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Hardtack & Coffee The Unwritten Story of Army Life

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ISBN-10: 080326111X

ISBN-13: 9780803261112

Edition: 1993

Authors: John D. Billings, William L. Shea, William L. Shea, John Billings

List price: $24.95
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Description:

Most histories of the Civil War focus on battles and top brass.Hardtack and Coffeeis one of the few to give a vivid, detailed picture of what ordinary soldiers endured every day—in camp, on the march, at the edge of a booming, smoking hell. John D. Billings of Massachusetts enlisted in the Army of the Potomac and curvived the conditions he recorded. The authenticity of his book is heightened by the many drawings that a comrade, Charles W. Reed, made in the field. nbsp; This is the story of how the Civil War soldier was recruited, provisioned, and disciplined. Described here are the types of men found in any outfit; their not very uniform uniforms; crowded tents and makeshift shelters;…    
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Book details

List price: $24.95
Copyright year: 1993
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Publication date: 8/1/1993
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 413
Size: 5.40" wide x 8.00" long x 0.80" tall
Weight: 1.056
Language: English

William L. Shea is professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. He is coauthor of several books, including <i>Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West</i> (UNC Press) and <i>Vicksburg Is the Key: The Struggle for the Mississippi River</i>.

The Tocsin Of War
The Four Parties
Their Candidates
Freedom of Speech Abridged
Secession Decreed
Lincoln Elected
Oh, for Andrew Jackson! Exit Buchanan
"Long-heeled Abolitionists" and "Black Republicans"
"Wide-awakes" and "Rail-splitters"
"Copperheads"
The Misunderstanding
Northern Doughfaces
Loyal Men of All Parties Unite
The First Rally
Preparation in the Bay State and in Other States
Her War Governor
Showing the White Feather
The Memorable Fifteenth of April
"The Sweet Little Man"
Parting Scenes
The Three-Months' Men
Enlisting
The President's Error
"Three Years Unless Sooner Discharged"
How Volunteer Companies were Raised
Filling the Quotas
What General Sherman Says
Recruiting Offices
Advertisements for Recruits
A War Meeting in Roxbury
A Typical War Meeting in the Country
A Small-Sized Patriot
Signing the Roll
The Medical Examination
Off for Camp
The Red, White, and Blue
How The Soldiers Were Sheltered
The Distinction Noted Between the Militia and the U. S. Volunteers
The Oath of Muster
Barracks Described
Sibley or Bell Tents
A or Wedge Tents
Spooning
Stockading
Hospital or Wall Tents
Dog or Shelter Tent Described
Chumming
Pitching Shelters
Stockaded Shelters
Fireplaces
Chimneys
Door Plates
"Willard's Hotel"
"Hole in the Wall"
Mortars and Mortar Shelling before Petersburg
Life In Tents
Life in a Sibley
The Stove
The Pastimes
Postage Stamps as Money
Soldier's Letter
"Nary Red"
Illustrated Envelopes
Army Reading
The Recluse
Evenings of Sociability
Pipe and Ring Making
Home Gossip
Music and the Contrabands
War Song Revived
The "Mud March" Prayer
Life In Log Huts
The Plan of a Camp
Inside a Stockade
The Bunks
The Arrangement of the Furniture
AEsthetic Dish-washing
Lighting by Candles and Slush Lamps
Candlesticks
Night-Gowns and Night-Caps
The Shelters in a Rain
"I. C." Insect Life
Pediculus Vestimenti, the Old-time Grayback
Not a Respecter of Rank
The First Grayback Found
(K) nitting Work
"Skirmishing"
Boiling Water the Sovereign Balm
Cleanliness
The Versatile Mess-Kettles
No Magee Ranges Supplied the Soldiers
Washerwomen
No "Boiled Shirts"
Darning and Mending
Government Socks
Cooks
Green Pine as Fuel
Camp Barbers
Future Tacticians
Jonahs And Beats
The Jonah as a Guardsman
A Midnight Uproar
"Put him in the Guard-house"
The Jonah Spills Pea-Soup, and Coffee, and Ink
Always Cooking
Steps on the Rails
Tableau
Jonah as a Wood-chopper
Beats
The Beat as a Fireman
Without Water, and Rations, and Money
His Letters Containing Money always Miscarry
Allotments
The Beat as a Guard Dodger
His Corporal Does the Duty
As a Fatigue Detail
Horse-Burying as a Civilizer for Jonahs and Beats
The Detail for the Burial
The Over-worked Man
The Rheumatic Dodge
The Sick Man
The Chief Mourner
The Explosive Man
The Paper-Collar Young Man
Forward, Grave-diggers!
Hurrah! Without the H
Army Rations
Were They Adequate?
Their Quality
A List of Them
