Rations

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Whiskey Rations

Well not exactly a wiskey ration, but it is booze related.

On Christmas Eve 1861 a large group of Norwegens and Swedes from the 15th Wisconsin, stole a keg of beer from, and proceded to brawl with members of the Irish 17th Wisconsin. Acording to several period acounts the Scandinavians out drank and out fought the Irishmen.

[MuddyTrowsers]

Re: Whiskey Rations

This also is not whisky, but it involves alchohol nonetheless.

From the Civil War Diary of Arthur C. Mellette (Co. H, 9th Indian Infantry) Mellette was rather meticulous and often recorded exactly what he ate and drank most days:

Frid. Apr'l 21st 1865
"...Bought some cheese & beer..."

Thurs. June 1st 1865
"Weaker & worse––got money & drank some beer. Seems to do me the most good of anything."

Source:
Arthur Calvin Mellette, The Civil War Diary of Arthur Calvin Mellette, ed. Gerald W. Wolff and Joanita Kant (Watertown, SD: Interstate Publishing Co., 1983), 63,69.

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Whiskey Rations

You're wanting to portray accurate whiskey consumption, most likely in a cup. Maybe a canteen, if it was 'liberated' from somewhere. Most likely out of camp, or if it's in camp then away from the NCOs or officers. Not so much out of respect for regulation as for the risk of having it 'RE-liberated'. Flasks were probably generally the province of officers, and walkin' around camp with a bottle in one's face was a real good way to lose said bottle, as well as one's liberty. So probably no flask except for an officer or an early-war rank/file.

[C.Osgood]

Re: Whiskey Rations

How often were whiskey rations issued? How much would an individual recieve and how strong would it be? Also, where flasks commonly used or are they are modern type item. Thanks

Captain. Wesley Brainard Co.C 50th NY Engineers, carried a barrel of whiskey in his personal bagage wagon, to issue out to the members of his company. I dont have the book in front of me, but I believe he said that anytime they had to build a bridge or do any other hard physical work he issued them some whiskey. However, it makes no mention of how much was issued.

On a side note, every company in the regiment had a nickname. Co.C was known as Theiving C and Co.D as Whiskey D, must be they had a fine taste for whiskey.

While Serving as OOD (officer of the day) Capt. Brainard noticed some members of the regiment, while stationed in washington carrying their weapons very carefully at support arms. When stoped by the Sgt. of the guard, they noticed the barrels and nipples on the muskets were pluged very carefully and were full of whiskey. That explained the mass amount of camp drunkedness that had been going on.

Anyhow I hope this info is of some use,

[markj]

Re: Whiskey Rations

Hi,

Depending on time, place, and availability troops did receive whiskey rations. One gill--about 4 oz. (1/4 pint) was the usual amount "issued" to fatigue parties (ostensibly for "morale" and "medicinal" purposes). Even this seemingly small amount, according to a number of diary entries I've seen, was enough to put some men "three sheets to the wind."

Ethnic German units, such as the 32nd Indiana, were known to receive beer rations whenever possible. Such "rations" usually consisted of three glasses (or their tin cup equivalent) per day and were considered to be part of the "bread ration." Needless to say, the 32nd IVI was pretty healthy: of the 268 deaths in its ranks, only 97 were from disease--a roughly 3-1 ratio and the almost exact opposite of its "American" counterparts.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[10TnVI]

Re: Whiskey Rations

Since the book I'm currently reading mentions the subject- "Soldiering With Sherman" THe C.W. Letters of George F. Cram (105th Illinois)

lpart of a letter written from June16-June 19, 1864 from near Marrietta

"Sunday, June 19 The rain.....In the afternoon we drew two days more rations and rations of whiskey were issued to the men, singular enough, that when the troops are living on reduced rations, transportation should be used to draw the meanest of whiskey to steal away their brains aand injure their systems, but I am happy to add that a large number of Company F refused theirs."

Ina letter dated August 4, 1864 written "in the field 2 miles north of Atlanta

..."You wish to know about the Sanitary and Christian Commissions. When I was at Resasc with Tirtlot I had charge of all sanitary and commissary stores there and we constantly had for the wounded soda crackers, condensed milk, pickled potatoes & cabbage, extract of beef, dried fruit and some other little things furnished by the S.C. while govt. commissary could furnish them nothing but hard crackers, pork, beef(bad) coffee, sugar and beans. Also each badly wounded man was furnished with a clean white shirt. Drawers and socks by the S.C. Also all the lint and bandages and much of the chloroform were furnished by the S.C. Besides these we recieved many dozen bottles of whiskey, brandy and different cordials, from the S.C."

And just for counterpoint-

" The Christian Commision is also a good thing and we frequently get religious papers through them. They do much good in different ways."

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Whiskey Rations

From "Eye of the Storm" by Pvt Robert Knox Sneden of the 49th NY:

"Nov 16, 1861 at Leesburg Turnpike, VA
The Whiskey ration was the great desiration. Three gallons of whiskey was drawn from the brigade commissary for 100 men. One gallon of this was mized with three buckets of water and a gill given to each hard working soldier morning and evening. The remaining two gallons was kept in the officers; tents for their own use and card playing and drinking went on until midnight sometimes. The officers did not work at all, as they knew little of nothing of how it should be done. They looked on and gave a few directions. Still being an officer settled their right to the lion's share of the whiskey, or 'commissary' as it was called so they thought. Many of them had swelled heads in the morning and probably had to go out on picket duty at that."

Regards,
Jim Butler
The SRR

[DougCooper]

Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

Been a long time since I shopped for a bread box - I do remember Rocky of the Southern Guard made them extremely well in the 90's. Is he still making them? Anybody else?

How about Bent vs Mechanical - best biscuits?

thanks

[markmason]

Re: Whiskey Rations

whiskey??? when...where! :p

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

I think this was the general concensus last time the biscuit talk came up.

Bent's (makers during the war) looks more like the originals but they are easy to eat- obviously not what the soldiers experienced.

http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/hardtack.htm

Mechanical makes theirs to be hard as the original and I believe on period equipment(don't quote me on that), but they don't look as original as Bent's. http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

My unit ordered 200 pieces from MBC, and were very satisfied. If nothing else, my dog enjoys the hardtack very much and is always ready for a piece.

[flattop32355]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

Anyone out there have the ability to set a piece of each company's product side by side and take a picture or two for the rest of us poor souls?

[delawaric]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

Anyone out there have the ability to set a piece of each company's product side by side and take a picture or two for the rest of us poor souls?

Just go to the websites posted above. They both have pictures of their product.



Eric "Woody" Woodward

[ThehosGendar]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

Here's an original for you:



Aquia Creek, Februaru 1863. Captain J.W. Forsyth, the Provost Marshall is seated atop it.

[MarkTK36thIL]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

Here's an original for you
Aquia Creek, Februaru 1863. Captain J.W. Forsyth, the Provost Marshall is seated atop it.

TheHos Gendar,
You amaze us all as you find everything playing around the NA site. My vote goes to you for the poster of the month if we have one.

[DougCooper]

Re: Who makes the best Hardtack crates?

notice the pinky ring (wedding ring?) on the crate sitter.

Consensus is Mechanical crackers are good enough to use as building material while Bent's are edible but can turn to crumbs under 24 hr stress in a haversack. Mark Hoffman has a great solution - he mixes them up and eats the Bents early. I checked the Oracle (Hardtack and Coffee by Billings) on Mark's advice, and Billings describes both types.

Can anyone comment on the crates that Bent makes?