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Old 04-28-2002, 11:48 AM
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Default Slang

Andy

Registered to :Aug 23, 2001
Messages :197
From :Massachusetts
Posted 29-01-2002 at 10:11
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These are slang terms that came into being during the Civil War.

Belly Robber - A cook.

Blizzard - An intense volley of musket fire.

Bow Legs - A cavalry man.

Boys of the Sod - Irish Brigades.

Cannon fever - A deserter.

Dead beat - Exempt from military action, even if in uniform.

Doughboy - A foot soldier. (I thought it was a WWI term.)

The Elephant - To see combat.

French fever - Syphilis.

Hospital bummer - One who fakes an illness or injury to say out of combat.

Grapevine - News mysteriously conveyed.

Mail carrier - A spy.

Quaker gun - A dummy or decoy canon.

Smart money - Money paid to a veteran who was wounded.

Son of a bitch - A term of contempt, or a term of enderment.

Tennessee quick step - Diarrhea.

Turkey shoot - An ambush.

Veteranize - To get out of the military.

*******
Got any more?


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David

Registered to :Aug 21, 2001
Messages :604
From :San Diego, CA.
Posted 29-01-2002 at 10:30
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There is a picture of quaker guns in the Civil War gallery. Here is the url Quaker Guns


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Tamaroa

Registered to :Aug 21, 2001
Messages :35
From :West Haverstraw, NY
Posted 29-01-2002 at 22:47
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Doing the "green apple polka" was also another term for diarrhea.
Hayfoot was a recruit - derived from the fact that illiterate boots had hay tied around one foot and straw on the other so they could tell the difference between left and right.

Not exactly PC but some southerner's called black troops "smoked Yankees".

Recruits were also known as "fresh fish".

A "house wife" was a sewing kit.


regards,
Bill
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