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RedFraggle
Mohicanite
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 13 2006
Status: offline
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 Posted - March 15 2011 : 09:29:10 AM
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I'm indulging in a fun little project, purely for my own interest, that's in need of some fact-checking. I'm trying to find out more about fort life in the 18th century, especially living quarters, the presence of women, how married officers were accommodated---general daily life stuff. Good pictures of barracks and other rooms would be a plus, but I'm not finding much on the web. Can anyone recommend any good books about 18th-century fort life?
Thanks! 
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
November 27 2002
Status: offline
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 Posted - March 20 2011 : 4:15:18 PM
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| I'm still searching for some of that stuff, as well, Red. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a lot out there, at least that I know about. I was hoping Seamus would weigh in here... |
"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been." |
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RedFraggle
Mohicanite
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
October 13 2006
Status: offline
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Posted - March 20 2011 : 11:39:27 PM
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I ordered a couple of books through interlibrary loan that look promising, WW. I'll let you know how they turn out. One is supposed to be an archaeology book about the material culture of the British army during the F&I war. Supposedly there is a lot of daily life stuff in it. We'll see!
I'm really interested in how the women were accommodated. I was looking at some data on Ft. Cumberland, for instance, and one source said that there were quarters enough for 200 enlisted men, bunked 7-8 per room. For officers, there were 2 separate buildings, plus 3 more rooms, designated as officers' quarters, but even the officers had to share living space with one another. There were no private quarters, and no separate quarters for married officers. I guess a wife simply shared a bunk with her husband in the usual common living quarters, but I'd like to know how they maintained any sense of decency or privacy, in a room full of other people. And where the heck did a married couple put any kids born to them? The mind boggles.... |
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Monadnock Guide
Council of Elders
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
March 14 2005
Status: offline
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Posted - March 21 2011 : 07:28:08 AM
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| They were ALL "close friends" RF, - if not at first, it didn't take long. |
you can keep "The Change" |
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
November 27 2002
Status: offline
Donating Member |
Posted - March 21 2011 : 09:00:15 AM
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Privacy in the 18th century? I'm not too sure there was much of that! Think of the tiny cabins on the frontier that contained families with many children all living in 1 or 2 rooms. Somehow, those babies got conceived even with other children in the room!
OK. Here are some of my thoughts. I think it may have depended upon the fort, its size, the war situation, and even its commanding officer.
I think that, as a general rule, the camp followers had to camp and live outside the fort. This would include the women and their children, as well as the sutlers and business people who followed the army. In some situations (such as at Fort Ticonderoga), there was not enough room for all of the enlisted me to be billeted inside the fort, so there was a tent city outside the fort. I'm quite sure the camp followers were also out there. Now out on the frontier, this would be very dangerous. But they would at least have been close to the fort where they could take cover from attacks.
At some forts, the officers did have private quarters... certainly the commanding officers did. Many times, they were invited to live in a local farm house, as General Washington often was during the Rev. War. Martha often traveled from Mount Vernon to join him in these quarters when the army was in winter camp, as did the lesser generals' wives.
I have seen a reference (but no documentation to back it up) to a few women being allowed to live inside a fort if they were married to a soldier. In this case, the woman shared her husband's bunk with no privacy other than a blanket hung over it. Is this true? I don't know. Possibly, although it seems unlikely, at least during war time.
Women and families who followed an army at war had to know the risk involved. The commanding officers made it very clear to them that this was not a free ride. They were expected to work for their keep and a small amount of pay. They worked as laundresses, seamstresses, cooks for the officers, and nurses in hospital. Their children were expected to help with the chores in exchange for their rations. If the women refused to work, they would be thrown out of camp.
I'll be very interested to hear what you find out, Red. Keep us posted. |
"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been." |
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Monadnock Guide
Council of Elders
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
March 14 2005
Status: offline
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Posted - March 23 2011 : 08:11:34 AM
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| An unbelievable change from today, - I doubt most folks today could handle it. |
you can keep "The Change" |
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18th century fort life...
