The Tigers at Gaines Mill

[NH Civil War Gal]

The Louisiana Tigers at Gaines’ Mill - Emerging Civil War

Major Chatham Roberdeau Wheat and the Louisiana Tigers loom large in Civil War history. Such a famous, and ferocious unit, and its commander, met its end outside of Richmond in June, 1862. At six feet, two inches, and weight about 240 pounds, Roberdeau Wheat was much larger than the average man...

emergingcivilwar.com

Major Chatham Roberdeau Wheat and the Louisiana Tigers loom large in Civil War history. Such a famous, and ferocious unit, and its commander, met its end outside of Richmond in June, 1862.


At six feet, two inches, and weight about 240 pounds, Roberdeau Wheat was much larger than the average man of the day. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, he had an adventurous spirit that took him to join fighting in Italy, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Cuba.


Wheat was one of those individuals who could walk the fine line between gentleman and common laborer. He was comfortable among rough dock workers and well-mannered politicians, able to maneuver in both worlds. When the Civil War began, he organized a unit from the immigrants working the docks of New Orleans. The war affected him personally when his brother Captain John Wheat was killed at Shiloh.


He loved to cook, even managing to find the ingredients to make Cabeza de buey al ranchero in camp: baked ox head, with the skin and horns on. Not everyone was impressed, and one officer wrote that it was "about as repulsive an object as my eyes ever beheld . . ."
@donna I don't think this dish needs to be featured in the Food Forum

 

[donna]

It sounds awful. We don't need this one. But it is a great find.

 

[Jamieva]

I was just reading that post tonight, it was really well written and researched.