Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

I need to teach a Corn Cake cooking class 101 to my Yankee friends, as I am not fond of eating corn mush. :p :D Thank Gawd for the lard since I wasn't getting much grease out of the bacon cut I had. ;)

The captured Yankee rations really were spot-on.

The Geo. Bent brand (or similar commercial brand) hardtack you used was great also. That might have been pricey, but it was good food safety and replicated the look a box of fresh crackers would have had pretty accurately.

Seeing "desecrated" veggies is rare in the hobby even when doing Yankee from what I have experienced. It made a dynamite stew with the beef along with some hot sauce I had brought and the issued hardcrackers crumbled in it.

The wine, fruit, and cake from the local ladies relief society per period account was top notch. I saw Skip bringing the wine in before the event.

Darn fine show, Paul. I didn't feel unaccounted for the whole weekend. ;)

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Rations were top notch! I agree on the dessicated veggies... we don't see enough of those.

On another note: Woke up Sunday night from a dream that I was trying to sleep in a house with a leaky roof during a rainstorm. Not sure what that means...

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

I need to teach a Corn Cake cooking class 101 to my Yankee friends, as I am not fond of eating corn mush. :p :D Thank Gawd for the lard since I wasn't getting much grease out of the bacon cut I had. ;)

The captured Yankee rations really were spot-on.

The Geo. Bent brand (or similar commercial brand) hardtack you used was great also. That might have been pricey, but it was good food safety and replicated the look a box of fresh crackers would have had pretty accurately.

Seeing "desecrated" veggies is rare in the hobby even when doing Yankee from what I have experienced. It made a dynamite stew with the beef along with some hot sauce I had brought and the issued hardcrackers crumbled in it.

The wine, fruit, and cake from the local ladies relief society per period account was top notch. I saw Skip bringing the wine in before the event.

Darn fine show, Paul. I didn't feel unaccounted for the whole weekend. ;)

I've been accused of being tight in the past...but Joe Caridi and I went straight cut-throat on most of the food purchasing for this. Since none of the Commissary team was able to produce hardtack in time for the event, we went with a commercial producer (Bent's). Placing a bulk order for 50lbs. + of crackers, and explaining our cause, they knocked off approx. 15-20% of the costs. It was kind of comical to note folks observe, 'look it's edible...like a cracker.'

Canned beef was procured by Mark Susnis, and was ordered in bulk off Amazon. The brand Providence Pantry. Huck can chime in shortly, but I think he helped build some of the boxes, and the pickled peppers were of his making.

Shortbread was baked by Adrienne Robertson, and Mary Challman baked some of the breads, and produced some of the pickles.


Paul B.

[MassVOL]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

So my question to the group then is do you feel as though rations issue at a level above company is worth while, effective, and value added to the event?

I have worked with Joe Caridi at two events now as Commissary sidekick/QRF. My concern is the that the huge amount of effort going into doing a large ration issue isnt worth the end result. I say this because when I see the huge amounts of wasted food scattered around the company area it makes me think the people like the idea of period rations but dont want to eat them, or they dont have the field craft skill to effectively prepare anything that cant be consumed immediatley.

[Huck]

Re: Chickamauga

Just a quick run down until I fill out the ACS paperwork. The pickles/pickled peppers were from my garden (some last years canning and this years), plus seme fresh veggies from garden. The boxes were built, in order for the excuse to purchase a table saw.....plus added to the issue look and transport.

Friday night, bacon, Sweat Potatoes and corn meal, thank to Clint, the corn meal was all Paul.
Saturdays civilian basket was Paul and Joe, and boy did those guys get soaked in that rain storm.
Saturday evening, combo of work from Joe, Paul, Mark and myself.

The thought was to issue out food item per written accounts, civilian gift food, CS issue and federal food items.

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

So my question to the group then is do you feel as though rations issue at a level above company is worth while, effective, and value added to the event?

I have worked with Joe Caridi at two events now as Commissary sidekick/QRF. My concern is the that the huge amount of effort going into doing a large ration issue isn't worth the end result. I say this because when I see the huge amounts of wasted food scattered around the company area it makes me think the people like the idea of period rations but don't want to eat them, or they don't have the field craft skill to effectively prepare anything that cant be consumed immediately.

The registrants paid for everything they wasted (right?), it's their money.

Lack of Field skills are the individuals problem, not the organizers.

Joe's damned good at what he does.

[Huck]

Re: Chickamauga

Rough est weight of rations per a 24 hour period (noon to noon) ranges from 2.5-3 pounds of food per man....


pork or beef
hard bread/Flour or corn meal
desiccated mixed vegetables

supplemental foods (Huck's Mule kicking pickles)


beans or peas
rice or hominy
coffee beans
sugar
salt
vinegar

[Coatsy]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Tom, some reenactors just do not know how to prep corn meal into corn cakes when in the field. I will admit that I had no damn clue until a mess mate got me squared away. Bacon fat, water, and corn meal = good eat'n. I went home with a LOT of coffee due to the fact that others couldn't be bothered to take their issue on Saturday. Some were tired, others had left the event. But, the wife and I love coffee so it is in the freezer now. Wooohooo! All of the crackers and canned meat were consumed. Most of the dessicted veggies were consumed as well.

