Hardtack Dimensions?

[LibertyHallVols]

Had some fun this weekend experimenting with hardtack recipes. Most that I found on-line called for 3" x 3" crackers. However, many photographs appear to show original pieces that are much larger.

Does anyone have any documented dimensions for crackers, other than 3x3?

Thanks!

[Marc29thGA]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

John,

I’ll have to look more tonight as I am heading out to work. I do recall reading about hardtack up to maybe 6 inches and also round……. A quick look at a couple books this am only referenced the 2-7/8x3 and 3x3 crackers.

I too have seen pictures of the “extra large” crackers so i know what you mean.

I will post tonight if I can find anything.

Y.O.S,

[Chihuahua]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Pards,

Several original examples at the Iowa State Historical Society Museum in Des Moines are definitely larger than the 3x3. I'd guess them more like 4x4.
This display will only be up for a few more months, so I'm told.

Plan to attend Kennesaw Mountain this June!

Mark Warren
Bloomfield, Iowa
Hairy Nation Boys

[41strifleman]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Something that would be interesting for an early war especially for units close to a seaport would the use of ship's biscuit or hardtack for sailors. I have read a number of chandlers accounts of supplying round biscuits for use aboard sailing ships. There a few accounts, esp in the Norfolk newspapers of Confederate units being issued hardtack that was purchased from local chandlers

robert w. gregory
79th ny company A

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

The answer is that the cracker size varied with manufacturer. They were purchased and sold and issued by weight, not by quantity, although they were typicaly handed out at the company level by quantity, but that quantity varied with the size of the crackers issued.

For more, check out John Billings's seminal book, "Hardtack and Coffee" in the chapter on army rations.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

The answer is that the cracker size varied with manufacturer. They were purchased and sold and issued by weight, not by quantity, although they were typicaly handed out at the company level by quantity, but that quantity varied with the size of the crackers issued.

For more, check out John Billings's seminal book, "Hardtack and Coffee" in the chapter on army rations.

Billings cites two crackers he kept as momentos that are essentially the 3"x3" cracker I mentioned above.

I'm simply looking for specific documented dimensions of larger crackers.

Thanks,

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

John,

You have the impetus for an excellent article, as I don't recall anyone assembling a survey of extant hardtack pieces in a fashion similar to what Karin Timour did for CW era socks a few years ago. I, for one, would enjoy reading it. Period images certainly do convey a variety of sizes, shapes, and I've had a thing for round hardtack for a long time. We'll get to issue some of that in the near future.

On the confederate side of the house, their hardtack was sometimes packed in barrels, and the Raleigh bakeries placed several ads in the newspapers trying to buy used barrels for this purpose. The federals also allowed for barrels although there isn't much out there in terms of specific references to federal hardtack in barrels.

Back to the cracker sizes, I swear I've seen at least one image of a soldier holding a 6" square piece of hardtack, and the holes were large enough to resemble a base plate from an Erector Set.

[markj]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Had some fun this weekend experimenting with hardtack recipes. Most that I found on-line called for 3" x 3" crackers. However, many photographs appear to show original pieces that are much larger.

Does anyone have any documented dimensions for crackers, other than 3x3?

Thanks!

John-Boy,

There is an original piece of hardtack, apparently of CW vintage, in the Tippecanoe County Historical Association collections. You might want to check that out--I think it's larger than 3 x 3.

Your neighbor,

Mark Jaeger

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Mark,
I had forgotten about that! THANK YOU!!!

Chawls,
I wholeheartedly agree! Everything I've read to-date focuses on recipe's and baking, texture and consistency, etc. A survey of extant samples of hardtack would be great!

[Marc29thGA]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

John,

I have scratched my head and canvassed my bookshelf and have struck out so far. I can almost picture the words describing crackers up to 6 inches and both square and round. I just can’t find it – maybe it was in a book I borrowed or even was looking at in a store…

Like Mr. Heath, I swear I’ve seen a picture of a soldier (and maybe his Pard) holding up a cracker about the size of a small plate.

As far as existent examples, there was a Confederate cracker on display in the old Visitors Center in Gettysburg. It is round and about 3 inches across.

Y.O.S.,

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

John,

No complaints thus far about the round reb hardtack issue from a barrel this past weekend, although I'd have paid good money just to see the looks on the faces of those on the receiving end of hocks and tails. Where I'm from that was fine eating, but for others that may have been a cherry popping porcine epicurian indulgence, but back to hardcrackers....

Just an anecdotal observation, but for some reason the round crackers don't seem to break apart as readily as the square or rectangular ones. Could be the fact a circular shape yields no corners to snag on other things. 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.)

