Hardtack Dimensions?

[Haversack]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

I have seen pictures of soldiers holding hardtack that was defnately bigger than 3x3.This is a very interesting subject to me,as hardtack is always one of my rations.

[flattop32355]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

The federals also allowed for barrels although there isn't much out there in terms of specific references to federal hardtack in barrels.

I believe I have previously quoted from Henry Brinkerhoff's "History of the 30th OVI" about stoving in the tops of barrels of hardtack with their rifle musket butts while on the march during their time in western VA during 1861, when food was quite scarce for the regiment at times. No mention was made as to the shape or size of the crackers.

[weed]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

hardtack varied in size by manufacture, but walking down to my basement and measuring my original piece in a display case, it measeures is 4" X 4" X 5/8"

John Wedeward

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Weed,

Was that next to your mumified union soldier? :)

Holler

[weed]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

No, he's over in a corner right next to all the original uniform maniquins and the 2,000 books I basically have on The Civil War.

Glad I worked in that crematorium, so I knew how to preserve his body. He does look good with full uniform and equipment.

Is the government going to pay our expenses to Kennesaw now that gas will be about $250.00 a gallon by that time?

Weed

[Hairy Nation Boys]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

No, but they are providing the rounds.

[edgeinwi]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Weed, I thought you ate that piece of hard tack? From your nasty haversack.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Hey, Folks!

I saw a piece at the Gettysburg Visitors Center this weekend. It looked to be about 4x4 inches with 5 rows of 5 holes.

Thanks!

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

I think in the mess equipment section of the Federal Echoes of Glory there is a photo of a Federal soldier holding a piece of hardtack that I remember being pretty darn big.

[yankeecav]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

[QUOTE=Charles Heath;104072]
Put two pies in a wooden box, and two Hoosiers appear out of nowhere a few hours later. Coincidence? I think not. (That one is for you, Boozie.)QUOTE]

I was going to steal one of those pies Saturday evening and you guys moved the kitchen on us while we were out on the field. If you saw me wandering around the mess area with a lost look on my face area it was me trying to spy the pies! I figured they wound up in one of the boxes but I decided it wasn't worth risking an axe in the head.

Had a great time and enjoyed meeting you.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

I was going to steal one of those pies Saturday evening and you guys moved the kitchen on us while we were out on the field. If you saw me wandering around the mess area with a lost look on my face area it was me trying to spy the pies! I figured they wound up in one of the boxes but I decided it wasn't worth risking an axe in the head.

Tom,

The battle cry of the weekend was: "Tom Lowe is my hero!"

Rapmaster-he-ain't J. Lloyd Ice and the "Cherry Pie Boys" enjoyed pie #1 as a thank you after rolling the second barrel to the parking lot, along with the door, and a couple of other items. Pie #2 was a real treat Sunday morning, and of all the officers involved with this event, you'd think more of them would have wanted a little local pie.

On the hardtack size note, a couple of weeks ago, I managed to stumble across an informative quote about the western hardtack (Cincy, IIRC) being larger than the NY or Baltimore manufactured hardtack. No actual dimensions were given, but that is a useful tidbit. Yes, boys, I'll try to dig that one out of the notes and post it somewhat later on. It's a nugget.

We noticed the flies didn't follow the kitchen, so that says something about the funk factor at that end of the company cul-de-sac. :D

[Arch Campbell]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

A museum a few miles from me has an original piece of hardtack on display, with provenance. It was issued in May 1865 to an Iowa soldier in the Nebraska Territory (his regiment was sent west to guard against further Sioux uprisings, rather than south to fight the rebels.) It is in an upright glass case, about a foot from the glass, so these dimensions are approximate.

Are you ready? It's about 6" x 6". Not kidding. It is veritably a meal unto itself.

It has sixteen holes, each about 1/8" across.

[A Baltimore Confederate]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

This reminds me of something comical overheard at one of Jim Butler's several Shiloh NPS living histories, "Say, young man, just put that hardcracker box in the corner of yonder Sibley tent. Thank, you!" (Such dry period humor will be lost on some, but not I.)

Its early Sunday morning here, so I had to read that a second time before I got it. Actually made me laugh out loud.

Reminded me of when I was a Boy Scout, and sending young Tenderfoots (Tenderfeet?) out to the neighboring camp to borrow a few spare yards of shore line, or get them building the infamous "Left-handed smoke shifter". Thanks for the early morning LOL.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Jimbo,

While we can date "Doppler grease" and "cable stretchers" to a more modern time, I wonder how old the old joke about "a bucket of anchor steam" happens to be. Not the well known beer, but the joke itself.

While working on something else, I ran across a couple more hardtack quotes worth dropping into this thread, although they have little to do with the dimensions. They maybe of general interest, and in the first one the fellow sounds more concerned about the boxes than the bread:

“Hard bread in boxes should be piled in layers and in such a manner that the air may circulate freely between and through the layers; it should be kept in a dry place covered with paulins, and frequently inspected. If it is found that the bread is becoming wormy or moldy, it should be unpacked, the good very carefully separated from the wormy and moldy bread and repacked, the boxes being first carefully wiped and thoroughly dried. Unless great care is exercised in separating all the wormy or moldy bread, it will soon again require repacking, as the least mold will gradually spread, tainting the whole mass in a short time.” – – Bvt. Lt. Col. John L. Hathaway, 1 August 1865, Washington Monument Cattle Yard.

This man just doesn't like boxes, but yields to the commons sense of cubic feet:

Boxes of all kinds are bad, as they are more liable to become broken and let in water. The only advantage in the hard bread box is that it packs easily in wagons, which, from the light weight of the article, it would be impossible to carry the required quantity in barrels from the loss of space. - Capt. N.J. Sappington, Elmira NY, 28 June 1865

This is a post-war recommendation that reflects the sometimes fragile nature of the crackers:

“

The present haversack is in the way of the soldier's movements with only two days' rations, which is about all that it will contain, and is moreover too convenient of access. Young soldiers are constantly eating on the march, throwing away abont as much as they eat, and the rations are exhausted in half the time for which they were drawn.
The knapsack should have a lining of strong cloth, that can be taken out and washed, made separate for each end. One
end will hold ten days' bread. The lining of the other end should be made in two compartments, one for the meat, coffee, etc., the other for the shirt and stockings. There should be several strong pieces of tape attached to the linings, so that as the rations diminish they can be drawn tightly around what remains to prevent it from breaking up. After two days' march with the present bread carried loose nothing remains but flour and small pieces” - Source: Feeding The Army

In reading some late 19th century accounts of "improvements" in the ration, the army dictates a repackaging of hardtack to make 10-cracker units sealed in waxed paper. This may be the smoking gun to answer a long pondered question about 10 crackers in a wax paper bundle that was on display for years in the old Gettysburg VC.

[John Rouse]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Not because I'm subscribing to minutiae, but because it's of interest, I'm referencing a source, from the Essex Institute. It probably would fall under the 3x3 dimensions as opposed to the oversized pieces.

There is a drawing of hardtack by Herbert E. Valentine, Co. F, Twenty-third Massachusetts.

"...size 3 1/8 x 2 7/8
...1/2 in. thick."

Humbly Sentient,

John Rouse