CWDigitalDigest Rations in the field

[captaindrew]

On another thread member @Norm53 had some questions about rations and I shared a few of the great Civil War Digital Digest videos with him on the subject. After some thought I figured everyone might like them so I'm starting it's own thread.

 

[captaindrew]

How they carried their rations

 

[captaindrew]

A typical stew

 

[captaindrew]

another good example of a quick field stew

 

[Norm53]

On another thread member @Norm53 had some questions about rations and I shared a few of the great Civil War Digital Digest videos with him on the subject. After some thought I figured everyone might like them so I'm starting it's own thread.

Thanks for your useful video. If issued as instructed, each meal contained all the nutrients for a healthy diet for a man doing vigorous work; i.e., marching with a load on his back and digging trenches. Multiply each daily ration x number of days expected to be on campaign to obtain what went into the haversack.

Questions follow:
0:20 Where to obtain a copy of the US army regulations that the speaker cited?
1:55 Was the flour whole ground like the cornmeal?
2:40 "Coffee comes with sugar." Coffee was either roasted or green. Was the sugar mixed with the coffee instead of being in a separate package?

Norm

 

[captaindrew]

Thanks for your useful video. If issued as instructed, each meal contained all the nutrients for a healthy diet for a man doing vigorous work; i.e., marching with a load on his back and digging trenches. Multiply each daily ration x number of days expected to be on campaign to obtain what went into the haversack.

Questions follow:
0:20 Where to obtain a copy of the US army regulations that the speaker cited?
1:55 Was the flour whole ground like the cornmeal?
2:40 "Coffee comes with sugar." Coffee was either roasted or green. Was the sugar mixed with the coffee instead of being in a separate package?

Norm

Glad you liked that video and hope it helps answer some of your questions, all four of them I think will help with what your looking to do. If you do a quick search online you'll get the same regulations pop up multiple times from several sources. I'm not sure of the exact way the flour is ground, I believe they have a video on the topic. On the Confederate side they were issued parched corn which they would roast then smash into a cornmeal. The coffee and sugar question is answered in the haversack issue. they would carry their issues in small poke sacks, sometimes the men would mix their coffee and sugar ration in the same sack.

 

[Norm53]

How they carried their rations

Clears up a lot of questions. Now I know that "crackers" are hardtack. I'm curious why the speaker temporized about the number of sacks available. Would not every trooper be issued the same number of sacks, the number being sufficient to keep the coffee and sugar separate?

Norm

 

[captaindrew]

@Norm53 While this doesn't give the specs of the dough it's an example of working with flour in the field.

 

[Norm53]

Glad you liked that video and hope it helps answer some of your questions, all four of them I think will help with what your looking to do. If you do a quick search online you'll get the same regulations pop up multiple times from several sources. I'm not sure of the exact way the flour is ground, I believe they have a video on the topic. On the Confederate side they were issued parched corn which they would roast then smash into a cornmeal. The coffee and sugar question is answered in the haversack issue. they would carry their issues in small poke sacks, sometimes the men would mix their coffee and sugar ration in the same sack.

OK, so it was a matter of personal choice on whether the coffee and sugar were mixed or separated.

 

[captaindrew]

Here's another example using cornmeal which would be common on the CS side

 

[captaindrew]

Clears up a lot of questions. Now I know that "crackers" are hardtack. I'm curious why the speaker temporized about the number of sacks available. Would not every trooper be issued the same number of sacks, the number being sufficient to keep the coffee and sugar separate?

Norm

I've never seen mention of issued sacks, I imagine the guys acquired them on their own, I could be wrong but I've never seen where they were issued.

 

[captaindrew]

I'd imagine out of necessity they could easily make a poke sack by simply folding over a rag and add a few stiches, I bet this was done. I have read where they would wrap their rations in rags. The haversack had a liner that could be removed and washed, they would get quite ripe after a while.

 

[donna]

captaindrew excellent thread. Thanks so much for sharing with all.

 

[captaindrew]

captaindrew excellent thread. Thanks so much for sharing with all.

Thanks Donna, the CWDD videos make it easy. They do an excellent job and are a great resource, especially for us reenactors.