paulcalloway
12-30-2006, 05:40 PM
<CENTER>The Veteran's Tongue
By Aaron Young and Joe Strauser</CENTER>
Biddy, Hoosey Dooksy, Jularky, Pig Duck, Pigeon - Names
for Sweethearts back home.
Big Bug - An Officer. also known as;"Shoulder Straps and Brass Hats".
Blue Pill - Bullet.
Bubs - Friends. also known as;"Pards, Chums, Comrades, or Messmates".
Bug Juice - Liquor. also known as;"Pop-skull, Noggin, and Smile"
Bully - Term that can be used for almost any occasion.
Bungay - 19th Century equivalent for "Go To Hell!"
Camp Canard - False news or rumors.
Carry Guts to a Bear - To Do Something Worthless.
Cheese Knife - Officer's Sword. also known as;"Toad-Stabber".
Company Q - Fictious unit where all cowards went.
Cotbelly - Man who meddles in woman's work.
Damaged - To Be Drunk.
also known as; "Slewed, Walking like a Virginia Fence."
Dipper - Tin Cup.
Dough-Face - Easily Influenced Person.
Dunky - Clumsy.
Dyed in the Wool - Something ingrained.
Feather Bed Soldiers - Troops permanently stationed in the
Rear.
Fetch Up - Stop Suddenly.
Fid - A Plug or Small Bunch.
Fill the Bin - To Agree With Someone.
Fire in the Wrong Flock - A Mistake.
To Flat Someone - To reject a Lover.
Flummix - To Give Up.
Get the Mitten - To be Rejected by a Lover.
Grub Bag - Haversack.
Honeyfuggle - Swindle.
Hoof or Tramp - To March.
Indian Style - To March in a Strait Line.
Jack at a Pinch - A last resort.
Jackass Batteries - Mountain Howitzer Cannons.
Jigadier-Brindle - Brigadier General.
Johan - Worthless Soldier.
also known as; "Coffee-Coolers, and a Galoot".
Kit - All of Soldier's Belongings and Equipment.
Lincoln Pie - Army Bread. also known as "Tooth dullers, Worm Castles,
Hardtack(Eastern Theatre), and Hard Cracker(Western Theatre)."
Loco Foco - Self Igniting Match.
Logger Head - Union Soldier from Pennsylvania.
Mung - False.
Nobby - Stylish.
Old Birds - Veterans.
Old Nick - The Devil.
On the Square - To Tell the Truth.
Paper Collars - New Recruit.
also known as "Awkward Squad, Fresh Fish, Straw Foots, GreenHorns,
and Tenderfoots."
see also "Dough-Face".
Things to Say to a New Recruit:
-"Hello Sonny does yer mother know your out!"
-"Say, bub, give us a hunk o' gingerbread!"
Pie Eater - Country Boy.
Potato Digger - Irishman.
Rocks, Greenbacks - Money.
Sand - Nerve. also known as; "guts or spunk"
Sardine Boxes - Officer's Shoulder Straps.
Scrouge - to Crowd or Squeeze.
Sink - Latrine.
Soft Corn - Flattery.
Spin Street Yarn - To take a walk.
Spoopsy - A Silly Fellow.
Stepper - A High Spirited Person.
Stretch Yer Blanket - To Lie.
Sucker - A person from Illinois.
Talking Iron - Pistol.
Tippybob - Wealthy Class.
Traps or Trucks - Soldiers gear which hung from straps.
Turn up His Toes - To Die.
Virginia Quickstep - Diarrhea.
Wake the Wrong Passenger - To Catch the Wrong Person.
Webfoot - Infantryman.
<CENTER>
Miscellaneous Phrases</CENTER>
Grab a Root! - Can be used in two instances; When Foraging for food(this is where it was developed), or when someone trips or falls.
Here's Yer Mule! - A greeting to any mounted soldier.
Same Ol' Rijiment! or Same Ol' Rijiment Only We've Drawed
New Clothes! - An answer to any passerby who dared to ask; "What Regiment is this?".
Who Wouldn't be a Soldier? - Synonomous with "Who Cares?".
<HR width="100%">
Sources:
Hardtack and Coffee; Billings, John J. 1887.
Corporal Si Klegg and his Pard; Hinman, William F. 1887.
Reenactor's Journal. Oct. '94. Vol. 5, No.1. "Language of the Time".
Co. G, 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry, December, '95. "Some Mung News from Joe Strauser".
