I have not seen the term "starvation ball" used in any of my research, which centers on women's diaries pre-and during the War. I HAVE seen the term "starvation party" mentioned, and a quick search of the diaries on Documenting the American South shows that term used in a couple of places...one, Dec 2, 1863, in "A Diary from Dixie": "And now I am in a fine condition for Hetty Cary's starvation party, where they will give thirty dollars for the music and not a cent for a morsel to eat. ”"
The second is from a book of reminiscences written post-war, by Adelaide Stuart Dimitry, entitled "Wartime Sketches, Historical and Otherwise"...speaking of the spring of 1865, she writes:
"...in the twilight they became quite merry,
as they spread their apples for a “starvation party” and speculated
upon the future."
I know I have seen the term in some of the reprinted diaries I own as well, but it is always "starvation party" that I can recall, and not "starvation ball".
Colleen Formby
Maryland Room Librarian
Prince Georges County, Maryland
--- On Mon, 8/9/10, Jordan, Ervin (elj7t) <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
From: Jordan, Ervin (elj7t) <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: 'Starvation Ball'
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Monday, August 9, 2010, 8:39 AM
Dear Mr. Seagrave:
According to my book, Charlottesville and The University of Virginia In The Civil War (Lynchburg, Virginia: H. E. Howard, 1988), page 31, "starvation parties" were "gatherings at which refreshments were not served." My source was Josephine Cleary Wimsatt, Recollections (Tientsin, China: Printed by North China Star Press, 1926), page 22.
Prof. Ervin L. Jordan, Jr. (Associate Professor)
Research Archivist, University of Virginia
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ronald Seagrave
Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 6:02 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 'Starvation Ball'
I looking for a primary source where in the term 'Starvation Ball' is used there
in prior to the end of the War Between the State.
Thank You, Ronald R. Seagrave, President
Greater Petersburg Historical Society of Virginia, Inc.
www.gphsva.org
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