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Union Soldiers in a Winter Camp Log huts, carriges for supplies For fun, or just to pass the time, the Union soldiers often played card games
June 29, 1918 (cont'd): Well here I am again the Sea is certainly rough I had to help Clean up the mess hall this a.m. they are Eating now I aint tho as I have no appitite the mess hall is a Dirty Place. Believe me I shall never forget this trip as long as I live. we Live worse than pigs. tho Everybody Keeps well I hope there is no Sickness breaks out while we are on board. we all Look forward to go back to gods country and we will have Lots to tell I have saw a whole Lot Since the 2nd of June Edgar (Union Sailor) Friday 26th we had another big shower last night but dident wash us out again for we was fixed up off of the ground about a foot, to day I have to go on picket at Graves bridge on lick creek 12 miles of Helena the pickets caught four fed's that escaped prison at Little rock and was going back to Helena, been raining all day Thomas Barb (Confederate soldier)
On the field, Confederate soldiers lived off the land as much as possible. They also asked for food from small farms, knowing that they didn't have much to spare, but did on occasion take by force what they needed (Meat, vegetables, fruits, grains) The average Confederate soldier subsisted on bacon, cornmeal, molasses, peas, tobacco, vegetables and rice. They also received a coffee substitute that was highly sought after. The Military bread; hardtack, was giving a name for it's qualities: Molar Breakers. Usually the troops dunked them in some sort of liquid (coffe, tea, water, whatever they had on hand with their meal) to soften up the biscut.
Religion was VERY important to the troops. They often had chaplains from the church do morning mass and be there at the burials of their dead. They often worked with the nurses, comforting the fallen soldier, praying with and for him, or even sometimes writing letters that they wanted to send, but did not know how to write.
Union soldiers, however, had rations meat and bread. Meat usually came in the form of salted pork or, rarenly, fresh beef. Rations of pork or beef were boiled, broiled or fried over open campfires along with the military bread, hardtack. They also had rice, peas, beans, dried fruit, potatoes, molasses, vinegar, and salt. Baked beans were a favorite when circumstances allowed.
This is Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a well known nurse of the Civil War. Nurses often had to do complete amputations of limbs or cartorize wounds, either way, the operations were nerve wracking to preform. The women got used to it though and were a great help to the men, especially the ones who spent their last moments on hospital beds. They would hold their hand and keep them company untill they passed, so they would not pass alone.
Life in the Civil War
