Another Civil War coffee story
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| “Campaign sketches. The coffee call.” Print by Homer Winslow shows soldiers waiting for "camp coffee" (Library of Congress) |
Coffee, '[is] the soldier’s chiefest bodily consolation,' wrote Zenas T. Haines of the 44th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia in a letter home on October 23, 1862. For troops enduring the relentless grind of the Civil War, coffee wasn’t just a drink—it was sustenance, a ritual, and a rare comfort in the chaos of war. [1]
Historian Ted Grinspan discovered that coffee dominated letters and diaries of the time, overshadowing even battle accounts. “It’s the one constant,” he noted. “The one consolation in what’s otherwise an incredibly hard experience.” The prevalence of coffee in soldiers' writings was so overwhelming, Grinspan remarked, that its significance often went unnoticed—embedded as deeply in their routines as in their tin cup. [2]
This sentiment was echoed across regiments. Captain Augustus C. Brown of the 4th New York Heavy Artillery reflected in his diary on May 6, 1864, during a halt en route to the Battle of the Wilderness: "We halted . . . and, stacking arms, began to boil our coffee, the favorite occupation of the soldiers upon all occasions when a halt is ordered . . ." [1]
Edward Houghton of the 17th Maine took it one step further in his memoirs, writing: "A soldier’s first care, after halting, is to cook his little tin-cup of coffee . . . as indispensable to him as the air he breathes." For countless soldiers, the act of brewing coffee was far more than a habit—it was a shared ritual, a source of resilience, and a momentary reprieve from the relentless grind of war. [1]
Soldiers traded it, trafficked it, and, on rare occasions, carried it in silk bags like prized treasure. For many, like Brown and Houghton, the ritual of brewing and drinking coffee became essential - a comforting anchor of normalcy amidst a sea of uncertainty.
Moreover, coffee served as a social catalyst, fostering camaraderie among soldiers of the same unit. It provided an opportunity for troops to gather around campfires, share stories, and bond over a shared experience. In the face of the hardships and horrors of war, the act of enjoying a cup of coffee together offered a brief respite and a sense of unity. [3]
But the coffee-making ritual often required resourcefulness and ingenuity. Without the comforts of home, soldiers had to adapt to their challenging circumstances and rely on their resourcefulness and whatever tools were at hand to transform green coffee beans into the cherished brew they sought.
Wilder Dwight of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry exemplified the early-war, citizen-soldier's ignorance of military life with his heartfelt request to his parents shortly after enlisting: A coffee roaster capable of handling thirty or forty pounds at a time. "It would be of immense advantage to us," he assured his parents. When the roaster arrived, Dwight celebrated its arrival: "Coffee-roaster has arrived, and is merrily at work. This is a comfort. Tell father he is the regiment’s friend, and I bless him." [1]
As the war progressed, however, soldiers traded early extravagances for practicality. John D. Billings, a Union soldier, described this evolution in Hardtack and Coffee. He wrote that soldiers would roast the beans in frying pans, crush them with bayonets or rocks, and boil them in their tin cups over campfires—a process both crude and practical. [4]
Over time, these methods refined even further, as Osborn Oldroyd of the 20th Ohio Infantry detailed in his diary entry from June 20, 1863:
no sooner has a marching column halted, than out from each haversack comes a little paper sack of ground coffee, and a tin cup or tin can, with a wire bale . . . filled from the canteen and set upon a fire to boil. The coffee should not be put in the water before it boils. At first I was green enough to do so, but soon learned better, being compelled to march before the water boiled, and consequently lost . . . both the water and the coffee. It takes but about five minutes to boil a cup of water, and then if you have to march you can put your coffee in and carry it till it is cool enough to sip as you go. [1]
As soldiers perfected their coffee-making techniques, their preferences became distinctly rugged. Charles A. Wetherbee of the 34th Illinois Volunteer Infantry captured this sentiment in his wartime diary, writing:
We make very strong black coffee and drink about a quart apiece without sugar or cream. We have gotten accustomed to it and like it that way. I do not expect I shall want to drink coffee after I leave the army, as I will not be able to get it strong enough. [1]
The quality of water mattered little in the pursuit of this staple drink. Edward Houghton of the 17th Maine reflected in his memoirs:
A cup of strong, black coffee, minus milk, and oftimes made of the muddiest ditch water, will do more towards recuperating and cheering a tired, travel-worn soldier than a person who never tried it can imagine. [1]
Despite strict orders to avoid fraternization, the love of coffee occasionally acted as a bridge between enemies. Régis de Trobriand, a colonel in the 55th NY Volunteers, recounted in his memoirs how soldiers from both sides found solace in these unlikely exchanges.
Coffee was an abundant and daily ration for our men. To the Southern soldier, who had had none since the war began, it was a delicious luxury. They met each other without arms, in a little ravine near a spring . . . They traded [tobacco and journals], and often they drank their coffee together, while making their barter. The most severe orders were necessary to suppress those polite attentions, and break up these clandestine meetings. [5]
These clandestine gatherings highlight the universal value of coffee—not just as a source of energy and comfort, but as a symbol of shared humanity. Even in war, where animosity was expected and enforced, the simple act of sharing coffee serves as a powerful testament to how small comforts offer brief moments of connection and comfort.
There are millions of stories from the Irrepressible Conflict. These were just a few of them.
Mac
If you enjoyed this topic, dive into more posts on my 'Coffee Chronicles' page to explore the quirky and essential role coffee played in the War Between the States.
Works Cited
[1] "Extra Voices: Coffee". Civil War Monitor website - December 21, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
[2] Schogol, Jeff. "How coffee helped the Union army win the Civil War". Task & Purpose website - September 30, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
[3] Kurcina, Michael. "Coffee in the Civil War Era". Silencio Coffee website - November 5, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2025.
[4] Billiings, John (1888) Hardtack and Coffee. Boston, MA: George M. Smith and Company.
[5] Post, Marie Caroline (1910 ) The Life and Memoirs of Comte Régis de Trobriand: Major-General in the Army of the United States. New York City, NY: E.P. Dutton & Co.
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