BethvivandieresThu Feb 22 21:02:35 2001 Laundress was only one of many roles performed by Vivandieres during the Civil War. Officially, only women from Zouave units can be considered vivandieres, the rest being daughters of the regiment since vivandieres first traveled under that name with the French imperial troops. The term (with and accent on the first e) is a mixture of Latin and French which translates literally to "life giver." In the French army they were sutlers, while their counterparts, canteen women known as "cantinieres" served more as laundresses, etc. Like CW vivandieres, they wore modified uniforms; they were easily spotted by their trademark kegs painted red, white and blue. In 1854 the term vivandiere was officially replaced by cantiniere for all women in the French army who fulfilled these requirements. For more on Vivandieres visit http://cwwomen.tripod.com