The Civil War Wedding

By Charles A. Mills

The Civil War Wedding, an entertaining look at the customs and superstitions of weddings during the Civil War era. Includes: Courtship, Engagements, Love Letters, Clothing, Superstitions, The Ceremony, Festivities, The Honeymoon, Famous Civil War Couples, and more....

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles A. Mills
• Release date: Sep 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393779636

Charles A. Mills

Chuck Mills has a passion for history. He is the author of Hidden History of Northern Virginia, Echoes of Manassas, Historic Cemeteries of Northern Virginia and Treasure Legends of the Civil War and has written numerous newspaper and magazine articles on historical subjects. Chuck is the producer and cohost of Virginia Time Travel, a history television show that airs to some 2 million viewers in Northern Virginia. He lives on the banks of the Potomac River on land once owned by George Washington.

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Other titles from the same author

Love, Sex and Marriage in the Civil War

Love, Sex and Marriage in Colonial America

How Martha Washington Lived

Love, Sex and Marriage in Victorian America

The Confederate Woman: Soldier and Spy (fictional memoirs)

Courtship

Every summer, when the hardest farm work was over, the farmers would relax a little, and have a series of dances and parties.  One that was especially enjoyed was a torunament and all-day picnic in the woods where a platform was laid for dancing.  Weeks before this event, all the boys who had horses that could run would be practicing in a nearby field where posts with extended arms were set up, at certain distances apart, and suspended from the arm was a bent wire, on which was hung a ring, about two inches across.  Each knight had a long lance, and they would gallop the horses, and try to lean to get the ring on their lance.  It took a lot of practice, and when the great day came none of the boys felt sure of victory.

The one who got the most rings in three rounds was the head knight, and his girl would be the queen, and on down the line.  The boys wore white shirts and long sashes of bright colored bunting across the right shoulder, across the breast and tied under the left arm.  These streamers, as they rode fast, looked to the girls, very beautiful.  The girls wore ribbons of the same color of their knights, also waving the colors as their ‘specials’ passed.  After the judges had decided which were the victors they chose their ‘ladies’ and ascended a rustic throne where the queen was crowned, and much applause.  I’ll never forget his clsoing words, ‘I crown thee Queen of Love and Beauty.’...Nannie Neville Leachman (Manassas, Virginia).

Thus began many a youthful love in pre-Civil War America.  An advice manual of the day stated the matter plainly, Love is the universal passion, courtship is the most interesting avocation of human life, and marriage one of the great ends of existence.  But what were the rules of this game of courtship?  The advice manuals of the day explained...

"A gentleman meeting a lady at an evening party is struck with her appearance. Ascertaining that she is not engaged, which he may do from some acquaintance, he takes some opportunity of saying,

‘Miss Ellen, will you honor me, by accepting my escort home, to-night?’ or,

‘Miss Ellen, shall I have the pleasure of seeing you home?’ or,

‘Miss Ellen, make me happy by selecting me for your cavalier;’ or,

‘Miss Ellen, shall I have the pleasure of protecting you?’

The