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- Jan 16, 2015
A basic economic principle holds that the price and quantity of goods sold in the market are a function of both supply and demand. When supply decreases, the price of a good increases. When demand increases, again the price of the good increases. Price gouging occurs when prices lead to unfair levels. But how do we define the moment when fluctuating prices caused by supply and demand cross the line into unfairness? We still struggle with the question today, after every natural disaster. Soldiers who encountered this phenomenon during the Gettysburg campaign formed their own opinions based upon personal experience operating in both enemy and friendly territory, and when passing through the border state of Maryland where loyalties were divided.
Although a soldier might not comprehend or accept it, the sudden entrance of a large army into a sparsely populated region represented a massive increase in demand. Local citizens were also slow to recognize it, but they caught on quickly, and prices subsequently soared. Soldiers complained about a mean-spirited populace when prices doubled, without realizing they were still getting a bargain. But their argument gained merit as prices continued to rise, tripling or quadrupling or attaining even higher multiples of the “normal” price.
Of course, individual soldiers in enemy territory would often take what they wanted from the locals without paying, despite official policy. Confederate army officials issued receipts for the items they confiscated, but they generally proved worthless to northern merchants. As John T. McMahon of the 136th New York succinctly put it, “I had rather be in Virginia where I can get things without buying them.”
A perusal of diaries, journals, letters and newspapers yielded sufficient information on food prices to make interesting comparisons. Bear in mind the monthly base pay of a Union private at this time was $13 in U.S. currency (greenbacks), while a Confederate private was paid $11 in Confederate currency. So here we introduce another factor in the form of two different currencies, which permits a glimpse of the inflation and scarcity within the Confederacy.
Let’s examine individual staples with examples to illustrate these points.
BREAD:
I am selecting 25 cents as a standard price for an average loaf of bread in a Pennsylvania community prior to the invasion, relying upon a description of a Pennsylvania militiaman presumed to have just been mobilized from his community.
Date / Place / Cost [soldier, unit, army]
After 4 July / near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (PA) / 50 cents per loaf [Bowen, 37 MA, USA]
After 4 July / near Gettysburg, PA / 50 cents per loaf [Dunn, 109 PA, USA]
After 4 July / near Gettysburg, PA / $1 per loaf [Marvin, 1 MN, USA]
After 4 July / Gettysburg, PA / $1 and $1.50 per loaf [civilian at Eagle Hotel, USA]
6 July / PA / 10 cents per loaf [Peterson, 12 NJ, USA]
6 July / PA / $2 per loaf [Haley, 17 ME, USA]
6 July / PA / 25 cents per slice (12 slices per loaf) [Haley, 17 ME, USA]
7 July / Maryland (MD) / 10 cents per slice [Stacey, 111 NY, USA]
8 July / Williamsport, MD / 50 cents per loaf [John White, 83 NY, USA, while a prisoner]
23 July / near Greencastle, PA / 50 cents per loaf [38 PA militia, USA]
EGGS
Egg prices were remarkably consistent at 10 cents per dozen in PA and MD, but compare it to the cost in Virginia (VA).
1 June / Hanover Junction, VA / $2.00 per dozen [Burge, 18 VA, CSA]
June / VA / 50 or 60 cents per dozen [Edes, 33 MA, USA]
28 June / Chambersburg, PA / 10 cents per dozen [Maxwell, 2 FL, CSA]
28 June / Monterrey, MD / 10 cents per dozen [Edes, 33 MA]
30 June / near Cashtown, PA / 16 cents per dozen [Walters / Grandy’s Battery, CSA]
1 July / Coudersport, PA / 10 cents per dozen [The Potter Journal, market price, USA]
MILK
Milk averaged about 7 cents per quart in PA and MD, but costs at least ten times that much in VA for a Confederate soldier.
1 June / Hanover Junction, VA / 75 cents per quart [Burge, 18 VA, CSA]
6 June / near Falmouth, VA / 30 cents per quart [Johnson, 16 MA, USA]
June / VA / 25 cents per quart [Edes, 33 MA, USA]
28 June / Monterrey, MD / 5 cents per quart [Edes, 33 MA, USA]
30 June / Chambersburg, PA / 5 and 10 cents per quart [Fleming, 2 FL, CSA]
After 4 July / near Gettysburg, PA / 20 cents per quart [Marvin, 1 MN, USA]
After 4 July / Gettysburg, PA / 10 and 15 cents per quart [civilian at Eagle Hotel, USA]
After 4 July / near Gettysburg, PA / 15-20 cents per three pints [Wainwright, 1 Corps, USA]
26 July / Culpeper, VA / $1 per quart (but unavailable) [Nixon, 8 FL, CSA]
June or July / MD / 25 cents per three pints [McMahon, 136 NY, USA]
BUTTER
1 June / Hanover Junction, VA / $2.50 per pound [Burge, 18 VA, CSA]
June / VA / $1 per pound [Prescott, 32 MA, USA]
13 June / near Shepherdstown, VA / 25 cents per pound [Edwards, 12 VA, CSA]
28 June / Monterrey, MD / 15 cents per pound [Edes, 33 MA, USA]
28 June / near Chambersburg, PA / 20 cents per pound [Aylett, 53 VA, CSA]
30 June / Chambersburg, PA / 12.5 cents per pound [Fleming, 2 FL, CSA]
30 June / near Fayetteville, PA / 75 cents per pound [Tesh, 28 NC, CSA]
30 June / near Cashtown, PA / 18 cents per pound (prime) [Walters, Grandy’s Battery, CSA]
1 July / Coudersport, PA / 12.5 cents/pound [The Potter Journal, market price, USA]
July / PA / 10 cents per pound [John Bedingfield, 60 GA, CSA]
CHICKENS
Lieutenant Joel C. Blake of the 5th Florida confirms that in a border region a chicken (weighing perhaps three pounds) sold for 10 U.S. cents, or ten times that amount in Confederate currency.
Ca. 22 June / (northwest) VA / 10 cents apiece Union, $1 apiece Confederate [Blake, 5 FL, CSA]
28 June / Chambersburg, PA / 15 cents apiece [Maxwell, 2 FL, CSA]
30 June / Chambersburg, PA / 15 cents apiece [Fleming, 2 FL, CSA]
30 June / near Fayetteville, PA / 25 cents apiece [Tesh, 28 NC, CSA]
July / PA / 10 cents apiece [John Bedingfield, 60 GA, CSA]
1 July / Coudersport, PA / 5-6 cents per pound [The Potter Journal, market price, USA]
ONIONS
Two cost examples are known.
15 June / Hamilton’s Crossing, VA / $1 for 5 onions (about 1 pound) [Tesh, 28 NC, CSA]
1 July / Coudersport, PA / 75 cents to $1 per bushel (about 57 lbs.) [The Potter Journal, market price, USA]
POTATOES
1 July / Coudersport, PA / 37.5 to 44 cents per bushel [The Potter Journal, market price, USA]
9 August / Orange Court House, VA / $10 per bushel ($2.50 per peck) [Pickens, 5 AL, CSA]
WATERMELONS
Watermelons thrive in warm climates, so Confederate soldiers would likely not have seen any during the invasion. South of the Mason-Dixon line they were apparently a rare and expensive treat, based on this one example:
August 17 / Orange Court House, VA / $9 apiece [Pickens, 5 AL, CSA]
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