The Civil War took place at the height of the repressed Victorian era, so sex was never openly discussed. But sexual desire is natural, and even prudish Victorian morality could not stop men from both north and south seeking out women for intercourse. For many men the war was liberation from the straitjacket of conventional morality. Hundreds of miles away from their wives and sweethearts, priests or ministers, and the local gossips, they could freely indulge in sex under the cover of wartime anonymity
But such freedom can have a price. Most of the soldiers both north and south were farm boys, unaccustomed to the delights—and dangers—of consorting with women of “easy virtue”
Civil War Pornography
Pornography came in many forms. Nude photos were popular, and perhaps even more exciting in the Victorian age, when women wore long skirts, and their bodies were a mystery to some young men. Photography was invented by Louis Daguerre around 1839 and was common by the 1860s. There were dirty “carte de visite” cards featuring nude women, often in “artistic” poses to disguise the true nature of the photo. Many were from France, hence the generic term “French postcards.”
There was also erotic literature. According to Thomas P Lowry’s The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell: Sex in the Civil War only three Civil War era novels are known to exist—that is, to survive. Many nude photos and erotic literature was destroyed after the war. Some titles still survive. There was the Lustful Turk, and the 18th century novel Fanny Hill. Sometimes a little propaganda was mixed into the erotica. Maria Monk was a scurrilous anti-Catholic novel that featured graphic sex scenes between priests and nuns.
Civil War Prostitution
Victorian society did begrudgingly accept the reality of prostitution—provided it would be kept segregated, and in the background. Part of this “cover-up” is reflected in the euphemisms used for prostitutes. They were “soiled doves” and “Cyprians.” The latter term reflects the way classical history was taught much more than today. The island of Cyprus was where Venus, the goddess of love, was born.
Prostitution flourished. In Washington, D.C. there were an estimated 500 prostitutes before the war. By 1863 there were 450 known brothels, many with colorful names like “Unconditional Surrender.” “Fort Sumter,” and “Headquarters, USA.” Richmond, the Confederate capital, was no different. There were numerous gambling halls and brothels, and it was said that “”easy” women offered themselves on the grounds of the Confederate capitol building
Civil War Venereal Disease
There were high rates of venereal disease, chiefly syphilis and gonorrhea. There were no antibiotics, of course, and some of the “cures” were almost worse than the disease. Mercury, zinc, and other substances were used, usually with little real effect. Mercury had dangerous side effects, including hallucinations, kidney failure, and even insanity.
Memphis and Nashville fell to Union forces in 1862. Within a short time Memphis was called the “Gomorrah of the West,” and with good reason. Nashville had a notorious red light district called “Smokey Row.” It was said that “no man could be a soldier unless he’d gone through Smokey Row.”
U.S. army Provost Marshal Lt. Colonel George Spaulding realized he had a major problem on his hands. He tried to forcibly evict prostitutes, but the “banishment” didn’t last long. Most of them came right back.
Spaulding established a system of prostitute licensing in Nashville—for the first time in American history, there was legalized prostitution Prostitutes could obtain a license for $5.00. They had to be examined for disease every seven to ten days.—those passing would get a certificate of “soundness.” If she didn’t pass, she would be set to a special hospital—a hospital funded by a special 50 cents tax on the women themselves.
The Nashville experiment was a success. Disease rates when down, and it was noted that a ”better class” of prostitutes came to the city, drawn by the legalization and the relatively good health care provided.
All in all, the Civil War soldier had less incidents of venereal disease, though it must be admitted many cases were probably unreported. The 1860s American soldier had a VD ratio of about 82 per 1,000 men. This compares well with Europeans armies. Victoria's British redcoats, for example, had a ratio of 200 per 1,000 men.
Sources:
Thomas P. Lowry, The Story the Soldiers Wouldn’t Tell: Sex in the Civil War (Stackpole, 1994)
John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman, Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America (Harper and Row, 1988)
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