Soldiers Food

[author3]

I don't know if this is the proper place to ask this question, so I apologize if I'm in the wrong place for this discussion. Here's my question, I've read over, and over again how a large number of confederate soldiers died not only from battle wounds but also starvation. I know the Union army was blocking the distribution of food supplies to the south, but each soldier had a gun, and bayonets on them. So instead of stealing food from farms, and homes, why didn't they use their weapons to hunt for food?

 

[wingatecivilwar5]

I don't know if this is the proper place to ask this question, so I apologize if I'm in the wrong place for this discussion. Here's my question, I've read over, and over again how a large number of confederate soldiers died not only from battle wounds but also starvation. I know the Union army was blocking the distribution of food supplies to the south, but each soldier had a gun, and bayonets on them. So instead of stealing food from farms, and homes, why didn't they use their weapons to hunt for food?

I don't know of any documentation stating they did or didn't hunt but I would assume they did but taking from a local farmer was probably easier and quicker. Not to mention they never wanted to waste very valuable ammunition. I think in some cases Confederates wanted to dish out the same treatment to Northerns as was done to Southerns (stealing or taking provisions) to prove a point about treatment of Southerners by the Union.

 

[captaindrew]

While as many or more men died on both sides do to disease I don't recall any blamed specifically on starvation. Not to say they weren't hungry. Trying to hunt game amongst tens of thousands of men on the move would be a difficult task and I'm sure if the opportunity presented itself they took it but certainly couldn't rely on it.

 

[scone]

These where tough times no doubt … Never read any starved to death … Parched acorns , corn etc Those that know it is eatable than those that are not … talking plants etc Prison camps much different … after the exchange went down it was a mess. Hence issues at Andersonville and Camp Douglas list goes on.

 

[Lubliner]

Restrictions on use of bullets, awol for hunting sprees even to farms. Most times if small game entered a camping are such as rabbit or squirrel, the men could chase it down. But organized hunts I have not heard of, unless it be the boars and hogs rooting among the dead after a battle. Organized details would be sent to gather forage in the field, and many times without proper guard would be waylaid. In Corinth, Miss., Bragg, 1862 issued orders to waste no bullet, and if the issue was broken into, 25 cents per piece would be collected.
Lubliner.

 

[scone]

Wonder if folks carried their own personal side arm … or Bow and arrow … I haven't seen such but hey take a man to war he will find a way ..

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

Food for both Union and Confederate soldiers was primarily provided by their respective Commissary Departments, either that or they foraged and sometimes hunted for food. In letters that I have read home from soldiers in the Confederate Army one man was bragging about how well he could cook gopher stew. Others spoke about shooting squirrels, rabbits, wild pigs or deer when they came upon them and cooked the meat over an open campfire on a spit, in a cast iron skillet or kettle, sharing the food with their messmates. Sometimes they would pick wild berries and keep them in their haversacks for snacks as they were on the march. When supplies were abundant each soldier would be given three rations of food a day. When supplies were in short supply each man would be placed on half rations, or quarter rations until the commissary could be resupplied.

Basically food supplied to the soldiers of both sides was plain and often tasteless. Since rations had to be transported long distances, the commissary departments relied on foods that could be preserved, so the primary ingredients available to soldiers were salted meat and canned goods. Sometimes the men would come across corn and would grab an ear or two and roast them in the fire. Confederate soldiers were lucky if they received a good supply of cornmeal but when they had it they would cook themselves Johnny cakes and cornbread. During battles and when food was scarce the primary source of substance often came from hardtack. Hardtack is basically bread, it's three inches long and half an inch thick. Soldiers would often soften hardtack up by soaking it in water or coffee in order to make it easier to bite into. When preparing to go on a long march typically three days of cooked rations would be prepared (meat) and then the soldiers would be given hard-tack, or more commonly referred to as crackers by the soldiers on both sides. They would cook as much of their fresh food (meat) as an individual soldier had before starting a long march and keep it in their haversacks.

