Doegod (1864)

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   DARE has "dough god" (1899 and chiefly West for "biscuit;" 1941 and esp NEng for "doughboy").
   This is really just a "doughnut," but here it is, from AMERICAN CIVIL WAR DIARIES AND LETTERS.  More Civil War "doughnuts" by request, but I didn't see any hole-y comments.


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Cooke, Chauncey H., 1846(?)-?, Letter from Chauncey H. Cooke, 1864, in Soldier Boy's Letters to His Father and Mother, 1861-5. News-Office, 1915, pp. 97. S1630-D047 [Bibliographic Details] [4-20-1864] CookeC:L1630-47
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April 23rd
I have just come from town, 80 rods, with some milk and meal and a mess of doughnuts. An uncommon bill of fare in this south land.

The aristocracy here are getting pretty humble and are glad to exchange milk and corn meal for hard tack, pork and coffee. It has been an awful come down for Maser and Mistus. As Elder Harwood our Chaplin said, they would sow the wind and now they are reaping the whirlwind. The Freedmen fare just as well as the master and mistress. The big white mansion on the plantations of the south has no more in it to eat or wear than the Freedman's cabin. Where I got my milk and meal to-day, I rang several times before the door was opened. A pale
[p. 64]
faced white girl opened the door and when I told her I had been ringing for some time she apologized by saying she supposed it was some of "Aunties" nigger friends come to call on her. "You know" she said we have no future control over our servants. "Auntie" as it seems was away somewhere, calling without fear of mistress. We are glad to get their "Doegods" as the boys call their doughnuts, in exchange for sow belly and hard tack. These whites are afraid of the "Yankees" as they call us soldiers. The boys are always singing John Brown's Body, and they seem to think all we care for is to free the slaves. And to tell the truth, that is about all I care for. But the Union, the Union the Union, as father says, half slave and half free.

I don't believe in hating anybody but the way these old slave holders treat us, they snub us every time we meet them. I don't like them, not a bit.

An important message has come and we are ordered in line by the adjutant. Love to all.

Your Son.

CHAUNCEY.


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Cooke, Chauncey H., 1846(?)-?, Letter from Chauncey H. Cooke, 1864, in Soldier Boy's Letters to His Father and Mother, 1861-5. News-Office, 1915, pp. 97. S1630-D047 [Bibliographic Details] [4-20-1864] CookeC:L1630-47