Battle of Bull Run - Food for the Campagne

Every good soldier whether from the North or the South needed the proper accoutrements for a battle. In the North a tent was issued but the South did not issue tents because they did not believe the War would last that long. So if you saw a Southerner with a tent, he probably won a battle and stole it from his Northern enemy. The towns women sewed the uniforms for their men. In the beginning of the War, many men showed up in their farm work clothes unless they were an Officer. And then, many Officers raised their own Armies and were responsible for paying for everything which included food and proper clothing for their men. Soldiers needed a chair to get off the ground and a chest to put everything in. Plus a haversack to carry their possessions in and bedding.
Twelve ounces of salt port was issued for each day which had to last the soldier for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus also issued was hard tack crackers (the round were from the Confederate and the square ones were from the Federals). Each were given coffee beans (unroasted, but then all the food was issued to the soldier uncooked) and a block of tea, which a soldier would scrape into boiling water. Southern soldiers were issued a pound of corn meal which they could use water and make it into a little dough and cook it over the fire on the end of their ram-rod, which got the name of "ram-rod bread". Many used it to soak up the grease from the cooked salt pork and it was called "floosh". Also normal issue would have included regular beans to make a stew if it was possible to cook.
Soldiers were issued normally 3 to 5 days of rations which a soldier would carry in his Haversack. Many soldiers would cook it all up and eat one good meal and fill their stomachs. It was also less to carry on a march.
Dried pees and parched corn kernels were also part of a soldiers mess kit along with some period candy and jelly beans. A sewing kit which was called a "house wife", a bible, tooth brush with powder, a lice brush, and a dime novel for reading as well as newspapers which were used for trading.
This is the reenactment of the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run in Manassas, Virginia.

14th Tenn Infantry Co B150th ReenactmentBattle of Bull RunCivil War