What was Included in a Single Ration
What was a Marching Ration?
Officers' Allowance
The "Company Fund"
Hardtack" Described
Its Faults Three in Number
Served in Twenty Different Ways
Song of the Hardtack
"Soft Bread"
The Capitol as a Bake-house
The Ovens at Alexandria and Fort Monroe
Grant's Immense Bake-house at City Point
Coffee and Sugar
How Dealt Out
How Stored
Condensed Milk
Company Cooks
The Coffee-Dipper
The Typical Coffee-Boiler
Bivouac and Coffee
How the Government Beat the Speculators
How a Contractor Underbid Himself
Fresh Meat
How Served
Army Frying-Pans
Steak from a Steer's Jaw-Bone
"Salt Horse" Not a Favorite Dish
Salt Pork and its Uses
The Army Bean
How it was Baked
Song of the Army Bean
Desiccated Vegetables
The Whiskey Ration
A Suggestion as to the Inadequacy of the Marching Ration
Offences And Punishments
The Offences Enumerated
"Back Talk"
Absence from Camp without Leave
The Punishments
The Guard Tent
The Black List
Its Occupations
Buck and Gag
The Barrel and its Uses
The Crucifixion
The Wooden Horse
The Knapsack Drill
Tied up by the Thumbs
The Sweat-Box
The Placard
The Spare Wheel
Log-Lugging
Double Guard
The Model Regiment
Commanders often Tyrants by Nature, or from Effects of Rum, or Ignorance
A Regiment with Hundreds of Colonels
Inactivity Productive of Offences and Punishments
Kid-Glove Warfare
Drumming out of Camp
Rogue's March
Ball and Chain
Sleeping on Post
Desertion
Death of a Deserter Described-Death of a Spy Described
Bounty-jumpers
Amnesty to Deserters
Desertion to Enemy
Hanging of Three Criminals at Once for this Offence Described
Number of Executions in the War
A Day In Camp. "Assembly Of Buglers." "Turn Out!" "Assembly."
How the Men Came into Line
A Canteen Wash
The Shirks
"I Can't Get 'Em Up"
"All Present or Accounted For"
"Stable Call"
Kingly Cannoneers and Spare Horses
"Breakfast Call"
"Sick Call"
"Fall In for Your Quinine"
The Beats again
"Lack of Woman's Nursing"
"Water Call"
Where the Animals were Watered
Number of Animals in the Army
Scarcity of Water
"Fatigue Call"
What it Included
Army Stables
The Picket-Rope
Mortality of Horses
Scarcity of Wood
"Drill Call"
Artillery Drill
Standing Gun Drill
Battery Manoeuvres
Sham Fights
Drilling by Bugle Calls
"Dinner Call"
"Retreat"
Scolding Time
"Assembly of Guard"
The Reliefs
Fun for the Corporal
Some of His Trials
"Next Tent Below"
"Tattoo"
Reminiscences
Taps
"Put out that Light!"
"Stop that Talking!"
Raw Recruits
A Scrap of Personal History
A Parent's Certificate
The Lot of a Recruit
Abused by the Old Hands
Flush with Money
A Practical Joke
Two Classes of Recruits
The Matter-of-fact Recruit a Final Success
The High-toned Recruits
Their Loud Uniform
Scoffers at Government Rations
As Hostlers
The Awkward Squad
The Decline in the Quality of Recruits
Men of '61-2
Unschooled Soldiers
Hope Deferred
"One Last Embrace"
French Leave Furloughs
Life in Home Camp
Family Knots
A Mother's Fond Solicitude
Galling Lessons of Obedience
Bounties Paid Recruits
"I'm a Raw Recruit"
"The Substitute"
Special Rations. Boxes From Home
Sending for a Box
A Specimen Address
A Typical List of Contents
Impatience at its Non-arrival
Its Inspection at Headquarters
Its Reception at Camp
The Opening
Box-packing as an Art
The Whole Neighborhood Contributes
Soldiers Who Had No Boxes
The Box of the Selfish Man
His Onions
"We've Drank from the same Canteen"
The Army Sutler
His Stock-in-trade
His Prices
The Commissary
Army Fritters
Sutler's Pies
Sutler's Risks
Raiding the Sutler
What a Sutler Lost near Brandy Station
War Prices in Dixie
Foraging
Strictly Prohibited at First
Two Reasons Why
The Right and Wrong of It
Innocent Sufferers
Unauthorized Foragers
The Destitution of Some Families
The Family Turnout
Wantonness at Fredericksburg
Authorized Foragers
Their Plunder
Foraging at Wilcox's Farm
Tobacco Foragers
The Cavalry in Their Role
The Infantry
Incidents
Risks Assumed by Foragers
Union Versus Confederate Soldier as a Forager
Corps And Corps Badges
What was an Army Corps?
How the Army of the Potomac was Organized
Brigade and Division Formations
"All quiet along the Potomac"
"Why don't the Army move?"
How Corps were Composed
Their Number
Corps Badges
Their Origin
The Kearny Patch
Worn First by Officers, then by the Privates
Hooker's Scheme of Corps Badges
Its Extension to other Armies
The Badge of each Army Corps Described
Some Inventions And Devices Of The War
Improvements in Firearms
In War Vessels
Catch-penny Devices for the Soldiers
Combination Knife, Fork, and Spoon
Water Filterers
Armor Vests and Greaves
Havelocks
Revolvers and Dirk Knives
