Hookers Girls and the Idahoe Sex in the

Hooker’s Girls, and the Idahoe Sex in the Civil War

Really…? • Most of this information is drawn from a well written and researched monograph titled – “The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell – Sex in the Civil War” – Author – Thomas P. Lowry, M. D.

Sex was common… • Sex was common in the 19 h Century. –Families had larger numbers of children than they do now, which by way of reason tells you that sex was common.

But, how gross…?

Average Age? • The average Civil War soldier was 18 -29 years old. Prime of Life, not some old man… • Sex, either the act alone, or thinking/ writing/ drawing about it occupied the time of soldiers when they weren’t fighting.

Proof? • Letters and diaries home that include information about sex are rare. – Why? – Probably were not rare then. – Edited by descendants who were embarrassed. – “Lost”…

Code? • Soldiers also wrote using euphemisms or doublespeak that concealed the meaning of their real message.

Butter? • Sam Watkins, “Company Aytch”, 1 st Tennessee (C. S. ) • Chapter 8 (Please Pass the Butter) 3: 20: 00 in Book 1 of 5

“The Oldest Profession” • Prostitution is often called the Oldest Profession • “camp followers” have been with armies since Biblical times. • Main physical outlet for soldiers to have sexual relations was through visiting a prostitute.

Common Myth… • You’ve heard the term “Hooker”… • Meet Union General Joseph Hooker… • “Hooker’s Divisions” was a term applied to the women who followed his military camps.

Prostitutes Average of a prostitute was 23 years old. Records exist of prostitutes being as young as 14 -15 years old.

Where? • Prostitutes didn’t often follow armies around while they were fighting. • Large cities had many. – Washington D. C. – Nashville TN – Memphis TN

When? • While soldiers were on “leave” • or “Detached Duty” • or stationed in the city • or AWOL

How Much (often)? • One record shows one soldier owed a “girl of the night” $40. 00 for “services rendered” • He earned $13 per month for being a soldier.

The Problem? • Venereal Disease. • Gonorrhea and Syphilis were the main diseases. • 73, 368 Union Soldiers were diagnosed with syphilis.

Secondary Syphilis • Union Soldier with symptoms of Stage Two syphilis. • That is not a beard.

Another Unhappy VD Victim

The Cure? • No “cure” until 1908 • “French Envelopes” – Condoms – Rare • Army tried to control prostitutes – Two different methods

Controlling Prostitution – The East • Washington D. C. • Rows and rows of brothels appeared across the street from the unfinished Capitol building. • Prostitutes were everywhere. • So were soldiers.

The Unfinished Capitol Dome

Call the Provost! • Military Police (The Provost) would capture “Hooker’s Girls” and put them in jail. • They would buy their way out of jail (Pay Bail) • Be “back in business” later the same day.

Controlling Prostitution – The West • Nashville, TN. • When the Union occupied Nashville, they followed the D. C. plan for controlling the Oldest Profession. • Then they tried shipping the girls out of town. • This did not work!

A New Plan…Legalize it! • Nashville and Memphis TN • Union Medical Authorities set up a system of Medical Regulation of prostitution which required that a prostitute get a medical examination every 14 days.

A License…for WHAT? • If they passed inspection, they were given a Certificate of health which allowed them to be “open for business”.

But, What if they Failed? • They were sent to the Hospital set up to deal with venereal disease, • Hospital Number 11 was the Women’s Venereal Disease Hospital.

Hospital Number Eleven

The Results? • Reduced the number of disease cases for both prostitutes and soldiers • Allowed the “trade in flesh” to continue. • Nashville, followed by Memphis, was America’s first attempt at legalized prostitution.

Nevada, you say? • The second attempt, and only current attempt, is the legalized trade in Nevada. • Currently in the legalized prostitution in Nevada, NOT ONE SINGLE case of AIDS has been found.

Homosexuality? • The term “homosexual” appeared in 1895 • The term “gay” began to mean “homosexual” around 1950. • Few terms then meant what we mean by “homosexual”

Numbers…math. • Modern Doctors say the rate of homosexuality is between 1 and 10 percent. – between 1 and 10 people in every 100 are attracted to the same sex. – with 1 percent as a number, it seems that 25, 000 soldiers on the Union side could have been attracted to men.

Conclusions? Image –John Billings – Titled “Spooning”

“In the Navy…” • Homosexuality was not allowed in the military then (or now) • 3 pairs of Union Sailors were tried by courts martial for intercourse with the other, and sentenced to prison. • There’s more…

Racism, even in this… • The military forms for this crime (homosexuality) state that white men charged with the crime shall be held for examination. • Blacks charged with the crime shall be held for trial.

Conclusion of this Power. Point… • Soldiers in the 1860 s were human, and experienced life as all other humans do. • Do not forget that the people who fought this conflict felt the same pain as you, the same sorrow, the same fear, and, apparently, the same “urges”… • That in mind, soldier life can be understood a bit better.