skedaddle

[Page Stephens]

Since Allan brought it up here is an interesting reference to skedaddle.

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/amss:@field(TITLE+@od1(The+new+skedaddle+song++H++De+Marsan,+No++54+Chatham+St+,+N++Y+))

If you are interested in the tune try:

http://mariah.stonemarche.org/livhis/newskedaddle.htm

A civil war poem entitled Skedaddle:

http://home.att.net/~lah-rbh/civilwar/poem2.html

Here is a use of the word which may go back as far as 1838 though I doubt it since it was written in 1873 or 1874.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/history/chapters/chapter_04.htm

 "Tremendous was the effect," Woodruff wrote. "The enemy could not bide the smell of powder. Forthwith they drop their weapons, break ranks, and skedaddle over the hills. Now, now, the great posse comitatus feel equal to anything. We could each one of us face the heels of a thousand paddies."

 "After one or two hours of hard riding we drew near Romeo," wrote George H. Woodruff, the local historian, who was with the posse that day. "And soon we came in sight of the enemy, flourishing scythes, pitchforks and shellalahs."

Skedaddle: Run away.  (Irish usage)

From: Celtic Glossary - Scots and Irish:

http://www.tlucretius.net/Sophie/Castle/gaelic.html

JOHNNY I HARDLY KNEW YE- ORIGIN: O'Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody 1922, No. 69) notes: "Classed as a street ballad in Halliday Sparling's Irish Minstrelsy, London 1887, the editor adds, in a note on page 366: Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye !- This favorite old song is here for the first time given complete. It dates from the beginning of the present century (19th), when Irish regiments were so extensively raised for the East India service. 

In "Songs of Ireland," Herbert Hughes, writing in his "Irish Country Songs" (London 1934) says, " Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye is a classic case of a song surviving it's period and presenting a problem for the later folklorist.." His father, whose memories went back to the American Civil War, felt that it belonged to that period and came from the States - having probably been in the repertory of the Christy Minstrels. It had been published in London in1867, but internal evidence dates it back perhaps to as early as1802, when Irish regiments were extensively recruited for the East India service." 

Hughes carefully established the song's pre-Civil War Irish origin: "But further research dated it back, conjecturally, to the period immediately succeeding the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, when, as H. H. Sparling pointed out, Irish regiments were extensively recruited for the East India service. In his 'Irish Minstrelsy" (Walter Scott, 1887) Sparling described it as a street ballad in which "the island of Ceylon " is given as "the island of Sulloon"; and in the complete edition of that work he made the following note: 

Because in one late version, "Why did you run from me and the child?" is made "Why did you skedaddle," etc., and this word only came into use during the War of Secession, some have imagined this song to be of recent date, and have even attributed it to the Irish American music halls. My own memory carries it back to very near the war, when I heard an old fisherman sing it, to whom it was even then old. It was he who told me of its age and meaning, what I have said above, which is corroborated by the reference to Ceylon. It is hard to believe that any one can read this wonderful piece of grotesquerie, with its mingling of pathos and ribald mockery so closely allied to the spirit that produced "The night before Larry was stretched," and be unable to see either its value or its genuineness." 

From: The Bluegrass Messengers:

http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/master/johnnyfillup3.html

OED: colloq.
      
    1. intr. Of soldiers, troops, etc.: To retreat or retire hastily or precipitately; to flee. 
  Orig. U.S. military slang, introduced during the Civil War of 1861-5. 
 
  1861 N.Y. Tribune 10 Aug. 5/5 No sooner did the traitors discover their approach than they 'skiddaddled', (a phrase the Union boys up here apply to the good use the seceshers make of their legs in time of danger). 1862 in Post Soldiers' Lett. II. xxxii. 90 As soon as the rebs saw our red breeches (the Zouaves) coming through the woods they skedaddled. 1863 J. RUSSELL Diary North & S. II. 421 For their men skedaddled, and the Secession cavalry slipping after them, had a very pretty chase. 1875 BUCKLAND Log-Book 246 The enemy skedaddled without coming to the scratch. 1894 H. NISBET Bush Girl's Rom. xxvii. 260 So that those honest fellows..might have the less temptation thrown in their way to skedaddle.
 
    2. a. In general use: To go away, leave, or depart hurriedly; to run away, 'clear out'. 
 
  1862 Illustr. Lond. News 24 May 540/3, I 'skeedadled' from the capital of the dis-United States. 1867 TROLLOPE Chron. Barset I. xxxi. 260 Mama, Major Grantly hasskedaddled. 1878 BESANT & RICE Celia's Arb. xxxix, The middies swiftly creep over the seats and skedaddle.
 
    b. Of animals: To run off, stampede. 
 
  1879 F. T. POLLOK Sport Brit. Burmah I. 166 There were several hundred elephants about, and they all skedaddled, making for the hills. 1888 J. INGLIS Tent Life in Tigerland 66 An untried elephant will not unnaturally turn tail and incontinently 'skedaddle' as hard as it can lay legs to the ground.

    3. trans. To spill (milk, etc.). dial. 
 
  1862 LD. HILL in Times 13 Oct. 10/3 You blind buzzard, don't you see you are skedaddling all that milk?
 
    Hence skedaddler. 
 
  1864 Index 9 June 359/3 If the emigration of skedaddlers from the field of battle continues to increase. 1869 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 507 Consolation to skedaddlers in general.
 
Penny O'Connor
Assistant Head, Science and Technology
Cleveland Public Library
penelope.oconnor at cpl.org


You know the reasons I doubt that this word is of Civil War origin even in the US.

Anyone out there know anything more about this word?

Page Stephens