
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.
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.
- baked beans (very common)
- mutton (forage)
- blackberries (forage)
- chicken (forage)
- vegetable soup
- stewed beans
- baked beef
- hard tack
- custard (made in field made oven in camp)
- chicken soup
- eggs
- potatoes
- pickles
- biscuits
- soft bread
- coffee
- salt pork
- persimmons (forage)
- corn (forage)
- corn meal pudding (made by processing foraged corn)
- tripe (leftovers from a sutler with too much to carry)
- oysters
- clams (collected and cooked but too tough to enjoy)
- fried turkey and chicken
- baked pig
- onions
- sausage
- apple sauce
- tea
- molasses and bread (as meals in hospital)
- hash
- bread pudding (hospital)
- fish (hospital) -
- Hardtack bread pudding