The Food of Company D

By 1st Sgt. Koepp

     This is an ongoing project of mine.  In an effort to support our company cook with research for menu inspiration and general knowledge, I thought I would publish my current list.  These items are taken directly from James Matthews' accounts in the book "Soldiers in Green."  As this work progresses, I'll be adding more information from other Sharpshooter units as I get to them.  Some reenactors pride themselves on eating period correct foods and we're no exception.  In an effort to move beyond the typical use of generic rations, we also want to indulge in what was actually documented.  Too many reenactors forget or ignore just how ingenious soldiers were at the time at either procuring food or preparing it.  Soldiers took many opportunities to improve not only their camp life but also their otherwise bland diet.

1. baked beans (very common)
2. mutton (forage)
3. blackberries (forage)
4. chicken (forage)
5. vegetable soup
6. stewed beans
7. baked beef
8. hard tack
9. custard (made in field made oven in camp)
10. chicken soup
11. eggs
12. potatoes
13. pickles
14. biscuits
15. soft bread
16. coffee
17. salt pork
18. persimmons (forage)
19. corn (forage)
20. corn meal pudding (made by processing foraged corn)
21. tripe (leftovers from a sutler with too much to carry)
22. oysters
23. clams (collected and cooked but too tough to enjoy)
24. fried turkey and chicken
25. baked pig
26. onions
27. sausage
28. apple sauce
29. tea
30. molasses and bread (as meals in hospital)
31. hash
32. bread pudding (hospital)
33. fish (hospital) -
34. Hardtack bread pudding

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