In the French army of the 18th century the legal right to sell food and drink and other essentials such as tobacco, wig powder, writing paper, and ink to the soldiers was granted to just eight men, known as vivandiers. It was a lucrative monopoly as their wares at a time when the army did not even provide its soldiers with the necessities of life.
As serving soldiers themselves, the vivandiers were often too busy to spend much time on their lucrative sideline and were often given permission to marry and to allow their wives to become de fact vivandières. The logic behind having this form of private enterprise to service the soldiers’ needs was impeccable: they wanted these luxuries and if they were not available, would be tempted to leave the camp and forage for them themselves. Having vivandières on tap reduced the risk of desertion.
Following the French revolution and the emergence of Napoleon’s Grand Armée, a military force of such a size and spending more time abroad than at any time before in French history, the monopoly was broken and more and more women took on the role of the vivandière. Also known as cantinières, they were often wives or relatives of serving soldiers who accompanied the regiment on its campaign. Their association with a particular regiment was reflected in their distinctive garb, often based on the uniform of the male soldiers.
A vivandière would wear a jacket and blouse, either tight or loose-fitting depending upon the regiment they were associated with, trousers, which were either straight or full legged and gathered at the knee or ankle, and a knee-length skirt over the trousers. The uniform was topped off with a hat, a kepi or one with a brim. Their most distinctive accoutrement, though, was the tonnelet, a brandy barrel attached to their hips.
The distinctive uniform served two purposes: it served to cement the relationship of the vivandière as a member of a specific regiment and it was more practical, often a greater freedom of movement than the civilian dress of the time. By the late 19th century, though, vivandières were compelled by regulation to wear plain grey dresses and carry metal identification discs.
During the century the role of the vivandière expanded, becoming something akin to the forerunner of the nursing corps. They would often give a wounded man a shot of liquor, free of charge this time, but they might even take them back to the nearest aid station, suggesting that many of them were not slight, flighty damsels but great strapping lasses. They would then head back into the fray to repeat the feat. Although technically supposed not to fight, it is hard to imagine that some could not resist the temptation.
The role of vivandière spread to other countries’ armies. They served on both sides of the American Civil War, where they were known as “daughters of the regiment”, charging into battle shoulder to shoulder with their male colleagues, and in the armies of Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and several in South America.
They were finally banned by the French War Ministry in 1906.
windowthroughtime 