Guy Eating 1863 Hardtack

[wardniner]

I was really waiting for this guy to try eating some Civil War hardtack! I would recommend watching his other old MRE reviews as they are quite informative and humorous.

MREs are what would happen if you went to the worst chef in the universe and said "make me the vilest thing you can conjure up."
Even the M&Ms are gross!
(There's always someone who says "Eh, the —— isn't too bad."
I'd like to meet their mother.)

 

[chubachus]

MREs are what would happen if you went to the worst chef in the universe and said "make me the vilest thing you can conjure up."
Even the M&Ms are gross!
(There's always someone who says "Eh, the —— isn't too bad."
I'd like to meet their mother.)

He often finds the old sealed ration boxes that have chocolate, coffee and cigarettes are still good and even enjoyable to consume. Some of them come from as far back as WW2.

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

Spunk Puppy, thanks for posting this. Hardtack during the American Civil War was commonly referred to as "crackers" and when the cooked rations were gone "crackers" were what most soldiers were left with. They were at times, "tooth chipping" hard, and ranged from very bland to horrible tasting. Some soldiers would bitterly complain that they had to let them soak in a cup of water or coffee for a few minutes just to soften them enough to eat. However, a few select soldiers really enjoyed them.

Below is an excerpt from a letter written home from Pvt. Samuel D. Cameron ("D" Troop), 2nd Regiment Alabama Cavalry, regarding coming across three barrels of Federal "crackers" (hardtack) captured and eaten by the Confederates after a fight on 20 Jun 1863 in northern Mississippi at Muddy Creek (Rocky Ford Crossing on the Tallahatchie River west of New Albany):

"I suppose that you have heard before now of the fight we had 20 miles north west of Pontotoc on Muddy Creek. We give them fits, I did not get to shoot any as our company was Old General Ruggles` Escort, our loss was not much only two men killed and about 15 wounded. The enemy`s loss was near 100 killed and wounded. We captured 4 wagons and 1 piece of artillery and a good many other things. They had two or three barrels of crackers that went mighty well... It was a great wonder that the Yanks did not slay a heap more of our men, for they had all the advantage. We made the attack, they was behind logs and trees, but I tell you our boys picked right up to them and gave them the Devil with our shotguns. Shotguns is the very thing in a swamp fight. They would have given us "quit" if our artillery had not been right with us, we had six pieces, when they commenced firing on them I tell (you) that made them get out of the swamp and get "yonder". We followed them some distance but could not overtake them. We got a good many of their old broke down horses. Everything is quiet now, I think we will get to rest awhile."

 

[Michael W.]

I watch this guy quite a bit eating rations from WW2. He is a little on the crazy side...

 

[Waterloo50]

Yep, that guy isn't playing with a full deck, I once watched him eat beef from a tin dated 1899.

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

The Civil War song; "Hardtack, Come Again No More!", which was often sang by the soldiers at camp about hardtack says it all:

Let us close our game of poker, take our tin cups in our hand
As we all stand by the cook's tent door
As dried monies of hard crackers are handed to each man.
O, hard tack, come again no more!

CHORUS: 'Tis the song, the sigh of the hungry:
"Hard tack, hard tack, come again no more."
Many days you have lingered upon our stomachs sore.
O, hard tack, come again no more!

'Tis a hungry, thirsty soldier who wears his life away
In torn clothes - his better days are o'er.
And he's sighing now for whiskey in a voice as dry as hay,
"O, hard tack, come again no more!" - CHORUS

'Tis the wail that is heard in camp both night and day,
'Tis the murmur that's mingled with each snore.
'Tis the sighing of the soul for spring chickens far away,
"O, hard tack, come again no more!" - CHORUS

But to all these cries and murmurs, there comes a sudden hush
As frail forms are fainting by the door,
For they feed us now on horse feed that the cooks call mush!
O, hard tack, come again once more!

'Tis the dying wail of the starving:
"O, hard tack, hard tack, come again once more!"
You were old and very wormy, but we pass your failings o'er.
O, hard tack, come again once more!

 

[JOHN42768]

You don't have to be crazy, but it helps

 

[Carronade]

MREs - Meals Rejected by Ethiopians

 

[Kirk Womack]

This is the literal definition of history being flushed down the toilet

 

[3rd North Carolina]

I know that I wont eat something that old