The small fire

[JohnJW]

I've been working my way through the Time-Life series of first-hand account CW books and just finished reading Detailed Minutiae Of Soldier Life In The Army Of Northern Virginia.

He mentions the use of small cooking fires several times. In one description, he tells how three men were detailed for picket duty. The old vet put the two newbies in a rifle pit and scared them half to death with stories of what the Yankees would do if they captured them. Then he went back a few yards, lit a very small fire, cooked some food, boiled some coffee, had a smoke . . . and went to sleep.

Being career Army I turned my nose up at that and thought "Wow . . . . that was pretty "un-tactical."

But then I thought it through a little and realized that everyone for miles around had cooking fires so the smell would not give the position away. It was night, so no smoke could be seen. All he had to do was mask the fame and a small fire could be perfectly "tactical' even yards away from the enemy.

The old vet knew what he was doing (which is why he had probably survived long enough to be an "old vet.")

Has anyone here practiced using "very small fires?"

I'm envisioning digging a small pit like maybe the depth of a coffee cup. Maybe put some wood around the top to mask the flames. Make small feathers or shavings with a knife. Use pencil-sized sticks for actual fuel. Etc.

But what did they use for tinder? Did they understand the use of fatwood or pine resin? Did they use petroleum-based products? Cotton fibers? Small candles?

How did they strike a spark?

I'm especially interested in the mechanics of fire making because the author even describes how there was always one man in a mess who could get even wet wood started!

Any help on CW fire-making greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[johan_steele]

Google "Dakota Fire Hole" for the best small fire I have ever utilized. It was a known practice among troops out of MN at least.

 

[JohnJW]

Google "Dakota Fire Hole" for the best small fire I have ever utilized. It was a known practice among troops out of MN at least.

Really? I didn't know it dated from the CW. I always thought the Brit SAS thunk it up.

Sure, I'm very familiar with it. I actually have a permanent one in my backyard. Thanks!

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for your service and thanks for sharing this interesting story.

 

[johan_steele]

I've been working my way through the Time-Life series of first-hand account CW books and just finished reading Detailed Minutiae Of Soldier Life In The Army Of Northern Virginia.

He mentions the use of small cooking fires several times. In one description, he tells how three men were detailed for picket duty. The old vet put the two newbies in a rifle pit and scared them half to death with stories of what the Yankees would do if they captured them. Then he went back a few yards, lit a very small fire, cooked some food, boiled some coffee, had a smoke . . . and went to sleep.

Being career Army I turned my nose up at that and thought "Wow . . . . that was pretty "un-tactical."

But then I thought it through a little and realized that everyone for miles around had cooking fires so the smell would not give the position away. It was night, so no smoke could be seen. All he had to do was mask the fame and a small fire could be perfectly "tactical' even yards away from the enemy.

The old vet knew what he was doing (which is why he had probably survived long enough to be an "old vet.")

Has anyone here practiced using "very small fires?"

I'm envisioning digging a small pit like maybe the depth of a coffee cup. Maybe put some wood around the top to mask the flames. Make small feathers or shavings with a knife. Use pencil-sized sticks for actual fuel. Etc.

But what did they use for tinder? Did they understand the use of fatwood or pine resin? Did they use petroleum-based products? Cotton fibers? Small candles?

How did they strike a spark?

I'm especially interested in the mechanics of fire making because the author even describes how there was always one man in a mess who could get even wet wood started!

Any help on CW fire-making greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Something that I failed to comment on was the use of kindling, various kindling materials and striking tools. Spent paper cartridge wrapper, arsenal pack wrapper, twine, newspaper, slivered tampions, spills, candle wax, a bit of rope and certainly small sticks. We must remember these men lived and breathed with wood fires. Matches aka Lucifers were abundant as were flint and steel as well as lighting glasses, slow matches etc.

The fire I made Friday evening was a simple Dakota fire hole with no more than a handful of broken sticks and some paper to get it started. I was able to make tea and dinner for my pard and I. We ate quite well (pork & beans and corned beef & Hash cooked together) and afterwards simply filled in the hole to extinguish it.

 

[JohnJW]

Thanks for your service and thanks for sharing this interesting story.

You're very welcome.

I love reading old anecdotes.

Soldiers never change.

 

[JohnJW]

Spent paper cartridge wrapper, arsenal pack wrapper, twine, newspaper, slivered tampions, spills, candle wax, a bit of rope and certainly small sticks.

Funny how the modern "bush crafter" turns up his nose at that the CW soldier found so normal. They much prefer to jam their haversacks with sticks and moss when they have reams of paper sitting at home. LOL

We ate quite well (pork & beans and corned beef & Hash cooked together) and afterwards simply filled in the hole to extinguish it.

Things always taste better when cooked together! Mark Twain talked about that in Huckleberry Finn . . . .

When you got to the table you couldn't go right to eating, but you had to wait for the widow to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals, though there warn't really anything the matter with them,—that is, nothing only everything was cooked by itself. In a barrel of odds and ends it is different; things get mixed up, and the juice kind of swaps around, and the things go better.