CIVIL WAR SAY'INS

If anybody comes up with any other "say'ins", please forward them to me.

• Let Her Go, Gallagher! - Fire at Will!
• Pumpkin Rind - The blank shoulder strap that designated a Federal 2nd Lt.
• Slow Bear - A pig
• Sardine Boxes - Shoulder Straps
• Shoulder Straps - Officers
• Horse Collar - Blanket Roll
• Beehive - Back Pack
• Patent Bureau - Knapsack
• Layouts, Coffee Coolers - Skulkers Sinkers
• Wevil Fodder - Hard Tack
• Chin Music - Conversation
• Slapjacks - Pancakes
• Shin Plasters - Paper Money
• Bumble Bees - Swifts - Bullets
• Cook Stoves - Lamp Posts
• Iron Foundries - Artillery
• Tubs - Bootlegs
• Old Scratch - The Devil
• Little Coots - Confederate Name for Yankees
• Showing the White Feather - Cowardice
• Forty Dead Men - 40 Rounds of Ammo in the cartridge box
• Haversack - Bread Bag
• Fast Trick, Pretty Rapid Little Case - A Lady with a Loose Reputation
• Fire and Fall Back - To Throw Up
• Cabbaging - Stealing
• Sow Belly - Bacon
• Rag Out - To Dress Well
• Opening the Ball - To Begin the Battle
• Peddle Lead - To Shoot Fast
• Discharge - A serious but not dangerous wound leading to a parting of company with the army
• Traps or trappings - Soldiers Possessions
• Gunboats - Army Shoes
• Tenements - Winter Quarters
• Make a Cathole - To Shoot Someone
• Grab a Root - To Eat
• Comrade - Partner
• A Retreating Reb - Going in search of his Rights
• Squash Molished - Soldier with hangover
• Change his Breath - One soldier offering another a drink
• Sharp Operator - Someone who could Sell s*** to a stable
• Dogrobber - A Cook
• Paddy, Mick, Hibernian, Cottier, Son of Erin, Spalpeen, Fenian. Used by both native born American and Irishmen to describe the male Irish immigrants and 'Bridget' was any of his womenfolk.
• Dutchmen - Germans or soldiers of German Ancestry

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