Fishing in the War

Brian E. Stam has written a very informative article about how soldiers supplemented their rations with fresh fish & shell fish.

I especially like the fact that handmade lures of pork rind were ubiquitous.

Link:



Union soldiers enduring Hood's "Siege of Nashville" in November-December 1864 did not have to forgo their taste for fish & oysters.

The Daily Nashville Union Banner News Paper's wartime publication is available from the Library of Congress. I find that the local news paper ads speak volumes about what is really going on.

As Hood's shivering men listened to the brass band of an elaborate circus 3 times a day echoing among the hills, they read about the grand opening of an ice cream parlor.


Ad 12:7:64.jpeg



Hotel Restaurant 12:7:64.jpeg


December 7, 1864.jpeg


Circus add 11:15:64.jpeg


In Nashville a soldier with a 24 hour pass could have checked ito a nice hotel, had a restorative bath, enjoyed the novelty of a soda shop, delighted in a trip to the circus, eaten an excellent meal that included salmon & , in order to fortify himself for later, oysters. Finishing up his evening at one of the officially sanctioned & licensed brothels would have been a fine way to "cap off" a day away from the army.
 
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Sidebar: Did you ever wonder where the Signal Corps ordered the segmented staffs for their signal flags / torches?


standard-civil-war-union-army-signal-corps-kit_u-s-army-historical-collection_public-domain.jpeg

A team of 4-6 mounted men made up a signal team. Their kit included a set of red, white & black flags, two turpentine torches to mount on the poles, a stationary torch & a copper turpentine canteen.

IMG_2681.jpeg

You can see a lit candle one mile away. With a telescope you can see a turpentine torch 41 miles from Fort Transit station outside Murfreesboro TN to Fort Negley in Nashville.

You can't do any of that marvelous stuff without stout, segmented poles. Who better to make them than surf fishing rod manufacturers? (+/-) 12 ' in length, the surf fishing pole / hardware modified easily into segmented poles for signalists to wave out their messages.



"The Flags that Talk"

Link:

 
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A couple of the men in the Army of New Mexico spoke fondly of supplementing rations (and acquiring alcohol at the affiliated scabtowns) with large catfish caught in the Leona, Devils and Pecos Rivers, and Government and Las Moras Springs - on the march from the Salado to Mesilla.
 
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Im reading thru Dr. Timothy Smith's series of 5 books on the Vicksburg campaign. The volume on Battle of the Bayous describe Grant's attempts get behind Vicksburg by flooding the Mississippi Delta. The Federal troops had to put up mud, rain and snakes as well as lack of rations. However many units were able to supplement their rations with fresh fish, especially a few units that spent time at one location for some time.
I will try to get some quotes.
 

Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Alaska, as always, you have the goods.
 
The Army of Northern Virginia did a great deal of fishing in the spring of 1863 while stationed near Fredericksburg. Different regiments and brigades built fish traps and seine hauled.
Since Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade were stationed right in Fredericksburg Barksdale gave his soldiers permission "to fish as much as we want" stated Pvt Newton Nash of the 13th MS. The Mississippians used large seine nets purchased from the merchants within Fredericksburg. Sgt Hill of the 13th MS identified numerous species caught as "White Shad, Mullets, Sturgeon, Herring, Catfish, Rockfish Carp and Perch. Unfortunately one private from the 13th MS and one from the 21st MS drowned after becoming entangled in these large nets.
 

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