What was the SCA?

[Christine]

Does anyone know what the SCA was during the Civil War?

[Laurie Verge]

I know what the SCA is now in relation to the Civil War. It stands for Society for Creative Anachronisms and deals with die-hard re-enactors (actually from various wars) who create battle scenarios, etc. They are sorta like the Dungeon and Dragons afficianados.

[Christine]

I'm talking about a Civil War term. I found a note on fold3:

"Mrs Noland dress maker on C between 41/2 & 6th St came to the Provost Marshals office with F A Aiken – endeavoring to obtain pass.

This man Aiken has been pointed out to us as one of the SCA.

RHD knows her."

So, I'm wondering what the SCA was then. The date on the note was August 28, no year.

[Laurie Verge]

OK - wild guess on my part, but knowing some of the things that you uncovered about where Aiken's true allegiance might lie during the CW: "Suspected Confederate Ally (or Associate, or Agent)?"

[Christine]

Ahh, that might make sense. I'll have to see if I can find out who the lady was to see if she was a suspected Confederate agent. . .

[L Verge]

What you wrote above seems to indicate that the Provost Marshal's office sure thought Aiken was one - if our guess at code is accurate. Wish we knew the year because remember how you found evidence of Aiken applying to Jefferson Davis for a job writing propaganda materials at the beginning of the war?

BTW to our readers: Christine is the wonderful researcher from Utah who got intrigued with the subject of Frederick Aiken, Mrs. Surratt's lawyer, and has dug up a ton of material. This man had many facets also and wasn't just "a lawyer" assigned to defend the lady. After the war, his defense education led him to prepare some papers in defense of Jefferson Davis.