As an event organzier myself I cringe when food gets wasted. No matter how simple that I and my comrades try to keep the rations, some gets wasted. But as Dave said. We pay for it, and we can do whatever we want with it.

Bottom line is if "we" start moving away from at least company level ration issuances the temptation to pop tart it comes flaring up.

[MassVOL]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

The point I am trying to make is why do this above company level at all? The effort and money involved in moving stuff that is ultimately wasted could go to something else instead. My thoughts on this are not because I am concerned about wasted food or stuff being tossed on the ground. My concern is that massive amount of man hours that goes into organizing, securing, sorting, and distributing is wasted with little historical or experience gained on the part of the recipient. The juice as it were is not worth the squeeze.

[YankeeTiger]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

The bacon was FANTASTIC as was the soft/hardtack
Sopping the hardtack in peaches and peach juice was a delightful treat on Sunday morning....or maybe that was Saturday night..it's all running together.

[robwall1861]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

The bacon was FANTASTIC as was the soft/hardtack
Sopping the hardtack in peaches and peach juice was a delightful treat on Sunday morning....or maybe that was Saturday night..it's all running together.

Ditto..my messmates did an excellant job prepping the bacon and cornmeal for our company (E) friday night (I thought the rations were VERY well done, kudos to those who are responsible for that, well worth the $$$)...I got up that mountain about 9pm so bacon and corn cake cooking was already under way. On a side note, did anyone find a small frying pan in the barn or lying around Sunday AM? I was in the barn with the yellow machine in front and was sleeping the closest to the entrance to the loft Saturday night (left my frying pan on the wooden ledge to air dry after using it that night.

Thanks in advance,
Robin

[Coatsy]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Tom, because to keep some form of ration uniformity withing a regiment sturcture, you need a commissary. The regimental field officers and the company officers at these events have enough to worry about. Staying on schedule, drill, etc. Part of a functonial regiment in the field is the commissary.

You can pass an entire weekend's worth of food out on Friday. You can split it up between the two days, etc. Leaving it to each company works sometimes, but that is not what the orginal cast did by and large.

[YankeeTiger]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Ditto..my messmates did an excellant job prepping the bacon and cornmeal for our company (E) friday night (I thought the rations were VERY well done, kudos to those who are responsible for that, well worth the $$$)...I got up that mountain about 9pm so bacon and corn cake cooking was already under way. On a side note, did anyone find a small frying pan in the barn or lying around Sunday AM? I was in the barn with the yellow machine in front and was sleeping the closest to the entrance to the loft Saturday night (left my frying pan on the wooden ledge to air dry after using it that night.

Thanks in advance,
Robin

I remember you coming by the barn Sunday morning looking for it, I had hoped you would have found it by now. Best of luck, hopefully someone accidentally scooped it up and will realize it is yours when they read your post.

[Mark Susnis]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Gentlemen,
I was part of the 2nd SC Commissary with Huck Green. To quote Paul Boulden of the Kershaw's Brigade Commissary the intent was to recreate one week's worth of food history into a thirty hour event. Starting with the civilian food baskets this is an item that would have been encountered by the Soldiers of Kershaw's Brigade during their travels from Virginia enroute to Georgia. Supporting historical documentation can be found on page 179 of J. Augustus Dickert's History of Kershaw's Brigade. CS ration issue consisted of bacon and cornmeal. Refer to page 181 of Dickert's work where he talks about the QM and Commissary being able to "furnish us with plenty of corn meal from the surrounding countryside upon arrival in Georgia. Finally we executed the captured Federal rations. Our historical documentation that we used was from Private John Coxe, Company B, 2nd SC. Coxe specifically mentions eating ravenously of captured Federal rations at Chickamauga consisting of Java coffee, hardtack, and canned beef. The Soldiers of the recreated Kershaw's Brigade got to experience these three food history events during the event.
As to Mr. Gingras' comment about effort and money going somewhere else I am a logistician in the 21st Century Army and enjoyed putting the time, effort, and energy into the commissary. Paul, Joe, and Huck brought a high level of energy and enthusiasm to this effort that was enjoyed by the troops of Kershaw's Brigade. I will let them speak for themselves as to the value of the time and effort they put into the commissary.
We had a mule drawn wagon haul the rations from the "division area" to the 2nd SC camp. Concur with all comments on field craft and making corn cakes in the field. By Sept '63 the troops would have a level of experience of making cornmeal into corncakes. Bottom line this was a total team effort to pull this off. Thanks to Joe Caridi, Paul Boulden, Huck Green, and Clint Morris. Clint is with the Armory Guard and answered the call to transport 175 lbs of bacon from the source of supply directly to the wagon park.

Recommend obtaining a copy of "The War As I knew it" the Civil War Reminiscences of Commissary Seregant Newton Coker, 39th Georgia edited by Gerald Hodge available in an e-book from Mr. Hodge. Ordering info is via his Outpost and Dispatch website.

Regards,
Mark Susnis

[Pious Jeems]

Re: Chickamauga, Kershaw's Birgade

Mark, Huck, Paul, Clint and Joe. Excellent Job!
Huck and Mark you two did excellent service for the Brigade and Battalion Officers!