When they could get flour they would cook biscuits and pancakes. Salt pork was also given to soldiers from time to time during the war. It was a stinky and salty meat, with hair, skin, dirt, and other stuff left on it. It was however, a good supply of protein for the soldiers. Letters from Civil War soldiers contain numerous references to bacon, but historians believe that the term bacon was used for all salt and smoked pork, not just the strips of meat that we now call "bacon". Salted beef and jerky were also given to the soldiers. Many ate salt beef only out of necessity. This was especially true for the Confederates. Salt beef was basically all of the very worst parts of a cow that you could think of. Parts included organs, neck and shanks, but the basic meat was pork. The Confederate government would have herds of beef cattle which would be driven from one place to the other and slaughtered for meat when ready. I have found several records of men in the 2nd Regiment Alabama Cavalry, to include my 3rd Great Grandfather, who was placed on detached service from 5 days to a week to herd and drive government cattle from Okolona, Ms. to Columbus, Ms. when they were fighting up in northern Mississippi from the spring until winter of 1863. Each of the 5 men that was placed on detached service for each cattle drive were paid a commutation for food of .75 cents per day for rations and would drive as many as 3,000 head of cattle to the Quartermaster. Some head of cattle would die during the drive and the men had to state their cause of death and prove that it was not due to neglect on their parts.

Foraging really offered the best opportunity for the soldiers to get fresh food, they would bring back all sorts of things from smokehouses, or bring a cow, pig, sheep, chicken or some type of foul back, slaughter and cook it up, if there was an abundant supply they would share with their messmates or the camp.

The soldiers during the war also loved their coffee, and drank it whenever possible. Coffee was a treasured beverage during the war, for soldiers recognized its properties to keep them awake after many hours of long tedious duty, such as guard, picket or vidette duty which would keep them up all night. Raw, green coffee beans were given to Union soldiers, who roasted them in a pan over the open fire and then crushed them, often with the butts of their rifles. Confederates frequently had to use coffee substitutes, such as chicory or roasted acorns.

Confederate and Union soldiers would often trade items with each other. The Confederates usually traded tobacco with Union soldiers who give them coffee beans in return. Of course these trade deals had to be made in secret since fraternizing with the enemy was punishable on both sides. Civil war food was far from a balanced diet. Not surprisingly, a poor diet along with unsanitary conditions contributed to a high disease rate among soldiers on both sides. If we went back in time to the Civil War, we would enjoy some of the still familiar foods, like gingerbread, that the soldiers enjoyed, but we would also find some of the food, like hardtack, rather unappetizing.

The substitutes were commonly known as "Confederate Coffee," which, in most cases, didn't contain any caffeine and in fact, was more of a tea. These ingredients were either dried, browned, roasted, or ground before steeping or dissolving into hot water to make "coffee."

1)- Almond. 2)- Acorn. 3)- Asparagus. 4)- Malted barley. 5)- Beans. 6)- Beechnut. 7)- Beets. 8)- Carrot. 9)- Chicory root. 10)- Corn. 11)- Corn Meal. 12)- Cottonseed. 13)- Dandelion root. 14)- Fig. 15)- Boiled-down molasses. 16)- Okra seed. 17)- Pea. 18)- Peanuts. 19)- Persimmon seed. 20)- Potato peel. 21)- Sassafras pits. 22)- Sugar cane seeds. 23)- Sweet potato. 24)- Wheat berries. 25)- Wheat bran. 26)- Scorched wheat.

The North did not run out of coffee during the war but in the South it became very difficult to get so coffee substitutes were experimented with ... The boiling of parched corn, rye, and even wood splinters were used to make coffee. In Mississippi "scorched wheat" was commonly used as was "chicory root", being ground down, mixed with hot water and drank as if it were coffee..

 

[scone]

Food for both Union and Confederate soldiers was primarily provided by their respective Commissary Departments, either that or they foraged and sometimes hunted for food. In letters that I have read home from soldiers in the Confederate Army one man was bragging about how well he could cook gopher stew. Others spoke about shooting squirrels, rabbits, wild pigs or deer when they came upon them and cooked the meat over an open campfire in a cast iron skillet or kettle, sharing the food with their messmates. Sometimes they would pick wild berries and keep them in their haversacks for snacks as they were on the march.

