Conspirators on the "Hot Seat"

[BettyO]

In lieu of extremely high temperatures along the entire east coast (and some of the mid-west as well) I thought of how hot it must have gotten in the Courtroom in June of 1865. It was said to be extremely uncomfortable for spectators, conspirators and commission alike...

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It has also been noted that while the commission had a charcoal filtered metal water cooler, the conspirators were passed a "communal" tin bowl of water to drink out of....

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Another report on the heat - this time in mid-May, which mentions the "thirsty conspirators" -

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Another report from the National Daily Republican for June 6, 1865 states that Powell had wet his handkerchief with water and tied it around his neck to cool off - i.e. an apparent early "ice pack"!

[HerbS]

Betty,I think the water issue is-let's be Vindictive!!!!!

[jonathan]

I've thought about this too, though as usual I think it's important to consider the times this occurred in. Most people in 1865 Washington D.C. would probably be able to tolerate the heat a lot better than so many people today. That's not to say they would enjoy it, but they would certainly be more acclimated to it than we are, in our air conditioned bliss. As far as the accused during that trial, I imagine the heat would have either been ignored (considering the other things they had to worry about), or it would have made their stress that much worse.

As somebody who has spent periods of my life if fairly intense heat, I know for a fact that you do learn to manage, even if you never learn to love it. My dear grandfather, who spent most of his life as an extremely hard working NC tobacco farmer, used to get in a mood once in a while and claim that young people today couldn't walk the line he had to walk when he was growing up. And every time, my equally tough mother would shut him up by saying "Yes they could, daddy. Just because they've had it a little easier doesn't mean they couldn't do the same thing you did if they had to."

On a side note, this is my first post here. So, am I a "hero" member yet???

[BettyO]

(07-09-2012 09:39 AM)HerbS Wrote:  Betty,I think the water issue is-let's be Vindictive!!!!!

I think that you may be right, Herb! We noticed that a water cooler was right for the Commission and those not in the prisoner's dock (Mrs. Surratt aside, who according to her gender, WAS given a tumbler!) But for the boys, it was apparently "catch as catch can"..... for Powell, as a soldier, I'm sure he was much more used to drinking from streams, etc. as a foot soldier and probably as a Ranger as well.....

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(07-09-2012 09:57 AM)jonathan Wrote:  I've thought about this too, though as usual I think it's important to consider the times this occurred in. Most people in 1865 Washington D.C. would probably be able to tolerate the heat a lot better than so many people today. That's not to say they would enjoy it, but they would certainly be more acclimated to it than we are, in our air conditioned bliss. As far as the accused during that trial, I imagine the heat would have either been ignored (considering the other things they had to worry about), or it would have made their stress that much worse.

As somebody who has spent periods of my life if fairly intense heat, I know for a fact that you do learn to manage, even if you never learn to love it. My dear grandfather, who spent most of his life as an extremely hard working NC tobacco farmer, used to get in a mood once in a while and claim that young people today couldn't walk the line he had to walk when he was growing up. And every time, my equally tough mother would shut him up by saying "Yes they could, daddy. Just because they've had it a little easier doesn't mean they couldn't do the same thing you did if they had to."

On a side note, this is my first post here. So, am I a "hero" member yet???

Jonathan - you are also so very right! Victorians were far more acclimated to the heat and humidity than we are today. We didn't get air conditioning until I was 12 years old - and then it was a one room window air conditioner. Cars? No AC in them when I was a kid - the window knob was the only thing you used to get a breeze! Also, in the Victorian era, the clothing material was much, much different! When we think of wool uniforms, we think of WOOL! Heavy duty wool. In the 19th Century, the army officer's uniforms (and yes, gentlemen's frock coats) were made of a "light weight wool" more akin to a felt like material - not the heavy wool we think of nowadays. Linen and cotton shirts were cool and allowed better air flow than today's synthetic fabrics. Even Powell's Navy regulation undershirt (which is predominately what he wore in court) was more than likely cotton. These fabrics "breathed" and allowed for cooling. Ladies would wear cotton, linen or silk - again, natural fibers which breathed. Mary was dressed in bombazine, which was a fine twilled fabric of silk and worsted wool or cotton - again, natural fibers. How she got by with that veil on her face, I don't know. To me, that would only compound the heat problem!

You'll have to ask Roger about the "Hero Member" status, Jonathan! HA!

[L Verge]

I was thinking on Sunday when the electricity and AC were kapoot that I wished I had one of those large, palm-leaf fans that everyone seemed to have around the house when I was a child. They were very popular during the 19th-century, and we have several that we put in period rooms at Surratt House during the summer to show the public the early version of air conditioning. We also lower the shades on hot days to show how the Victorians cooled the house.

[BettyO]

(07-09-2012 06:20 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I was thinking on Sunday when the electricity and AC were kapoot that I wished I had one of those large, palm-leaf fans that everyone seemed to have around the house when I was a child. They were very popular during the 19th-century, and we have several that we put in period rooms at Surratt House during the summer to show the public the early version of air conditioning. We also lower the shades on hot days to show how the Victorians cooled the house.

Those palm leaf fans were indeed popular, Laurie! You can see one in this image of detectives on the wall of the Arsenal after the hanging. It is also said that Mrs. Surratt used one repeatedly in the courtroom....

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[BettyO]

Another instance of how hot it was in the courtroom.... notice also that most of the visitors to the trial room were ladies!

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