Bodies have been banging against the boards since 1998. The concept of "Smashville" goes back further than that, however. Over 135 years prior, the city of Nashville was a rough place plagued by violence and vice. In the surrounding rural areas, savage guerrilla acts were committed by both sides as well as those with no loyalty other than to themselves. An article in the Nashville Daily Union newspaper on September 9, 1862, reported that “companies of outlaws belonging to neither side, taking advantage of the anarchy which prevails in the country, roam about for the sole purpose of plunder. These bandits prey on secessionists and loyalists alike.”
Within the city itself, men as well as women assaulted each other. One notable event where violence was narrowly averted involved about a dozen girls, "young and good-looking." According to the Nashville Dispatch from October 25th, 1862:
Sarah Moseley lately received a note from Mary Edwards, (or Ellington,)challenging Sally to mortal combat on College street. Sally at the time took no particular notice of the bloody invitation, not even deigning a reply; but subsequently she informed Molly that she was at any time ready to meet her on neutral ground, and whip her and forty like her, at the same time complimenting her and some of her friends in a few choice epithets. On Wednesday last Sally and Mary met in Dick Finn's grocery, when Sally "made a remark," and Mary renewed the challenge, having at the time a huge knife up her sleeve, with which she intended to slaughter the unfortunate but plucky Sally. Fortunately, Mary Fox and Frank Williams were near at hand, and by their united efforts the courageous little Sally was prevented from rushing "into the jaws of death." It was asserted that Emma Hill was bottle-holder for Mary, and that Miss Lizzy Hall was to be umpire, but these assertions were not clearly proven. Nobody being hurt, the Recorder imposed a fine of $5 and costs upon Mary, and discharged the other parties.
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| View along North College Street with Sherman's Saloon on the far left and the Eureka Restaurant and G.W. Rothwell & Son on the right, ca. 1865 |
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| Modern view of College Street |
Sounds like this "adventure" would have made a great movie. What about When Mary Met Sally as a working title? Or if Joe Francis could have gone back in time with his movie camera, he could have produced a Civil War version of Girls Gone Wild. Heh. There would have had to have been a prequel as well as a sequel because this wasn't the first time some of these women found themselves in such a predicament. Two weeks prior, Sarah (Sally) Moseley was in court for an altercation with soldiers. (Nashville was the first Confederate state capitol to fall and was, therefore, under Union occupation at this time.)
The Nashville Dispatch reported on October 11th, 1862:
The court was crowded yesterday morning and the business occupied the Recorder two hours and a half. The first thing brought before His Honor was a general row among the cyprians, caused by a soldier kicking poor little Mary Devany down her cellar steps. Of course Mary exhausted the Irish vocabulary in finding language suitable to such an outrage, and Mrs. Rabbitt took her part, bestowing upon the perpetrator of the outrage a few choice epithets, which in turn brought to the door a number of soldiers and Frances Williams, (with two aliases), Lavinia Moore, Bettie Inman, and Sarah Moseley. After a patient hearing of the case, Mary was fined $4, Frances and Bettie $5 each, Lavinia and Sara $6 each, (besides a fine of $5 on the former and $10 on the latter for disturbing the court,) and Mrs. Rabbitt $7. Of course the soldiers were not to be found.Cyprian is a term used for a prostitute. "Smokey Row," which was the red light district in Nashville, was so notorious that occupying Federal officers were forced to deal with the issue due to the rapid spread of disease among the soldiers. After deportation of the women failed, officials ended up legalizing and regulating the institution.
What does this have to do with women soldiers? According to the Nashville Dispatch on March 17th, 1863, Sarah (Sally) Moseley and another cyprian, Lizzie Bishop, were arrested while in uniform on a train to Lavergne, Tennessee. They told the police chief that John Kittle and another soldier whose name was given simply as Alex induced them to put on uniforms, board the train with them, and enlist in their unit, Company I, 60th Illinois.
After checking rosters, I found John Kittle in Co. C, 58th Illinois Infantry, which is not the unit reported in the newspaper. There was, however, a John Kitterel (also spelled Kitrell) who enlisted in Co. I, 60th Illinois Infantry in 1862. He rose to the rank of corporal before reenlisting as a veteran in 1864 and then transferring to the Engineering Corps. Alex was more than likely Alexander Masters who enlisted in Co. I, 60th Illinois Infantry in 1862 and then also reenlisted as a veteran. I could not find any information as to whether they were disciplined for assisting women into the ranks. Some were, but that's another post. I couldn't find anybody on the roster suddenly discharged around the time that this incident happened. So either Bishop and Moseley were never formally enlisted, or their records were expunged.
After being arrested on the train, Bishop and Moseley were sent back to Nashville where they were discharged and sent home. The very next day, Bishop "...went on a jolly spree, which cost her $10 and a splitting
headache." (Nashville Dispatch, March 18th, 1863)
Moseley seems to have kept herself out of court from that time forward and dropped off the pages of history. I haven't been able to find anything else about her at this time. However, Lizzie Bishop, referred to as a "notorious Cyprian," was found in bed strangled to death in a house on College Street. (Cleveland Daily Leader, October 18th, 1865). I haven't been able to find anything else on the crime, and I'm guessing that it remains unsolved today.
As far as prostitution being a motivating factor for women to enlist, there were very few cases such as these. It was common for women caught in uniform to be accused of such, but the evidence is not prominent to support such claims. There is only one account, perhaps two, of a "soiled dove" continuing her "trade" after enlisting. On the other hand, there are others who joined the army in order to escape prostitution. And then there was one who fell into prostitution after she was discovered and discharged. Further discussion would require a separate post.
The details surrounding the motivating factors leading Moseley and Bishop to enlist remain unknown. Perhaps they intended to continue "working." But then again, maybe they simply saw the army as an escape from a life that offered them little options.
Until next formation......rest.
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