Doughboys

Doughboys: The U.S. Soldiers’ name for themselves. The name was preferred by them in the war to the name with which first the British public greeted the Americans on arrival, “Sammies” (c.f. Uncle Sam), which was much disliked by the Americans themselves. That and another name “Teddies” (q.v.), was so disliked that, it is said, Major-General Sibert, commanding the first U.S. Division landing in Europe, publicly asked for suggestions for a name to correspond to the British “Tommy Atkins”; Doughboys was the result.

“Doughboys” was apparently first used among the Federal Soldiers about 1862, during the War of Secession, suggested by the large globular brass buttons of the uniform which had a fancied resemblance to dumplings or “Doughboys.” Another suggested derivation ante-dates the origin of the word to the Mexican Campaign of 1846-7, suggesting that it originated from the adobe huts in which the U.S. Infantry were usually quartered.