Basically food supplied to the soldiers of both sides was plain and often tasteless. Since rations had to be transported long distances, the commissary departments relied on foods that could be preserved, so the primary ingredients available to soldiers were salted meat and canned goods. Sometimes the men would come across corn and would grab an ear or two and roast them in the fire. Confederate soldiers were lucky if they received a good supply of cornmeal. During battles and when food was scarce the primary source of substance often came from hardtack. Hardtack is basically bread, it's three inches long and half an inch thick. Soldiers would often soften hardtack up by soaking it in water or coffee in order to make it easier to bite into. When preparing to go on a long march typically three days of cooked rations would be prepared (meat) and then the soldiers would be given hard-tack, or more commonly referred to as crackers by the soldiers on both sides. They would cook as much of their fresh food (meat) as an individual soldier had before starting a long march and keep it in their haversacks.

Salt pork was also given to soldiers from time to time during the war. It was a stinky and salty meat, with hair, skin, dirt, and other stuff left on it. It was however, a good supply of protein for the soldiers. Letters from Civil War soldiers contain numerous references to bacon, but historians believe that the term bacon was used for all salt and smoked pork, not just the strips of meat that we now call "bacon". Salted beef and jerky were also given to the soldiers. Many ate salt beef only out of necessity. This was especially true for the Confederates. Salt beef was basically all of the very worst parts of a cow that you could think of. Parts included organs, neck and shanks, but the basic meat was pork.

Foraging really offered the best opportunity for the soldiers to get fresh food, they would bring back all sorts of things from smokehouses, or bring a cow, pig, sheep, chicken or some type of foul back, slaughter and cook it up, if there was an abundant supply they would share with their messmates or the camp.

The soldiers during the war also loved their coffee, and drank it whenever possible. Coffee was a treasured beverage during the war, for soldiers recognized its properties to keep them awake after many hours of long tedious duty, such as guard, picket or vidette duty which would keep them up all night. Raw, green coffee beans were given to Union soldiers, who roasted them in a pan over the open fire and then crushed them, often with the butts of their rifles. Confederates frequently had to use coffee substitutes, such as chicory or roasted acorns.

Confederate and Union soldiers would often trade items with each other. The Confederates usually traded tobacco with Union soldiers who give them coffee beans in return. Of course these trade deals had to be made in secret since fraternizing with the enemy was punishable on both sides. Civil war food was far from a balanced diet. Not surprisingly, a poor diet along with unsanitary conditions contributed to a high disease rate among soldiers on both sides. If we went back in time to the Civil War, we would enjoy some of the still familiar foods, like gingerbread, that the soldiers enjoyed, but we would also find some of the food, like hardtack, rather unappetizing. But soon the beans ran out, and people needed to get creative.

The substitutes were commonly known as "Confederate Coffee," which, in most cases, didn't contain any caffeine and in fact, was more of a tea. These ingredients were either dried, browned, roasted, or ground before steeping or dissolving into hot water to make "coffee."

1)- Almond. 2)- Acorn. 3)- Asparagus. 4)- Malted barley. 5)- Beans. 6)- Beechnut. 7)- Beets. 8)- Carrot. 9)- Chicory root. 10)- Corn. 11)- Corn Meal. 12)- Cottonseed. 13)- Dandelion root. 14)- Fig. 15)- Boiled-down molasses. 16)- Okra seed. 17)- Pea. 18)- Peanuts. 19)- Persimmon seed. 20)- Potato peel. 21)- Sassafras pits. 22)- Sugar cane seeds. 23)- Sweet potato. 24)- Wheat berries. 25)- Wheat bran. 26)- Scorched wheat.

The North did not run out of coffee during the war but in the South it became very difficult to get so coffee substitutes were experimented with ... The boiling of parched corn, rye, and even wood splinters were used to make coffee. In Mississippi "scorched wheat" was commonly used as was "chicory root", being ground down, mixed with water and then percolated as if it were coffee..

yes sir

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

What I wrote above is regarding an army in the camps or before setting out on a long march or on the move. If you are talking about sieges, that is a completely different narrative altogether. When a city or fortress was under siege for a lengthy period of time, then you would have rampant starvation which did result in numerous deaths. I will use the 47-day siege of Vicksburg, Ms. as my example.

Lt. General Pemberton did not provision the Fortress City of Vicksburg nearly well enough to withstand a long siege. Pemberton had boxed himself in with lots of munitions and too little food and fresh water. He was waiting on Johnston for help for 47-days which never came. Soon his 31,000 man garrison and numerous civilians ran out of food and fresh water and were forced to find anything to nourish them, die or surrender.

