ALL THINGS CIVIL WAR

It seems that there is an almost inverse relationship between womens rights and participation in the economy and government ans the degree of "Primitiveness" of the society.Many "primitive" societies were matriarchal. In most Amerindian cultures for eg, all descendency is passed down through the mothers line rather than the father. Women were the keepers of everyhting. Perhaps that was a relict of hunter gathering"ism
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As far as hygiene Ive always been interested in "fixtures" and always was amazed at how the US, as opposed to France and Britain, had embraced the idea of personal hygiene far more openly. Especially in "polite society"
While the Victorians still considered a privy to be a necessary inconvenience and a tub "only for the help", the AMerican gilded agers were plowing twenty or more bathrooms into their multi acred houses.

I was reading a work on the "columbian exchange" and earlier transmisiital of goods rom the far reaches of the wolrld to Europe.
Sugar, when first made available , led to an unusual practice among middle "calssers" . They would blacken their teeth to show how they could afford such a luxury as sugar that could rot ones teeth. Ive verified that because on its own, it sounds really ridiculous.

I've read about the blackening of teeth for that reason, too. Anciently, the Japanese also blackened their teeth, at least those in the Imperial Court, or those who wished to appear to be members of the Imperial Court--i can't say why, though.

Before the spread of Christianity, there were two notable aspects of western European cultures which the church suppressed. One was the matralineal relationship. Contrary to what some rather dull-witted writers have suggested, this was not because they didn't understnad a man's part in reproduction, but rather was the discretion due in a culture where it would have been bad form to inquire into the matter of who the father is. So the "sister son" became an institution. It was not a woman's husband, but her brother who would make himself responsible for educating her sons and leaving them an inheritance. Whoever the father might have been, one knew the woman's brother was related by blood to her children.

The other was the concept that all inheritance is partible. This worked fine for the Kelt and the German as long as there were new lands to conquer, but, of course, it eventually meant that estates were reduced to a patchwork of small holdings, none of which would support a great house. Even as late as Charlemagne, the concept of partible inheritance was honored. He had been only one of the sons to inherit, and he gradually snapped up the entire inheritance. When he died, he divided the great kingdom among his sons. The church gradually imposed the notion of primogeniture to produce some economic and political stability.

I 've read that during the reign of Ivan the Terrible,
noble Russian women blackened their teeth.

Thanks. That's what these threads are all about. I didn't state my view. I presented Cohen's view.

Hey! JT, don't get me wrong. I'm diggin' all this new info.

You're a f....g hypocrite claiming you got no opinions after you posted p-l-e-n-t-y of opinions on Snoody's drug-infested thread. Want a link or can you find the thread on your own?

Your peasant cunning won't cut it. Your color will only get you so far and no further. Ditto for your bros.

**** you asswipe. All I said was that I was presenting Cohen's article for discussion so your feeble brain could focus on that before we had to deal with your Lincoln bullshit.
I'm aware of my opinions.

Jesus panzade!
What's got into you?
You apologize to Electro right now!

Oh all right

I 'm sorry for being rude electronic, ain't like me.

Well, 1862 had some nifty campaignsin the EAst and the West. We have the upcoming Peninsular Campaign, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, in the West we have the beginning of Grants strategy with the Ft Henry and Donaldson campaigns, Shiloh etc etc.
Course the south had some winners too, JAcksons Shenandoah (and MMassanuten) campaigns, second Bull Run. It oughta be an active year as we approach Feb and Ft Henry. 1862 was a very busy year when it came to battles and major skirmishes, everybody was sorta splayed out and different campaigns were taking shape

Anybody with any favorites should step us and give us the stories that they like. When its time, Id like to discuss the MAssanuten mountains and how JAckson used them to his benefit and how today, these areas remain treasure troves of Confederate artifacts

Massanuten Mountain--singular. He was able to exploit that brilliantly in his advance on Winchester because the weather was dry, and he used the mountain to hide his advance from Banks' army by marching on the dirt roads of the east of the mountain. When he began his retreat from Harper's Ferry, the spring rains had begun, and he used the Valley Turnpike, one of the few paved roads in the country, which was west of the mountain, to speed his retreat. Frémont came from the west, from the mountains, but Jackson was able to move fast enough to avoid being cut off. McDowell had sent two divisions under Shields and Ord from Fredericksburg to cut him off, but they were bogged down in the mud of the roads to the east of the mountain, the same roads over which Jackson had advanced rapidly weeks earlier, when they were dry.

This link will take you to the map Wikipedia provides for Jackson's Valley campaign. When you get there, you can expand the map, which is too big for this page.

Let us hope all the obsessed idiots don't come back to **** all over the thread again.

Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Mill Springs during which George Thomas' Federal Army defeated the army of George Crittenden. That army was commanded in the field by Felix Zollicoffer, who was killed in the battle. That victory was soon eclipsed in the mind of the public by the victories at Forts Henry and Donnelson. However, Thomas accomplished in eastern Kentucky what Grant had done in the west, did in one day's battle, and did it with his typical efficiency.

Thomas was, in my never humble opinion, the most competent and the most modern officer on either side in the war. Being a native of Virginia, he had no political influence. That, combined with his diffidence meant that he exercised no major independent command until after the battle of Chicamauga. A simple fact can show what a difference Thomas' thoroughness and modernity made, and that was how long it took for the news to get out. After the defeat of Zollicoffer's brigade, Thomas organized his troops, and prepared to advance the next morning. The survivors of Zollicoffer's brigade began to arrive in Crittenden's camp, a fortified camp which was also the depot for all of the military, public property in eastern Kentucky. Crittenden panicked and retreated, leaving all of the public property behind, and most of it was not burned, as it ought to have been, if Crittenden had been doing his job properly. Crittenden was soon accused of drunkenness (and even treason!) and was relieved of his command. Although casualties were light, his command was broken up, and the troops were effectively out of the war for months.

News of the defeat of Crittenden in two battles on January 10th and 18th did not reach the theater commander, Albert Sidney Johnston, for two weeks. Initial reports of victory were contradicted by northern newspapers, and Johnston was not assured of the outcome until officers arrived at his headquarters to demand the court martial of Crittenden. By contrast, Thomas laid telegraph wire wherever he went, and had wagons in his train with telegraph keys and telegraphers. Lincoln was informed of the outcome of Mill Springs that same evening.

Thomas had also mapped every road in the campaign area during his advance. Another wagon in his train carried the special printing press which was needed to print maps. Later, Thomas was to encounter two topographical engineers from the Coast and Geodetic Survey, and he managed to convince one of them to take a commission as Major, and join his staff. Thomas was prepared to exploit every advantage which the Union could afford--and with Lincoln's income tax, they could afford a lot.

Well heres to a hopeful year. Lotsa **** went on,

We need to put together a timeline of some of these cam[aigns and skirmishes.

George was John Crittendens son (the author of the Crittenden compromise) and brother of Thomas, a more decorated general (who fought for the Union whereas George was a CSA).

Thomas Crittenden and George Thomas both served under Rosecrans until the battle of Chickamauga. Crittenden was blamed for the defeat, but was later exonerated, and served in the Army of the Potomac.

I meant Thomas Crittenden was bro to George Crittenden , not George Thomas "The Rock of Chickamauga".Both were John Crittendens sons.

Yeah, i understood that.

Good pilot for new series. Myths and truths.
The day after Pickett's charge Grant took Vicksburg and Bragg abandoned Chattanooga.
http://www.civilwar.org/education/war-department/pilot.html