Civil War Era Slang

• Sheet iron crackers (hardtack)

• Chief cook and bottle washer (person capable of doing many things)

• sardine box (cap box)
• bread basket (stomach)
• greenbacks (money)
• graybacks (Southern soldiers, lice)
• Arkansas toothpick (large knife)
• pepperbox (pistol)
• Zu - Zu (Zuoave soldier)
• fit to be tied (angry)
• horse sense (smart, on the ball)
• top rail #1 (first class)
• hunkey dorey (great!)
• greenhorn, bugger, skunk (officers)
• snug as a bug (comfortable, cozy)
• sawbones (surgeon)
• skedaddle (run, scatter)
• hornets (bullets)
• bully (hurrah! yeah!)
• possum (a buddy, pal)
• blowhard (big shot)
• fit as a fiddle (in good shape, healthy)
• Uppity (conceited)
• scarce as hen's teeth (rare or scarce)
• grab a root (have dinner, potato)
• tight, wallpapered (drunk)
• bark juice, tar water (liquor)
• nokum stiff, joy juice (liquor)
• hard case (tough)
• bluff (cheater)
• jailbird (criminal)
• hard knocks (beaten up)
• been through the mill (done a lot)
• quick-step (diarrhea)
• played out (worn out)
• toeing the mark (doing the job)
• Jonah (bad luck)
• goobers (peanuts)
• Sunday soldiers, kid glove boys, parlor soldiers (insulting words for soldiers)
• Fresh fish (raw recruits)
• whipped (beaten)