Hardtack And Matzah

I was just wondering that since matzoh needs to be baked in an oven just like a loaf of bread,now we're they able to make it? The only way I think would be like Indian fry bread ,made in a hot iron skillet,covered though.
 
I was just wondering that since matzoh needs to be baked in an oven just like a loaf of bread,now we're they able to make it? The only way I think would be like Indian fry bread ,made in a hot iron skillet,covered though.
Probably in a dutch oven, like the early settlers used in an open fireplace, in this case, the campfire, with coals on top of the lid. @Albert Sailhorst knows a lot about outdoor cooking. He can probably tell us.
 
Probably in a dutch oven, like the early settlers used in an open fireplace, in this case, the campfire, with coals on top of the lid. @Albert Sailhorst knows a lot about outdoor cooking. He can probably tell us.
That seems like a reasonable solution but would a few soldiers have access to one as I don't think they would be carrying one with them.
 
That seems like a reasonable solution but would a few soldiers have access to one as I don't think they would be carrying one with them.
I'm thinking it was because they were "stationed at Sewell Mountain" rather than on the march and had a sutler that could provide barrels of flour. It sounds like they were encamped and would have things not available on campaign.

Yes, one can bake anything in a Dutch oven, though baking up seven barrels of flour would take a while or a lot of Dutch ovens. Another possibility, if they were encamped for a while, would be borrowing the use of ovens from the army cooks. Ovens could be made from bricks and sheetiron, either already by the army cooks, or the matzoh bakers could make them too. Here's a thread with some info: http://www.cwreenactors.com/forum/showthread.php?32891-Camp-Ovens
 
http://www.jewish-history.com/civilwar/union.htm

That contains the primary source the other story is based on. Sigh. There was no baking.

Our next business was to find some suitable person to proceed to Cincinnati, Ohio, to buy usמצות [Matzos] Our sutler being a co-religionist and going home to that city, readily undertook to send them. We were anxiously awaiting to receive our matzos and about the middle of the morning of ערב פסח [Eve of Passover] a supply train arrived in camp, and to our delight seven barrels of Matzos.
 
That seems like a reasonable solution but would a few soldiers have access to one as I don't think they would be carrying one with them.
Can't say, for sure. Maybe borrowed one? Did regiments carry such things with the wagons?
 
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