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

John,

No complaints thus far about the round reb hardtack issue from a barrel this past weekend, although I'd have paid good money just to see the looks on the faces of those on the receiving end of hocks and tails. Where I'm from that was fine eating, but for others that may have been a cherry popping porcine epicurian indulgence, but back to hardcrackers....

Just an anecdotal observation, but for some reason the round crackers don't seem to break apart as readily as the square or rectangular ones. Could be the fact a circular shape yields no corners to snag on other things. 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.)

Charles,

This was my first experience on knawing on tails and hocks alone...growing up these were always reserved for the soup/bean pot (to be boiled down for the pork stock). It was funny to hear all sorts of comments on what those tails were...obviously those individuals were not from country stock.

Having had almost a full haversack of the CS hardtack this weekend, I found it to be very palatable...and it was evident that the crackers came from multiple batches...as some were harder/softer, thinner/fatter, coarser (cornmeal)/finer...etc. Several of these compared very favorably in size and shape to the cracker seen at the MoC.

Paul B.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

This was my first experience on knawing on tails and hocks alone...growing up these were always reserved for the soup/bean pot (to be boiled down for the pork stock).

Paul,

A sharp eye would have found a few cubic yards of tasty fiddleheads, wild onions (wild chives to the folks from colder climes), some poke salad was emerging, dandelions were abundant, and a few scattered upland cress (creasy sallet for the southrons) in certain places off NPS property and on the CWPT lands. We all know we can't harvest vittles from Dept. of Interior real estate. Ahem. The 'tack would have provided some great dumplings if everyone had consumed the contents of that division officers' mess box found near the 17th Virginia ravine. It is pretty much a rule of thumb that Saturday morning's rations are going to be the screw job for the weekend, but, like you, I grew up on portions of swine that are not considered common table fare today. Anyway, I hope the contents of the found rations did three things:

1. Made you realize that the bulk of your rations weren't hauled in your haversacks across a dandy little march route, thus saving a little travel weight. Not much, but just a touch of weight.

2. Gave the lads a morale boost. I'm happy to say they followed directions on the surface fires in both camps where digging a firepit was not permitted, and it appears they rations were well received by the number of small fires.

3. Boosted Mr. Pruden's bottom line just a little bit, but not too much. Good ham is getting hard to come by in certain parts of the country, and not everyone has the good fortune of enjoying the fruits of US Route 460 in the "Pork, Peanuts & Pine Corridor."

I'd like to know how the rebfederate "coffee" went. That substitute was an adulterated concoction with enough real coffee to ward off that Saturday afternoon caffiene withdrawal headache that can positively ruin a good time in the woods.

Several of these compared very favorably in size and shape to the cracker seen at the MoC.

Between the MoC, G'burg, and Mariner's Museum crackers, there should be a starting point for Ship's Bread/Round tack; however, the two at the latter location are actually British, and not confederate. We used those as a starting point about 12 year ago, and comparing a few more with known CS provenance would be very good.

IMNSHO, rations can be used to set a certain tone for an event be they good, bad, or ugly. The federals were issued fresh beef, which is a treat we rarely see, and we had some good documentation for that, and for the fresh pork that was intended for the Berdan's sharpshooters.

At least no one had to boil pine needles to ward off starvation. :)

Which lads got the pies? Those were special pies, as they were made not far from a well known place in Elmira, NY. Yes, that Elmira.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

Which lads got the pies? Those were special pies, as they were made not far from a well known place in Elmira, NY. Yes, that Elmira.

The pies were divied out by the spoonful to each soldier of the 47th VA...we contemplated drawing lots...but in the end it was decided we each would fare far better with just a little tease...thank God, I didn't get a whole pie to myself, or I might not have made it through the battle that afternoon.

On another note: I have a little walk scheduled for next May, in which I sure could use any advice/expertise you'd be willing to share...if you don't mind...we'll follow that up in a seperate conversation.

Paul B.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Hardtack Dimensions?

The pies were divied out by the spoonful to each soldier of the 47th VA....

Paul,

That is indicative of the espirit de corps, cohesion, and generally high level of morale exhibited by Co. I, 47th Virginia, primarily due to quality company leadership coupled with the ability of the participants to buy into an event. At some events, fellows would have saved the pie for themselves, shared it with their messmates, or some plan of execution other than sharing the pie with every able man present would have happened. Thank you for passing along that bit of information about the pies. They looked good.

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.)

I have a little walk scheduled for next May, in which I sure could use any advice/expertise you'd be willing to share...if you don't mind...

You are free to use what little I know.