Washing day–Column on the march
1864
Forget heroic charges and cannon fire; this 1864 sketch by Edwin Forbes captures the hilarious mundane reality of the American Civil War. A column of Union soldiers is shown trudging down a road, but instead of just carrying rifles, they’ve slung long poles over their shoulders to haul their laundry—sheets and clothes flapping in the breeze. It’s a rare, humanizing glimpse into army life that proves even in war, the clothes must get washed.
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