Sex and the Civil War: Soldiers, Pornography, and the Making of American Morality

152 Pages·2017·2.538 MB·English

by  Judith Giesberg

D
SEX DAND THE CIVIL WAR
The Steven and Janice Brose Lectures in the Civil War Era
William A. Blair, editor
The Steven and Janice Brose Lectures in the Civil War Era are
published by the University of North Carolina Press in association
with the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center at Penn
State University. The series features books based on public lectures
by a distinguished scholar, delivered over a three- day period each
fall, as well as edited volumes developed from public symposia.
These books chart new directions for research in the field and offer
scholars and general readers fresh perspectives on the Civil War era.
8
SEX AND THE CIVIL WAR
Soldiers, Pornography, and the
MakinDg of American Morality
JUDITH GIESBERG
D
The UniversiTy of norTh Carolina Press
Chapel Hill
8
© 2017 The University of North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
Designed by Jamison Cockerham
Set in Arno, designed by Robert Slimbach; Church in the Wildwood,
by Beth Rufener; and Type No. 1, by Walden Font Co.
Typeset by Tseng Information Systems, Inc.
Jacket illustration: Le Boudoir, postcard from the author’s collection.
Manufactured in the United States of America
The University of North Carolina Press has been a member
of the Green Press Initiative since 2003.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Giesberg, Judith Ann, 1966– author.
Title: Sex and the Civil War : soldiers, pornography, and the making of American
morality / Judith Giesberg.
Other titles: Steven and Janice Brose lectures in the Civil War era.
Description: Chapel Hill : The University of North Carolina Press, [2017] | Series:
The Steven and Janice Brose lectures in the Civil War era | Includes bibliographical
references and index.
Identifiers: lCCn 2016020978| isBn 9781469631271 (cloth : alk. paper) |
isBn 9781469631288 (ebook)
Subjects: lCsh: Pornography—Social aspects—United States—History—19th
century. | Pornography—Moral and ethical aspects—United States—History—
19th century. | Pornography—Law and legislation—United States—History—
19th century. | Obscenity (Law)—United States—History—19th century. | Social
norms—United States—History—19th century. | Sexual ethics—United States—
History—19th century. | Sex—Social aspects—United States—History—19th
century. | United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Social aspects. | United
States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Psychological aspects. | Vice control—
United States—History—19th century.
Classification: lCC hQ472.U6 G54 2017 | DDC 306.77097309/034—dc23
lC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016020978
To Diego and Pablo,
who will hate that their mother dedicated
a book about porn to them
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DCONTENTS
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
1 Lewd, Wicked, Scandalous:
American Pornography Comes of Age 12
2 Storming the Enemy’s Breastworks:
Civil War Courts- Martial and the Sexual
Culture of the U.S. Army Camp 33
3 True Courage: Anthony Comstock and the
Crisis of the War 59
4 Outraged Manhood of Our Age:
The Postwar Antipornography Campaign 82
Epilogue 104
Notes 109
Bibliography 125
Index 133
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DFIGURES
1 “Catalogue of Popular Books” featuring works by
George Thompson, 1859 18
2 Erotica dealer circular 20
3 Circular by erotica dealer Thomas Ormsby, 1861 21
4 “Interior of Railroad Car,” Frank Leslie’s Magazine, 1888 24
5 Edward Clay, “Amalgamation Waltz,” 1839 30
6 Illustrations from Fanny Hill, 1830 35
7 Illustration from The Life and Adventures of
Cicily Martin, 1846 39
8 “Ellen Jewett,” lithograph by New York printer
Henry R. Robinson, 1836 43
9 Cartes de visite from Thomas Lowry, Story the Soldiers
Wouldn’t Tell 44
10 Carte de visite of unknown Union soldier 46
11 Soldiers posing for photograph together 47
12 Soldiers posing for photograph with one’s arm draped
over the other’s shoulders 48