December 26th, 2006 | 
Author: Slang has always been with us. There is civilian slang and military slang and they are often totally different words for the same things. Here is a collection of common slang terms used by soldiers in the civil war.
- accoutrements- A soldier’s fighting equipments, made of leather.
- a beat- A lazy soldier who dodges work.
- bombproof- An underground shelter, used also to describe officers who never went to the front.
- bones- Dice.
- buck and gag- A form of punishment.
- carriage- The wooden mount for artillery, also used to describe a lady’s shape.
- dogrobber- The soldier of a group who cooks for everyone else.
- dog tent- A small, two-man tent.
- first rate- Feeling well and very happy.
- forage- To search for food from nearby farms.
- Fresh Fish- New recruits.
- greenbacks- Money or script.
- gum blanket- Rubber-coated cloth sheet used as a rain cover.
- haversack- Cloth bag for carrying the rations & utensils.
- homespun- A clothing item made of home-spun cloth.
- housewife- A sewing kit.
- horse sense- Smart or to use good sense.
- Johnny- Union soldier’s term for a Confederate soldier.
- Jonah- A soldier who always brought misfortune and bad luck with him.
- paper collar man- Someone who has money or is financially well off.
- picket- A guard or guard duty.
- sacred soil- Virginia mud.
- sawbones- The surgeon of the regiment.
- seeing the elephant- A man’s first experience in combat.
- shebang- A temporary shelter of poles & branches.
- shirker- A soldier who would not do his duty on the battlefield.
- smart like a fox- Slick and cunning.
- tough as a knot- In good health.
- top rail- The best place to be. Number One!
- vittles- food or rations.
- Yank- Confederate soldier’s term for a Union soldier.
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Posted in Civil War
