What if you could talk to someone who lived at the time of the Civil War? You would probably have a hard time understanding some of the things they said. Below is a list of words and phrases used during the Civil War. The words in parentheses is the meaning. Where do the terms come from? Which ones are still in use? What new words do we use today that mean the same thing?

1. Chief cook and bottle washer - the boss, person capable of doing many things

2. Sheet iron crackers - hardtack

3. 40 dead men - cartridge box (holds roughly 40 rounds of ammunition)

4. sardine box - cap box

5. bread basket - stomach

6. bread bag - haversack

7. greenbacks - Union paper currency

8. graybacks - Southern soldiers, lice

9. Arkansas toothpick - large knife

10. lucifer - a match

11. pepperbox - multi barreled pistol

12. ZuZu - Zuoave soldier

13. fit to be tied - angry

14. horse sense - common sense

15. top rail #1 - the best, first class

16. hunkey dorey - O.K. or good

17. greenhorn, bugger, skunk - officers

18. snug as a bug - comfortable, cozy

19. sawbones - surgeon

20. skedaddle - run, scatter, retreat

21. hornets - bullets

22. bumblebee - the sound of bullets

23. bully - hurrah! yeah!

24. possum - a buddy

25. blowhard - braggart; big-shot

26. fit as a fiddle - in good shape, healthy

27. Uppity - conceited

28. scarce as hen's teeth - rare or scarce

29. grab a root - have dinner, potato

30. tight, wallpapered - intoxicated

31. duds - clothes

32. housewife - sewing kit

33. shine, bark juice, tar water, nokum stiff, joy juice - liquor

34. hard case - a tough person or situation

35. bluff - cheater

36. sham fight - a mock battle

37. jailbird - criminal

38. barrel shirt - a barrel worn by thieves as punishment

39. hard knocks - beaten up or a tough break

40. been through the mill - term used to describe a seasoned veteran or someone who's had a hard, busy day

41. screamers, quick-step, flux - diarrhea (also called "Tenneessee" or "Virginia" quick step)

42. played out - worn out

43. toeing the mark - obeying orders

44. Jonah - someone thought to bring bad luck

45. goobers, goober pea - peanut

46. Sunday soldiers, kid glove boys, parlor soldiers - insulting words for soldiers

47. fresh fish - raw recruits

48. whipped - beaten

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Last Modified: July, 2005