Inside the defenses of Vicksburg during the siege, not only the Confederate Soldiers were found in harms way but also the civilians who themselves were forced to huddle in about 500 caves which they dug into the many hills around the fortress city to avoid the bombardment being rained down upon them daily from Grant's artillery batteries located around the city, in addition to the guns from the fleet of gunboats and iron-clads positioned on the Mississippi River. Food and other supplies from outside had been completely cut off for a month and a half. This resulted in horses, mules, dogs, cats and even rats becoming part of the daily diet for soldiers and civilians alike, as food became more and more scarce and men were driven to more desperate degrees of starvation. Some were so desperate that they were reduced to boiling the souls and uppers of their leather shoes and then drink the soup which was made from it, as well as anything else made of leather, such as pouches, haver sacks, belts and saddles just to have something to feed on. In essence it was 47-days of pure Hell for those who were in Vicksburg during the siege.

 

[scone]

agree brother... family there

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

agree brother... family there

I had 2 different Great Great Grandfathers there, one with the 36th Regiment Mississippi Infantry and the other with the 40th Regiment Mississippi Infantry. In addition to 4 great great and 3rd Great Granduncles with the same regiments.

 

[scone]

…

 

[scone]

I had 2 different Great Great Grandfathers there, one with the 36th Regiment Mississippi Infantry and the other with the 40th Regiment Mississippi Infantry. In addition to 4 great great and 3rd Great Granduncles with the same regiments.

1 Great Great Grandfather distant cousin wil try to find the units 30th Alabama GGF other is GA if recall corect

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this interesting article. If I run out of coffee would be in a world of hurt!

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

Thanks for sharing this interesting article. If I run out of coffee would be in a world of hurt!

I hear you, as I am writing this I have my morning pot of coffee on... On the Natchez Trace in Mississippi in the early 1800`s, the territory which stretched from Natchez to Nashville, coffee was considered to be an absolute necessity, but a luxury at the same time, as it was very expensive and had to be transported in, in what was considered to be the frontier at the time (1798 - 1830). People (the common person) who were lucky enough to have any would only drink it during the week-end, and even then they would only drink one cup on Saturday and one cup on Sunday morning to preserve it and make it last as long as it could. Children and young adults were not allowed to drink a cup as it was really for adults and they did not want to "waste" a cup on someone too young to enjoy it. Wealthy Planters drank it every day and would serve coffee to their friends, families and guests at balls and dances which they would host and many people would attend the event for the coffee and cake which was sure to be offered. During this time is when the majority of the "coffee substitutes" were experimented with. Real coffee for the ones lucky enough to have it over the week-end and substitute coffee through the week-days.

During the Civil War in the south coffee was hard to come by and those lucky enough to have any would save it for special occasions or limit the amount that they did have to make it last as long as possible. Below is an excerpt from the Weekly Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock from June 15, 1861, the year the Civil War began, discussing ways to double the amount of real coffee that they did have by adding corn meal to it:

"A very good coffee can be made, costing only 12½ cents, by mixing one spoonful of coffee with one spoonful of toasted corn meal, boil well and clear in the usual way. I have used it for two weeks, and several friends visiting my house say they could not discover any thing peculiar in the taste of my coffee, but pronounced it very good. Try it and see if we cannot get along comfortably, even while our ports are blockaded by the would be kind I can assure you it is very pleasant, though not strong enough to make us drunk."

 

[2nd Alabama Cavalry]

I don't know of any documentation stating they did or didn't hunt but I would assume they did...

Brig. General Samuel Wragg Ferguson (Ferguson`s Cavalry Brigade), under whom the 2nd Regiment Alabama Cavalry served from 28 Aug 1863 until they were ordered to disband on 5 May 1865 at Washington, Ga. as part of President Jefferson Davis` personal escort and body guard from North Carolina to Georgia, stated in his memoirs and post war newspaper articles, that during breaks in the fighting and in between campaigns, he would go fishing and hunting for squirrels and other game when time permitted. Other letters that I have read written by some members of the 2nd Alabama Cavalry also stated that they would shoot a squirrel, rabbit, wild pig, deer, turkey, pheasant or anything else that they could eat if they ran across it while at camp or out on extended scouts.

 

[scone]

found the hem some yanks to will have to do some more searching

 

[donna]

Requesting this be moved to the Food Forum.