Civil War Soldiers’ Food
By Robert Stewart

The Civil War soldier never had the luxury of standing in line at a mess tent line to receive his food. After a day of a grueling march he had, before he bedded down for the night, to prepare his own food. The food for both Union and Confederate soldiers was provided by their respective Commissary Departments, but these foods were uncooked.

Of course the officers had cooks to prepare their food. The majority of the soldiers in the evenings gathered in small groups to cook. They would cook over an open fire in a cast iron skillet or kettle. (Remember that someone had to carry these cooking utensils while marching.) Occasionally they would use a spit to cook fowl or game. They would take turns cooking or stirring the pot to keep the food from burning. The more creative “cooks” would try to devise ways to make the food more varied. They might use wild garlic or onions, berries or other fruits.

One soldier’s ration would include 20 oz. of salted pork or beef, 12 oz. hard tack, 1oz. compressed cube of desiccated mixed vegetables. This ration would be supplemented, per 100 rations, by 8 qts. dried beans or peas, 10 lbs. rice or hominy, 10 lbs. green coffee beans or 8lbs. roasted coffee beans, 10 lbs. of sugar, 2 qts. salt, 1 gallon vinegar, 3.75 lbs. candles and 4 lbs. soap. The most common field ration issued to the individual soldier was salt pork and hardtack. Both of these were designed to withstand field conditions without deteriorating. The excess salt could be scraped off the meat to supplement the salt ration.

Food often became infested with insects, especially rice or grain weevils. Infestation along with the scarcity and unpalatable rations made it necessary for the soldiers to supplement their diets. Often the soldiers would gain a variety of food by foraging/raiding (the officers would look the other way as this was against the rules) or sometimes families would send a “care” box.

The Confederate soldiers received similar rations. When the Union blockade meant no coffee beans, they often substituted for coffee, chicory roots, peanuts, okra, wheat, corn, bran, acorns, rye, peas, sweet potatoes, and dried apples for a hot drink.

In the Union camps there were sutlers (civilian merchants) who sold such items as canned fruits, sugar, tobacco, and coffee. During the war Worcestershire made by Lee & Perrins  became available. Peaches were one of the first canned fruits to be marketed. Another item that became popular with the men was Borden’s condensed milk. Before the 1860s there was no way to keep milk fresh. Gail Borden, Jr. embarked on a venture to manufacture a milk that would keep for a long period of time. He was inspired by the Quaker’s method of condensing fruit juices in a vacuum pack can. He found a way to reduce milk without scorching or curdling it. Sugar was added to sweeten, packed and readied to be ship. It is know still today as Borden’s Eagle Brand Condensed milk. Some of these “new” foods brought something a little different to the otherwise plain and monotonous food.

Salt pork given during the war was a stinky, blue extra salty meat, with hair, skin, dirt, and other junk left on it. However, it was their main source of protein and food! What was their choice?

When eggs could be had, the men roasted them by standing them on end in hot ashes. They could also be boiled and carried in the pockets on a forced march. Coffee or tea would wash down the “gourmet” repast. If there was tea left, they filled the canteen with it. To make tea the water would be boiled, thus eliminating the bacteria. Boiling water was the best preventative for dysentery. The Confederacy boiled their lemonade and allowed it to cool before drinking it.
    
Coffee was a favored drink of the men. It kept them awake after many weary hours of duty. Raw, green coffee beans, were given to the Union soldiers who roasted them over an open fire. They then crushed them, often with the butts of their rifles. Gingerbread was another much favored food of the soldiers. Hard tack, the one staple that both the Union and Confederacy ate was rock hard. Usually there was a need to soak it in coffee, meat grease, or water. It was all probably better than nothing!