"hudags" in an 1861 Civil War letter

[A. Maberry]

Is the letter written by someone from Wisconsin? Maybe he meant "hodags"
not "hudags". However that might would be a significant antedating of the
1910 entry in DARE.

allen
maberry at u.washington.edu


On Mon, 3 Mar 2003, Gerald Cohen wrote:

>     Yesterday a colleague mentioned the word "hudags" in a Civil War
> letter (Nov. 26, 1861) and today e-mailed me the letter as he
> transcribed it.  I don't find "hudags" in OED or HDAS, and the letter
> has many misspellings. Might "hudags" be a misspelling of some
> everyday word that I'm somehow overlooking?
>
>      Below my signoff is an excerpt of the letter. "Hudags" appears on
> page 3, line 4.
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
>
>
> [Civil War letter]:
>
>
> ...Yes I do have a considerable
> to do with the secesh for the
> other night I was sergt of the
> guard over to head Quarters
> and there was two sent
> in for a trial but as it
> was to late for that they had
> to be sent to the Regt to
> stay all night.  so they sent
> to for two men.  but as I
> wanted some fun I took my
> old Musket and got another
>
> (3rd page now begins)
>
> man and started off
> but did not have any
> adventure as they are but poor
> hudags.  it is fun to
> march them off but if I
> was in their place it wouldn't
> be quite so funny.  I suppose
> your are a going to keep
> Thanksgiving next thursday.  I
> expect too.  what is your opin
> ion of the war  my is that
> it is a humbug  hat it is
> not carried on fast enough
> I wish it could be carried
> on faster.  but as long as
> we are here we will not be
> killed by secesh.  but you
> know we came to do some-
> thing for our country.  therefore
> we are all disapointed.  we have
> been in hopes to go down
> the river but I am affraid
> we will not get the chance
> I was glad to hear that
> you got along so well
>