subs. (American political).—1. A free-lance: during the Rebellion deserters from the ranks of both armies infested the country, bands of these marauders making raids upon defenceless houses and even going the length of sacking whole towns. Hence BUSHWHACK = to fight in guerilla style.
1862. COL. DEITZLER [in New York Herald, 29 June]. The fiends, in small parties, select a position behind fences, trees, etc., fire upon the Union troops as they pass, and then run…. This infernal BUSHWHACKING shall not be practised on the men of my command, without my enforcing the severest retaliation.
1864. GEN. SHERMAN, Field Order, 9 Nov. Should guerillas or BUSHWHACKERS molest our march, or should the inhabitants burn bridges, or otherwise manifest local hostility, then army commanders should order and enforce a devastation more or less relentless.
2. (American).—A country BUMPKIN (q.v.); a CLODHOPPER (q.v.).
1809. IRVING, Knickerbocker History of New-York. The Van Bunschotens, of Nyack and Kakiat, who were the first that did ever kick with the left foot; they were gallant BUSH-WHACKERS and hunters of raccoons by moonlight.
1843. B. R. HALL (‘Robert Carlton’) The New Purchase, II., 86. Do you, sir, think … all eastern dignitaries combined, could have compelled young BUSHWHACKERS to wear coats and shoes in recitation rooms?
1855. HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), Nature and Human Nature, 15. Every BUSHWHACKER and forest ranger thought he knew where to find the trees.
