Camp follower
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A camp follower is a civilian who follows military camps in order to sell goods or services that the military does not supply. These can include prostitution, sutlery, laundering, cooking, and liquor. It can also be someone who scavenges after a battle.
The term is at times used to described the families of military personnel who accompany the soldier from base to base. This was not an uncommon practice during wartime. In United States history, Molly Pitcher was considered a camp follower during the Revolutionary War. There were a number of camp followers on both the Union and Confederate sides of the Civil War.[citation needed]
