Campfire Program – “Soap Suds Row and More: The Life of an Army Laundress”

Join Yvette Bachmeier as she discusses the life an army laundress. Fulfilling many roles in addition to washing the company laundry, and often living in squalor, laundresses were the only women recognized by the army until 1878. The army placed all the other women and dependents into the category of camp followers, much to the dismay of many officer’s wives. What was life like for a laundress living out west with the Frontier Army? Were there advantages due to recognition by the army?