In the Massachusetts regiments their were two Vivandieres recorded, one was a young girl of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry
There was also a second within the Irish Regiments that has never been identified or traced to a particular regiment though she was recorded at the battle of Antietam.
Vivandieres were not employed but recognised by the Government and was not strictly fighting personnel in the ranks, some were often referred to as The Daughter of the Regiment being a wife or daughter of a officer or senior NCO.
Her job was to comfort the dying and wounded on the field and in camp she would have sold small comforts to the soldiers or written home for them and may have even undertaken the mending or washing of clothes for them for a small fee. |
The name Vivandieres and Cantineres had first appeared during the Napoleonic wars in the French armies, it was an attempt by French commanders to cut down on the camp followers selling all kinds of goods to the soldiers.
Consequently a small number of women were militarised to serve the troops. In 1853 when the Crimean war broke out as a consequence of Russia challenging Turkish influence in the Black Sea prompting England and France to back Turkey.
In 1854 military attaches along with newspaper reporters from America were sent to observe the French and English regiments in battle.
Reports from journalists along with the new technology of photography brought the first images of Vivandieres to be seen, this colourful uniform probably, inspired the uniform for the Vivandiere in the American Civil War five years later. |
