Image courtesy of the Library of Congress
Vivandière Amelia Riliseh (fourth from the left) at Coppen's Battalion in Pensacola, Florida
Last month’s Pastimes column was about Jennie Hodgers, aka Albert Cashier, a woman who fought in the Civil War masquerading as a man. She was not alone. Several hundred other women have been found who also disguised themselves as men in order to serve. About half of them were wounded in battle. Most were motivated by adventure, patriotism, and money, but some joined to be near their husbands or boyfriends.
Other women managed to accompany the armies without disguise. Sometimes, officers’ wives were allowed to be in camp, and women were employed as nurses and washerwomen. Then there were the vivandières, or “daughters of the regiment.”
Vivandières were not camp followers but rather official members of a unit who often wore uniforms and performed myriad duties for the soldiers. They were a French army custom, so it was natural that several Louisiana units went to war accompanied by vivandières.
When the 14th Louisiana passed through Augusta, Georgia, on its way to Virginia, a reporter wrote, “A really beautiful and exquisitely formed lady, a vivandière, of the 14th Louisiana regiment, was in the city this morning and created considerable curiosity on the streets. She is in company with several officers of the regiment. She is dressed in full costume—short dress, &c.,—and is very beautiful.”57
Coppens’ Battalion, a unit from New Orleans that adopted the colorful French Algerian Zouave uniform, also enrolled vivandières. One correspondent observed that the Zouaves “had the good taste” to bring women with them to Pensacola, Florida, to wash, cook, and clean their quarters. Earlier, it was reported that a “good looking” vivandière had accompanied the Zouaves when they assembled at the New Orleans City Hall for a flag ceremony. She reportedly marched behind the band and drew much attention from the crowd of onlookers.
Coppens’ Battalion had three vivandières, but the identity of only two are known: Mrs. William Clark, whose husband was a veteran of the Crimean War and served as the battalion’s orderly sergeant, and Miss Amelia Riliseh, who carried the unit’s flag to Pensacola.
Riliseh appears in a famous photograph taken of the Zouaves standing in formation at Pensacola. The photograph shows her wearing a distinctive outfit, but it is not known if the other two vivandières were similarly dressed. A newspaper reporter described Riliseh’s uniform as being “unique and pretty—pair of high heel shoes, over the top of which shine white gaitor tops, above these are tight fitting pieces of leather extending to the knee; there they unite with red, white drawers; they have a blue skirt with red border from waist to their knee and a blue jacket from waist to neck. On the head is a little hat with a feather in it.” Riliseh can also be seen wearing a sword.
Wheat’s Battalion, the original Louisiana Tigers, is also known to have had vivandières. Just before the First Battle of Manassas, a Virginia officer wrote, “A wagon passed by with four women in it, belonging to Col. Wheat’s ‘Louisiana Tigers,’ all dressed up as men. I presume they are vivandières from New Orleans. They are disgusting looking creatures that have followed the camp. They are being moved back to a safer place in anticipation of an attack.”
One of Wheat’s vivandières was Lavinia Williams, who appeared at charity benefits after the First Battle of Manassas to help raise money to care for the battalion’s wounded men. In reporting on one of Williams’ appearances, a South Carolina newspaper informed its readers that she demonstrated the Louisianans’ knife-fighting techniques. “She is a very strong looking woman and tells with perfect nonchalance of killing Yankees and the like. You may depend on it, the children crowded to see her, dressed as she was in the gay costume of her vocation.”
Rose Rooney was also identified as a Louisiana vivandière who served as a cook and nurse with the company known as the Crescent (City) Blues. Her company was assigned to the 49th Virginia Infantry just a few days before the First Battle of Manassas, and during the fight she was said to have torn down a rail fence while under heavy fire to allow an artillery battery to enter the battle. The Crescent (City) Blues eventually became part of the 15th Louisiana, and Rooney remained on duty throughout the war.
Catherine Hodges, a vivandière in the 5th Louisiana’s Monroe Guards, had the distinction of being the first woman buried in Hollywood Cemetery, the final resting place of 12,000 Confederate dead in Richmond, Virginia. She died in Richmond on April 7, 1862, while nursing the wounded. In 1903, the Richmond Times Dispatch wrote of her, “She made the camp and march merry for the men when alive, and dying, chose to be buried with her comrades. We dare say there is material there for a good story.” Unfortunately, it is a good story that has gone unrecorded.
Dr. Terry L. Jones is a professor emeritus of history at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. An autographed copy of “Louisiana Pastimes,” a collection of the author’s stories, costs $25. Contact him at tljones505@gmail.com
