Soldier+Life

=Soldier Life=

An HMS American cultures Collaborative Production
"If there is any place on God's fair earth where wickedness 'stalketh abroad in daylight' it is in the army," said one soldier when writing a letter to his family back home. Their camps were formed in a grid pattern with generals and officers in front and enlisted soldiers in the back. They were set up near the lines of where they would soon attack. The army regulated that there be a medical tent, a mess hall (somewhere to eat), and somewhere to store their personal belongings, but due to terrain and lack of time more often than not there was none of these things. In the spring and winter the campsites would be muddy and in summer and fall the camps would be dry and dusty. Tents were 18 feet around and 12 feet tall with 20 men in each tent making them cramped, uncomfortable and smelly becuse most men didn't shower for weeks on end. A soldier's day started at 5 am in the spring and summer months and at 6 am in the winter and fall months. They would eat .Then there would be aproximetly five 2 hour training sessions that were very intense and phsically demanding. when not drilling the soldiars would do housekeeping jobs like gathering wood, digging trenchs, and cleaning the camp. In the beginning of the war the army reqired the soldiars be feed at least 20 ounces of fresh or salt beef, or 12 ounces of salt pork; more than a pound of flour, and a vegetable, usually beans. Coffee, salt, vinegar, and sugar were also provided. but usally the pork and vegtables became scarce when the soldiers were marching, to make up for it with salted pork, hard bread/biscuit and dried beans, which often became infested with bugs. These soldiars lived on coffee, although the Conderderates often had to make subsitutes from things like peanuts, potatoes and peas. Sometimes when the two armies were nearby the soldiers would trade food with each other. [|Civlil War Life]

"Life In A Civil War Army Camp." //The American Civil War Home Page//. 2 Mar. 2002. Web. 12 May 2010. .