The life of a civil war soldier was a dangerous one. Many of those serving in the armies died. They knew that they would be away from loved ones for long time, perhaps never seeing them again.
The food they got was very inadequate. They were often served herd tack, which judging by the name cant be very soft. The hard tack received many nicknames, all along the lines of “tooth dullers” and “sheet iron crackers”. These crackers were often toasted and crumbled on other foods. The meat they got was usually salted pork, but sometimes they got fresh beef. Coffee was a major part of the food rations. The soldiers were given green coffee beans and had to roast and crush them.
The uniforms were made out of wool, which wasn’t a smart move. Wool gets very hot very quickly. The confederate and union soldiers had very different uniforms. The confederates usually wore gray colors and the union wore blue. They had to carry all their own supplies, guns, powder, ammo, and caps. In their packs they carried all their personal belongings, like combs, ink, and toothbrushes. Confederate soldiers had very light loads because they didn’t have all the manufactured goods the union had.
Many soldiers wrote home on their spare time. Some of the soldiers sent their pay home to help support their families. Some soldiers received packages with food, personal items, or new clothes.
Many soldiers had pets with them. Most had dogs cats or other wildlife. The camp favorites were dogs. They reminded them of home and all their loved ones they left.
More men died of disease than of battle. The surgeons and doctors didn’t know what disease was. Each morning all the new sick were called in to the surgeon’s tent to be inspected. Whiskey was given for most sickness. As was brandy.
