Camp Food The Truth About Civil War Bacon

[35th MA InfRegt]

Would you rather have unlimited bacon but no games, OR games -- unlimited games -- but no games?

Unlimited bacon. I don't game.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Pigs kill & eat more people than sharks.

Totally get this. People know to be wary of wolves, but they think hogs/pigs are "cute." It's not a Charlotte's Web story.

Growing up on the farm, we kids were absolutely aware that we were not to get in a pen or a field that had hogs in it. There are stories of farmers who were putting out feed for the hogs having a heart attack or other medical emergency and the hogs ate the feed and the farmer.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Totally get this. People know to be wary of wolves, but they think hogs/pigs are "cute." It's not a Charlotte's Web story.

Growing up on the farm, we kids were absolutely aware that we were not to get in a pen or a field that had hogs in it. There are stories of farmers who were putting out feed for the hogs having a heart attack or other medical emergency and the hogs ate the feed and the farmer.

I went to grade school in Iowa back in the 1950's. After the corn was harvested black & white Hampshire hogs were let out onto the black loam to glean the field.

 

[LisaJ]

Here is a citizens file from Fold3, showing the sale of bacon and ham in 1861 to the CSA Commissary in South Carolina. (Transcription underneath). It doesn't explain how the bacon was produced, but the many receipts in this merchant's file show attention to detail, making me think merchants could not get away with "parts is parts" supply. From the same merchant, I see a doc from 1863 quibbling with the commissary over the price of sugar.

COTHRAN, JEFFERS & CO.
FACTORS AND COMMISSION MERCHANTS,
CENTRAL WHARF.

Charleston, 28th Sept 1861
Capt Guerin [?] Commissary, Confederate states
To Cothran Jeffers & Co

14 Sides
33 Hams
~~ Bacon 830 lb C34¢ $290.20

I Certify that the above Account is correct and just and that the Articles were accounted for [unclear] for the Month of September 1861.
H. C. Guerin
Capt C.S.A.

Received at Charleston S.C. September 28 1861 from Capt H. C. Guerin [unclear], One Hundred and Ninety Six Dollars and Eighty Cents in full for the above account.
Cothran Jeffers & Co

 

[Rhea Cole]

This is the Eastern half of the unique map created by the Census for Sherman's March to the Sea.

In every county is a compilation of 1860 census data. It includes agricultural production, industrial & census data.

Sherman knew exactly where to order his columns where they could do the most damage. The number hogs raised in Georgia is astronomical.

The Atlanta / Dalton Depots were exclusively tasked to supply the Army of Northern Virginia.

Read more here.

Link:

Sherman's Maps

How the general used a surprisingly sophisticated set of data to plan his famous march across Georgia.

archive.nytimes.com

 

[DaveBrt]

I Certify that the above Account is correct and just and that the Articles were accounted for [unclear] for the Month of September 1861.
H. C. Guerin
Capt C.S.A.

Received at Charleston S.C. September 28 1861 from Capt H. C. Guerin [unclear], One Hundred and Ninety Six Dollars and Eighty Cents in full for the above account.
Cothran Jeffers & Co

"articles were accounted for in my returns"
"Capt. H. C. Guerin P. SCS" (Provisional Confederate States Army)"