The Citizen

WHEN TATTOOING WAS POPULAR

During the Civil War Tattooers Reaped a Harvest Among Seamen.

So clever was the artist in tattooing in days of the civil war that every stay, spar or portion of rigging in use on board a warship appeared outlined upon the human skin with a fidelity in regard to detail well nigh equal to that of steel engraving.

A representation of a fox hunt, which design covered the entire body, was a favorite one among navy seamen. In most cases this design was skillfully tattooed, and even beautifully, the huntsmen in red coats, the horses at full gallop, the leaping hounds and fleeing fox appearing wonderfully lifelike in their attitudes and proportions. For the ornamentation of the arms some design of a national character was usually chosen by men seeking to be tattooed.

A goddess of liberty bearing the national flag and seated upon a flying eagle's back was for years a favorite design among sailors. A full length picture of the goddess of liberty with hand resting upon a national shield and with the topmasts of several vessels appearing in the background was another popular design for the forearm. The national coat of arms and also the one peculiar to the navy were popular pieces.

Seamen of a religious turn of mind usually selected a representation of the crucifixion of Christ to appear on their forearms. Others preferred to have a design representing Christ crowned with thorns appear upon either their back or breast.

"The sailor's farewell," representing a maiden and sailor in the act of parting with each other, and with a full rigged ship in the background, was perhaps the most popular design of the many in use among navy sailors during the war.

There were numerous other designs in use, a description of which would occupy more space than can be afforded in this sketch.

The most singularly tattooed man ever met with by the writer was an individual who during the civil war served on board the sloop of war San Jacinto. Upon this man's body appeared a perfect representation, save as to color, of the flags of all nations. These designs covered nearly every portion of the man's body from the neck downward.

Freemasons, Odd Fellows and those belonging to kindred organizations were often wont to adorn their hands, arms and bodies with a whole or a part of the symbols of their respective orders. Of the smaller designs the initials of one's name was perhaps the most sensible of all others chosen to appear on one's body.

The professional tattooers did a thriving business in our navy during the civil war. The price demanded by them for the work they performed varied with the size and character of the design chosen by the person to be tattooed.

The price for tattooing the fox hunt was fixed at $70. For a full rigged ship $25 was demanded. For any piece requiring time and the exercise of more than ordinary skill in its completion a sum ranging from $10 to $70 was demanded.

The placing of a star or anchor upon a man's hand was a simple affair with tattooers, who for tattooing either design charged fifty cents.

Certain of the celebrities in tattooing serving in our navy during the civil war left the service having in their possession quite a respectable sum of money obtained by them in the steady pursuit of their peculiar calling. Bill Haswell, of Baltimore, who in his day was held to be unequaled as a tattooer, is said to have retired from the navy after a cruise of twenty-six months with upward of $5,000 over and above his regular pay, which was that of a seaman.-Boston Commercial Bulletin.