By Aaron Young and Joe Strauser</CENTER>
Biddy, Hoosey Dooksy, Jularky, Pig Duck, Pigeon - Names
for Sweethearts back home.
Big Bug - An Officer. also known as;"Shoulder Straps and Brass Hats".
Blue Pill - Bullet.
Bubs - Friends. also known as;"Pards, Chums, Comrades, or Messmates".
Bug Juice - Liquor. also known as;"Pop-skull, Noggin, and Smile"
Bully - Term that can be used for almost any occasion.
Bungay - 19th Century equivalent for "Go To Hell!"
Camp Canard - False news or rumors.
Carry Guts to a Bear - To Do Something Worthless.
Cheese Knife - Officer's Sword. also known as;"Toad-Stabber".
Company Q - Fictious unit where all cowards went.
Cotbelly - Man who meddles in woman's work.
Damaged - To Be Drunk.
also known as; "Slewed, Walking like a Virginia Fence."
Dipper - Tin Cup.
Dough-Face - Easily Influenced Person.
Dunky - Clumsy.
Dyed in the Wool - Something ingrained.
Feather Bed Soldiers - Troops permanently stationed in the
Rear.
Fetch Up - Stop Suddenly.
Fid - A Plug or Small Bunch.
Fill the Bin - To Agree With Someone.
Fire in the Wrong Flock - A Mistake.
To Flat Someone - To reject a Lover.
Flummix - To Give Up.
Get the Mitten - To be Rejected by a Lover.
Grub Bag - Haversack.
Honeyfuggle - Swindle.
Hoof or Tramp - To March.
Indian Style - To March in a Strait Line.
Jack at a Pinch - A last resort.
Jackass Batteries - Mountain Howitzer Cannons.
Jigadier-Brindle - Brigadier General.
Johan - Worthless Soldier.
also known as; "Coffee-Coolers, and a Galoot".
Kit - All of Soldier's Belongings and Equipment.
Lincoln Pie - Army Bread. also known as "Tooth dullers, Worm Castles,
Hardtack(Eastern Theatre), and Hard Cracker(Western Theatre)."
Loco Foco - Self Igniting Match.
Logger Head - Union Soldier from Pennsylvania.
Mung - False.
Nobby - Stylish.
Old Birds - Veterans.
Old Nick - The Devil.
On the Square - To Tell the Truth.
Paper Collars - New Recruit.
also known as "Awkward Squad, Fresh Fish, Straw Foots, GreenHorns,
and Tenderfoots."
see also "Dough-Face".
Things to Say to a New Recruit:
-"Hello Sonny does yer mother know your out!"
-"Say, bub, give us a hunk o' gingerbread!"
Pie Eater - Country Boy.
Potato Digger - Irishman.
Rocks, Greenbacks - Money.
Sand - Nerve. also known as; "guts or spunk"
Sardine Boxes - Officer's Shoulder Straps.
Scrouge - to Crowd or Squeeze.
Sink - Latrine.
Soft Corn - Flattery.
Spin Street Yarn - To take a walk.
Spoopsy - A Silly Fellow.
Stepper - A High Spirited Person.
Stretch Yer Blanket - To Lie.
Sucker - A person from Illinois.
Talking Iron - Pistol.
Tippybob - Wealthy Class.
Traps or Trucks - Soldiers gear which hung from straps.
Turn up His Toes - To Die.
Virginia Quickstep - Diarrhea.
Wake the Wrong Passenger - To Catch the Wrong Person.
Webfoot - Infantryman.
<CENTER>
Miscellaneous Phrases</CENTER>
Grab a Root! - Can be used in two instances; When Foraging for food(this is where it was developed), or when someone trips or falls.
Here's Yer Mule! - A greeting to any mounted soldier.
Same Ol' Rijiment! or Same Ol' Rijiment Only We've Drawed
New Clothes! - An answer to any passerby who dared to ask; "What Regiment is this?".
Who Wouldn't be a Soldier? - Synonomous with "Who Cares?".
<HR width="100%">
Sources:
Hardtack and Coffee; Billings, John J. 1887.
Corporal Si Klegg and his Pard; Hinman, William F. 1887.
Reenactor's Journal. Oct. '94. Vol. 5, No.1. "Language of the Time".
Co. G, 31st Indiana Volunteer Infantry, December, '95. "Some Mung News from Joe Strauser".