"High-toned" Haversacks
Compact Writing-desks Smoking-caps and the Turkish Fez
Hatter's Caps Versus Government Caps
The Numbering and Lettering of Knapsacks
Haversacks and Canteens
How these Equipments Changed Hands
The Army Mule
Where Raised
Where the Government Obtained Them
What They were Used for
Compared with Horses
Mule Fodder
How a Mule Team was Composed
How it was Driven
How Mules were Obtained from the Corral
The Black Snake and its Uses
An Incident
Mule Ears
His Pastimes
As a Kicker the Original Mugwump
What Josh Billings Knows about Him
His Kicking Range
How He was Shod
The Mule as a Singer
Under the Pack-saddle
The Mule as a Stubborn Fact
His Conduct under Fire
Captured Mules at Sailor's Creek
What Became of All the Mules?
The Mule Mortal
"Charge of the Mule Brigade"
Hospitals And Ambulances
The First General Hospitals
The First Medical Director
Army Regulations Insufficient
Verdancy of Regimental Surgeons
Hospital Tents
The Origin of Field Hospitals in Tents
Their Capacity
No Ambulances before the War
Two-Wheeled and Four-Wheeled Ambulances
Organization of the Ambulance Corps
The Officers and Privates
The Outfit
Field Hospitals
Their Location
The Men in Charge
Captured Hospitals
A Paroled Prisoner
A Personal Reminiscence
Legs and Arms Unnecessarily Amputated
Anecdote of a Heavy Artilleryman
The Escort of the Wounded
The Insignia of the Ambulance Corps
A Personal Experience
Hospital Railway Trains and Steamboats
The Cacolet
Scattering Shots. The Clothing
The Allowance
The Losses of Infantry
Clothing of Garrisons
First Maine Heavy Artillery
Their First Active Campaigning
Army Cattle
The Kind Referred to
Where They Came from
Wade Hampton as a Cattle-Stealer
Cattle on the March
Their Route by Day and Night
The Sagacious Leader
The Slaughter
The Corps Herd
Heroic Horses
Their Conduct in Action
When Wounded
A Personal Reminiscence
Anecdote of General Hancock
Sagacious Horses
Breaking Camp, On The March
Marching Orders
When They Came
What was Done at Once
The Survival of the Fittest
"Waverly" Correspondents
The Night in Camp after Marching Orders Came
Camp Fires and Hilarity
"The General"
The Wait in Camp
Forward, March!
The Order of March
Corps Headquarters
Division Headquarters
The Division Flags Described
Brigade Headquarters
Brigade Flags Described
Battle Flags
The Mule of Regimental Headquarters
His Company
Light Batteries
Lightening Loads
The Chafed and Footsore
Fording of Streams
The Same by Night
Personal Reminiscences
"Close up!"
Marching in a Rainstorm
Camping in a Rainstorm
Horses in the Rain and Sloughs
A Personal Reminiscence
Flankers
"Column, Halt!"
Double quick!"
"They've found um"
Army Wagon Trains
Grant's Military Railroad
The Impedimenta
An Army Wagon
An Army Minstrel Troupe
The Transportation of a Regiment
What They Originally Carried
Baggage Trains on the Peninsula
Chaos Illustrated
The Responsibility of Train Officers
What They had to Contend with
The Struggle for the Lead
Depot of Transportation
The Officers of the Quartermaster's Department
What Wagons Took Into the Wilderness
The Allowance on the Final Campaign
Incident
Early Order of McClellan
General Orders, No. 153
The Beginning of the Supply Trains
What General Rufus Ingalls Did
Meade's General Orders, No. 83
Strength of a Corps Supply Train
Of the Army
Its Extent
Its Place on the March
A Reminiscence of the Race for Centreville
General Wadsworth's Bull Train
Its Rise and Fall
Trials of a Train Quartermaster
He Runs Counter to Meade and Sheridan in the Discharge of his Duty
Army Road And Bridge Builders
The Engineer Corps
Their Duties
Corduroying
Trestle Bridges
Slashing
Making of Gabions, etc.
As Pontoniers
Xerxes as an Early Pontonier
His Bridge over the Hellespont Described
Our Earliest Pontoon
Bridges of Canvas Boats; of Wooden Boats
Pontoon Bridge Material Described
Balks, Bays, Chesses, Rack Lashings
Pontoon Train
Pontoon Bridge Building Described
Taking Up a Pontoon Bridge
The '62 Bridge over the Chickahominy
Over the James
Pontoon Bridge Laying before Fredericksburg
The Stability of such Bridges
Incident
Life of an Engineer
Talking Flags And Torches
Old Glory
Signal Flags
The Signal Corps
Its Use
Its Origin
The Kit
The Talking
The Code
A Signal Party
Sending a Message
Receiving a Message
The Torch
General Corse's Despatch
Signal Stations
Lookouts before Petersburg
"Which one?"
What Longstreet Said
What a Paper Correspondent Did
Reading the Rebel Signal Code
Signal Station at Poolesville, Md
The Perils of Signal Men
Death of a Signal Officer
At Little Round Top
Anecdote of Grant