I bought this book at the Book Store at the Wilson Creek Battlefield in Springfield, Missouri. Finding it came as kind of a surprise to me. It didn't seem like the kind of book that would be available in a National Park Book Store especially in the heart of the so-called "Bible Belt."
Since I wasted more than 36 hours stuck in various airports because of weather on that trip, I was delighted to have purchased some interesting reading material. My laptop also decided not to work during that trip, so this book got a very careful reading.
As the title says so well, this is information that soldiers wouldn't tell their girl friends, wives or family. Because of that, most of the book's source material comes from long-hidden and secret diaries, medical reports, rape trial transcripts, and official army reports. It overwhelming deals with illicit sex and prostitution. Love letters were also a major resource but many of those weren't very explicit about sex, only romantic longings. When the soldier from both the Union and Confederate sides were home on leave making babies with their wives there was naturally relatively little written source material being created.
Over all, this book was fascinating reading. The problems of rampant venereal diseases so devastated the Union Army that it forced the military to start licensing prostitutes who were judged disease-free by the army's doctors. It also forced prostitutes who were infected to take treatment in hospitals. Major General Joseph Hooker's camp followers were so numerous and infamous that they were given the good general's name and the term "hooker" was coined to the ever-lasting memory of that Civil War General.
Rapes were relatively rare on either side of the war. Americans were fighting fellow Americans, often their own relatives and women and children were protected by both sides. Lowry does report the details of some rape trails based on extensive military court transcripts. Soldiers often away from home for the first time, and knowing that they were going to face death in their next battle, were naturally curious to experience the forbidden pleasures offered by the huge numbers of prostitutes. Nude portraits, both of the "French Post Card" variety and even daguerreotypes were carried into battle inside soldier's uniforms along with the pictures of wives and girlfriends.
In order to combat the epidemic of venereal disease, the military actually figured out how to clean up the problem and the book details of how uncooperative prostitutes were shipped out of town by special guarded riverboats. Needless to say, these boatloads of sex workers weren't welcomed at many of the destinations.
Oddly enough, most of the successful methods learned for controlling venereal diseases during the Civil War were completely ignored when World War I began and the Americans had to relearn the same tragic lessons.
For any reader interested in the history of American Civil War this is a must read. It fills in the many of the gaps (no naughty pun intended) ignored in most history texts of that terrible American war. It talks about women spies, brothels, illicit sex and prostitutes that were such a major part of the war that simply hasn't been written about very often. It definitely isn't "Gone With The Wind" other than documenting that Rhett Butler's favorite pass time was readily available on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. The author does a good job of turning boring medical reports and court transcripts into interesting reading. That's a real talent. The volume has a good index, notes and bibliography for those interested in additional source material.

This book would make an excellent source for an author who writes about the Civil War era. It is very well documented and even includes some interesting photos. It would interest anyone who enjoys reading about the things that people didn't used to talk openly about.

Written by a medical doctor and historian, "Sex In The Civil War" shows that our prudish Victorian ancestors really weren't so uptight after all...in fact, some things haven't changed that much. Sometimes hilarious and always informative, Dr. Lowry covers everything from bathroom invective to antebellum birth control using research gleaned from period medical texts, diaries, military records and of course the soldiers' letters home. An entertaining and educational look at the birds and the bees in the nineteenth century.

Written by a medical doctor and historian, "Sex In The Civil War" shows that our prudish Victorian ancestors really weren't so uptight after all...in fact, some things haven't changed that much. Sometimes hilarious and always informative, Dr. Lowry covers everything from bathroom invective to antebellum birth control using research gleaned from period medical texts, diaries, military records and of course the soldiers' letters home. An entertaining and educational look at the birds and the bees in the nineteenth century.