The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-23
wHEs rATToo,Nc WAS POPULAR
During the Owl War Tattooers
Reaped a harvest Among Seamen.
Boston Commercial Bulletin. I

Boston Commercial Bulletin.1
80 clever was the artist in tattooing in
days of the civil war that every stay,
spar or portion of rigging in use on
board warship appeared outlined upon
the human skin with fidelity in regard
to detail we'll nigh equal to that of steel
engraving.
A representation of a fox hunt, which
design covered the entire body, was ia
/ vorite one among navy seamen. In
most cases this design was skillfully tat
tooed, and even beautifully, the hunts
men in red coats, the horses at full gal
lop, the leaping hounds and fleeing fox
appearing wonderfully lifelike in their
attitudes and proportions. For the Or
namentation of the arms some design of
national character was usually chosen
by men seeking to be tattooed.
A goddess of liberty bearing the ma
tional flag and seated upon a flying
eagles back was for years favorite de-
sign among sailors. A full length pict-
ure of the goddess Of liberty with hand
resting upon national shield and with
the topmasts of several vessels appear
ular design for the forearm. The ma
tional coat of arms and also the one pc
culiar to the navy were popular pieces.
Seamen of a religious turn of mind
usually selected representation of the
crucifxion of Christ to appear on their
forearms. Others preferred to have
design representing Christ crowned with
thorns appear upon either their back or
breast.
'"The sailors farewell" representing
maiden and sailor in the act of parting
with each other, and with full rugged
ship in the background, was perhaps the
most popular design of the many in use
among navy sailors during the Nar
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 in
dividual who during the civil war
served on board the Bloop of war San
Jacinto. Upon this mans body APP
peared perfect representation, save as
to color, of the flags of all nations.
These designs covered nearly every por-
ton of the mans body from the neck
downward.
Freemasons, Odd Fellows and those
belonging to kindred organizations were
often won't to adorn their hands, arms
and bodies with whole or part of the
symbols of their respective orders. Of
the smaller designs the initials of ones
name was perhaps the most sensible of
all others chosen to appear on ones
body.
The professional tattooers did thriv-
ing business in our navy during the civil
war. The price demanded by them for
the work they performed varied with
chosen by the person to be tattooed.
The price for tattooing the fox hunt was
fixed at $40. For full rugged ship $25
was demanded. For any piece requiring
time and the exercise of more than
ordinary skill in its completion a sum
ranging from $40 to $40 was demanded.
The placing of star or anchor upon a
mans hand was simple affair with tat
tooers, 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 OBJ
tanned by them in the steady pursuit of
their peculiar calling Bill Haswell, of
Baltimore, who in his day was held to
be unequaled as q tattooer, is said to
have retired from the navy after cruise
of twenty-six months with upward of
$1,000 over and above his regular pay,
which was that of a seaman