Farewell to Grog...

[Mark F. Jenkins]

150 years ago today, the 'grog ration' ended for the U.S. Navy as a result of legislation passed on July 14, 1862.

http://www.marinersmuseum.org/blogs/civilwar/?p=2654

(Note, though, that this was simply the end of the grog ration for enlisted sailors. Officers were still allowed to keep alcoholic beverages on board for a few more decades.)

The term 'grog' is generally thought to have referred to Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, who often wore a grogram coat and was therefore nicknamed 'Old Grog', who supposedly came up with the idea of mixing rum, lime juice and water to issue to the sailors aboard British Royal Navy vessels. (On American vessels, whiskey was often used instead of rum.)

Incidentally, Mount Vernon was named for the Admiral; George Washington's older half-brother had served under 'Old Grog' and named the estate for him.

 

[reading48]

The lime juice just might have something to do with preventing scurvy....

 

[donna]

A very informative post,

 

[Dugger]

150 years ago today, the 'grog ration' ended for the U.S. Navy as a result of legislation passed on July 14, 1862.

http://www.marinersmuseum.org/blogs/civilwar/?p=2654

(Note, though, that this was simply the end of the grog ration for enlisted sailors. Officers were still allowed to keep alcoholic beverages on board for a few more decades.)

The term 'grog' is generally thought to have referred to Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, who often wore a grogram coat and was therefore nicknamed 'Old Grog', who supposedly came up with the idea of mixing rum, lime juice and water to issue to the sailors aboard British Royal Navy vessels. (On American vessels, whiskey was often used instead of rum.)

Incidentally, Mount Vernon was named for the Admiral; George Washington's older half-brother had served under 'Old Grog' and named the estate for him.

Good post. The British quit also but much later....is that correct?

"Naval tradition?" I will tell what the tradition of the navy is....nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash." - Winston Churchill

 

[diane]

Nelson's Blood! Black Tot Day is July 31, 1970, when the sailors of the British navy no longer were allowed their rum rations. They took it hard, they did. Some sailors wore black armbands and there was even a funeral! One ship's crew tossed theirs overboard with a note inside asking whoever found it to drink it in their honor.

The 18th century British navy was issued a gallon of beer, half a gallon of wine and half a pint of rum per man DAILY. Well, even though it was small beer and the wine and rum was diluted with water sailors often liked to save it up and have a wing-ding drunk - which, of course, was a problem. So Adm. Vernon devised grog. That way the officers dished up the drink, saw the men drank it then, and drunkenness was minimized quite a bit. (Fortunately they seldom got all the beer, wine and rum they were allowed!)

 

[jessgettysburg1863]

Great post Mark, thank you.

 

[Dugger]

Nelson's Blood! Black Tot Day is July 31, 1970, when the sailors of the British navy no longer were allowed their rum rations. They took it hard, they did. Some sailors wore black armbands and there was even a funeral! One ship's crew tossed theirs overboard with a note inside asking whoever found it to drink it in their honor.

The 18th century British navy was issued a gallon of beer, half a gallon of wine and half a pint of rum per man DAILY. Well, even though it was small beer and the wine and rum was diluted with water sailors often liked to save it up and have a wing-ding drunk - which, of course, was a problem. So Adm. Vernon devised grog. That way the officers dished up the drink, saw the men drank it then, and drunkenness was minimized quite a bit. (Fortunately they seldom got all the beer, wine and rum they were allowed!)

That much? No wonder they had no fear. You are good on this naval history stuff diane. Very good.

 

[diane]

Lol! Yep, Britannia ruled the waves half swacked! But they usually ran out of wine and beer, sometimes didn't get all the liquor on board for need of other things. The rations of booze also helped the sailors down the water. It was usually algae-covered and mighty sour - none of us would drink it or even dip a toe in it! They'd have to push the stuff back with their hands to get the dipper in. But, then, they also laid a board with a dead fish on it atop a barrel of oatmeal - the maggots would crawl out of the oatmeal onto the fish. Oatmeal and flour was usually deep fried at that point so the sailors couldn't tell how rancid it was or what bugs were in it!

 

[donna]

Another interesting thread on grog. Thanks to Mark.

 

[Carronade]

The lime juice just might have something to do with preventing scurvy....

Indeed it did. When it was discovered that lime or citrus juice prevented scurvy, sailors were skeptical, and the best way to make sure they drank their juice was to mix it in the rum ration.