I sent this Civil War photo of a 'daughter of the regiment', who served with a regiment from Rhode Island, to a postcrosser in Lithuania. Until I saw this postcard, all I knew about such women was based on Donizetti's frothy comedic opera La Fille du Regiment, which I saw some years ago with Valerie Dessay in the title role and Juan Carlos Diego in the tenor role. In Donizetti's opera, the young woman is the adopted mascot of her regiment. Most such women, who were usually married to soldiers, sold tobacco, wine, etc. to their regiments. They were in effect a traveling canteen.
Friday, March 4, 2011
daughter of the regiment
I sent this Civil War photo of a 'daughter of the regiment', who served with a regiment from Rhode Island, to a postcrosser in Lithuania. Until I saw this postcard, all I knew about such women was based on Donizetti's frothy comedic opera La Fille du Regiment, which I saw some years ago with Valerie Dessay in the title role and Juan Carlos Diego in the tenor role. In Donizetti's opera, the young woman is the adopted mascot of her regiment. Most such women, who were usually married to soldiers, sold tobacco, wine, etc. to their regiments. They were in effect a traveling canteen.
