Broom brigade

A broom brigade was a type of military-style women's drill team that marched with brooms instead of rifles. Drilling was a popular form of exercise at the time, when participation in sports was largely restricted to men. They were popular in America during the late 19th century. They were mentioned in Mark Twain's book "Life on the Mississippi".^[1]

The Broom Brigade. (1883)

Brigades

• St. Louis Ladies Broom Brigade Michigan (1870s)^[2]
• Ladies of the Russian Broom Brigade of St. Louis, MO (1882)^[3]
• The Woman's Relief Corps (1883) women's auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic.
  • Hamilton Broom Brigade (1884)^[4]
• Company Q, (1888) University of Minnesota.^[5]
• Broom Brigade, Union (1889)^[6]
• Kilbourn Broom Brigade, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin (1888)^[7]
• Breckenridge Broom Brigade, Caldwell Co., Missouri, (c. 1890)^[8]

Current usage

Currently, the term refers to citizens who volunteer to clean up their neighborhoods.^[9]

See also

• Marching girls

References

1. Hale, Whitney (August 31, 2012). "Sesquicentennial Series: The Charge of the Broom Brigade". UKNOW. LEXINGTON, Ky. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
2. "Mid-Michigan History: St. Louis Ladies Broom Brigade". Morning Sun. 8 October 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
3. A. M. Shuey (composer); Minn (composer) (1882). "Russian Broom Brigade Triumphal March. In the Palace Ballroom Car Over the River Bank Route of the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway". JScholarship. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
4. "Hamilton Broom Brigade". Butler County Historical Society. Rootsweb. 2000. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
5. Brady, Tim (September–October 2004). "The Broom Brigade". University of Minnesota Alumni Association. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2013. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. Allen, Craig (2005). "Broom Brigade of Union, 1889". Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
7. Bennett, H. H. (December 2003). "Kilbourn Broom Brigade on the Alexander Mitchell". Wisconsin Historical Society.
8. Breckenridge Broom Brigade
9. "Britain vows to restore order to quell riots". CBC. Aug 9, 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2013. A 'broom brigade' gathers Tuesday at the site of rioting in Clapham to volunteer in cleanup efforts. (photo caption)

External links

• Gary A. Mitchell, "Why Can't A Girl Be a Soldier? The Importance of Female Military Organizations, 1875-1900, Army History (Winter 2022): 30–39.
• Broom Brigade March. The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music, Edward Wittich (composer) 1883
• Barnett, Joseph H. (1978) [1890]. Barnett's broom brigade tactics and fan drill: suitable for school, church, social, or military entertainment for boys and girls (5th reprint ed.). M & M. 69 pp.
• Illustration from "Life on the Mississippi". (Ch 44)