based only on those descriptions. Yes, Booth was a famous actor. That didn't mean everyone in the country knew him or had seen him. Furthermore, lots of men had the same build or hair color as Booth.

Here is the description of Booth on the Stanton designed poster without the pictures. The one written by Baker was not around for very long since, among other issues, it failed to produce leads.

"Booth is five feet 7 or 8 inches high, slender build, high forehead, black hair, black eyes, and wears a heavy black moustache."

 

That is not John Wilkes Booth. However, Herman Mudgett (alias H.H. Holmes) was five feet eight inches tall, had a slender build, wavy black hair, and a black moustache.
 



 

Samuel Arnold was one of Booth's co-conspirators. Notice that he had almost all the same characteristics as his boss. 

 

 

The seller of this image claims it's of Booth. It's not. However, this man also had similar features to the actor turned assassin.

 

And depending on how heavy a person thought a heavy moustache was, the description even described Robert Todd Lincoln, President Lincoln's eldest son.

 

Sometimes descriptions can be too general. In the case of Booth, they were. It wasn't until patrolling Union soldiers started showing photos of Booth that they got answers. In the end, it was Booth's picture, not his written description, that helped lead the 16th New York Cavalry to him. Maybe that's why they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

Until next time.

XOXO, Kate