 |
| 96th Pennsylvania Infantry at Camp Northumberland near Washington, DC, February, 1862 |
Since camp time far exceeded combat time for most soldiers during the Civil War, it’s only logical that camp life “moments” were often the subject of their letters home. These tidbits reveal so much about life in uniform on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line during that period.
Billy Ball of the 5th Wisconsin Battery was a bit of a character. Here's his matter-of-fact account of what HE says is pro forma camp behavior - at least in his regiment. [I wonder if the officers felt the same way?]
[Chattanooga, Tenn. February 10th 1864] I just stole some wood from my neighbors – officers. We are out, and must steal or do without fire. We cannot beg it, and they have taken our team away, so we just walk over and say “By your leave, sir”: and nobody answers; so, interpret- ing the silence to mean consent, we sieze [sic] a good stick and carry it to our door. In the morning cut it up. Officers send after another load a little sooner than they otherwise would; that is all. [1]
Though they did not always eat well, the Union Army, as a whole, fed their troops consistently – especially toward the end of the war. Here’s a sample enlisted man’s menu from the 5th Wisconsin Battery in 1864:
[Chattanooga, Tenn. 1864] Drew big rations today. For extras we drew a big pail full of sauer kraut, a couple of pails full of cucumber and tommato pickles, and a quart of molasses. Besides this we drew a loaf of baker’s bread apiece and plenty of hard hardtack. I feel sure you like to hear this as well as I like to tell it; so we are both pleased. The kraut and pickles are tiptop. Gives a sojer a big appetite. [1]
But early in the war, there certainly was "variety" - and quality - in the Union Army's menu choices. Here's another meal description from Company D, 5th Maine Infantry Regiment - and at Thanksgiving no less!
my thanksgiving day I was building a log house to live in this winter and for dinner we had bread and the suttler had an old horse die about three weeks before and so we had some fresh beef to eat with our bread and so we had some bread and beef and beef and bread and [wasn't] that a hell of a dinner. I wish that when you write you would put a small gristmill into your letter so that I can have something to grind up my beef for my teeth is very poor [2]
The officers’ mess in Company I of the 5th Maine, however, was definitely much more elaborate - and fresh - than the enlisted men's:
Yesterday my living consisted of green corn, apples, peaches, very nice bee’s honey, pears, watermelons, coffee, tea, milk, bread, butter, bacon, & lots of other things too numerous to mention. [3]
On the other side, the Confederate army certainly did NOT ‘march on its stomach’. Here’s Joe Price’s (39th North Carolina Volunteer Infantry) excuse to his wife for writing two letters in two days - and it's not very romantic:
I wrote a letter to you yesterday morning and mailed it. I expect that you will think strange of me writing again today, but I’m cooking today and haven’t got much to cook and nothing else to do. I thought that I would write some. [4]
There were even some “warm fuzzy” moments. Lieutenant Colonel Clark Swett Edwards (Company I – Bethel Rifle Guards – 5th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment) wrote about one to his wife in August, 1861:
[Claremont, Virginia] One little circumstance I thought I would write you. It is this. In Company F, a lady by the name of Stewart came from Lewiston here to see her husband. He stood in his camp door night before last and the first he knew of it, she stood before him. They told me he stood like a ghost for a minute and then she fell into his arms. There were but few dry eyes around the camp for a few minutes. She is here yet. The quartermaster gave up his tent to them and they have it yet. She left Lewiston alone and came on here without his knowing it. Ed [3]
However, some soldiers sent home rather macabre descriptions of camp life - or in this particular case, the effects of camp life on one's psyche! Here's a bizarre letter from William Ligget of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
[Camp Ewing, October 22, 1861] A few months of camp life makes a wonderful change in a person. I can look on things now that would have made me shudder a few months ago with the utmost indifference. I can see the brains of a man scattered without any more change of feeling than if a tree had fallen. I saw brains and blood and broken legs, arms tore off at [the Battle of] Carnifex [Ferry] without the least concern. [5]
O.W. Harvy of Co. A, 46th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, on the other hand, certainly didn't try to scare anyone with gory stories. Instead, he bragged to his friend back home about all of the exciting games the Union regiments in North Carolina did to stave off the boredom of camp life. [Please note: All brackets are mine for clarity or redirection.]
[Newbern N.C. April 15 1863] all We two [companies] do is to drill 1 & 1/2 [hours] in th mornig, go on gard once [every] two Weeaks. We play ball [baseball], pitch quoits [***] the rest of the time . . . Some exciting games to. Have a Greesy [Greasy] pole [and] Grees [Greased] Pig, all sorts of games you can think of - Cards, Domonuse [Dominos], &c. [6]
Here's what soldier with the 30th North Carolina Volunteer Infantry wrote to his brother:
[February, 1864] I am very sorry to hear that N. Culbreth’s child has smallpox. I am conscious that it will cause much distress in his family, as it may spread from one to another. I think it best for the whole neighborhood [to] be vaccinated without delay, or many of you will see much trouble. I suppose that you have made all necessary preparations, but it is best to be very cautious, as that disease among young children is awful. [7]
And on the other side, Zenas Bliss of the 9th Vermont Volunteer Infantry wrote home the grim facts about NOT being vaccinated:
there is a good many sick now with the measles and thear is two in our regiment that has got the small pox and if we have that I guess we shall see a sickness of [all of] us. the old surgeon is vaxinating the boys now as fast as he can.[8]
There are millions of stories from the Irrepressible Conflict. These were just some of them.
Mac
[***] "pitch quoits" - is NOT a misspelling. Quoits is an ancient throwing game in which heavy metal rings are tossed underhanded, or pitched, at short metal stakes driven into the ground. The Game of Quoits is the predecessor to, and the original form of, the more widely known game of Horseshoe Pitching. Ring toss is the more modern version geared to children.
Works Cited
[1] "William Ball to E.M.Smock - February 10, 1864". Ball, William H. Letters (1862-1864), Auburn University Digital Library. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
[2] "George Berry to Cyrus Berry - December 1, 1861". Berry, George L. Letters (1861-1864). Auburn University Digital Library. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
[3] "1861-64: Clark Swett Edwards to Maria Antoinette (Mason) Edwards - August 9,1861." Spared and Shared 4: Saving history one letter at a time.
[5] "William H. Ligget to Family - October 22, 1861". 'I want you to write . . .' A Digital Archive of Civil War Letters, Shenandoah University's McCormick Civil War Institute (MCWI) in partnership with William Griffing. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
[6] "Ora W. Harvy Letter". Manuscripts of the American Civil War, Rare Books and Special Collections. University of Notre Dame. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
[7] Lal White’s Letter to His Brother, Murdock White, dated February 10, 1864
[8] "Bliss Correspondence". University of Vermont Digital Collections. Retrieved January 12, 2025.
No comments:
Post a Comment