What kind of forage might a cavalry patrol lift from an abandoned plantation?

As far as foodstuff and how much? If the plantation specialized in cotton would they still find grain and livestock and how much?


I presume you mean forage for both troopers and their mounts.

How much? Depends on the size of the unit and their needs at the time.

Forage for horses:

http://learningabe.info/Civil_War_Cavalry_Equipment.html

"The daily feed ration for Union cavalry horses was ten pounds of hay and fourteen pounds of grain which were ample and fulfilled the animals' nutritional needs if of good quality, however, the vagaries of the army supply system did not always insure prescribed forage amounts were delivered where most needed."

Horses also like tasty snacks such as fruit, vegetables, sugar and salt.

Forage for troopers could be almost anything. Fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, flour, corn meal, milk, chickens, pigs and numerous other things. Soldiers don't have a discriminating palate and will eat anything.

Water for both men and mounts.
 
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I presume you mean forage for both troopers and their mounts.

How much? Depends on the size of the unit and their needs at the time.

Forage for horses:

http://learningabe.info/Civil_War_Cavalry_Equipment.html

"The daily feed ration for Union cavalry horses was ten pounds of hay and fourteen pounds of grain which were ample and fulfilled the animals' nutritional needs if of good quality, however, the vagaries of the army supply system did not always insure prescribed forage amounts were delivered where most needed."

Horses also like tasty snacks such as fruit, vegetables, sugar and salt.

Forage for troopers could be almost anything. Fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, flour, corn meal, milk, chickens, pigs and numerous other things. Soldiers don't have a discriminating palate and will eat anything.

Water for both men and mounts.
Thank you. So my question is, who much of that would they typically find at a plantation.
 
As far as foodstuff and how much? If the plantation specialized in cotton would they still find grain and livestock and how much?
A plantation required stock in order to operate. Large plantations grew their own grain and forage and purchased it from adjoining farms and plantations. A larger plantation would have had a lot on hand. A plantation was really like its own small village, producing everything it needed to operate - including enough food for the plantation owner's family and the enslaved families. Besides draft horses and/or oxen for the fields, they would have also needed carriage and riding horses; beef and dairy cattle; hogs; chickens (meat and egg producers,) sheep and all variety of livestock. So they would have had to produce enough grain and forage and had it stored up to feed all that livestock. Lots of larger and mid-sized plantations produced their own clothes and shoes (tailors, seamstress, etc.) Larger plantations might have also had a blacksmith shop, saddle/harness shop, sawmill, cabinet maker, carriage/wagon builder, etc.
 
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I recommend the book The Real Horse Soldiers by Timothy B. Smith. The book narrates the story of Benjamin Grieron's Raid through Mississippi in April - May 1863. When he had the opportunity Grierson would rest his command overnight at one of the plantations along the route. His men would forage for themselves and their horses, taking supplies that were available, but for the most part leaving personal property alone. The author relates in some detail a number of such instances that occurred during the raid.
 
I recommend the book The Real Horse Soldiers by Timothy B. Smith. The book narrates the story of Benjamin Grieron's Raid through Mississippi in April - May 1863. When he had the opportunity Grierson would rest his command overnight at one of the plantations along the route. His men would forage for themselves and their horses, taking supplies that were available, but for the most part leaving personal property alone. The author relates in some detail a number of such instances that occurred during the raid.
Thank you. I'll check it out.
 
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