When immersed into the world of the Civil War, soldiers were equipped with minimal food options. According to “Civil War Cooking: What the Union Soldiers Ate” by PBS, the primary sources of food stemmed from coffee, a chunk of bread, and pieces of meat and potato to be allocated amid a large army group. However, what was found alarming about the culinary situation of the Union soldiers was the lack of experience. Men in general were not seen as ideal candidates to be placed in the kitchen and it was seen more so as a women’s duty. Luckily for these heroics, The Sanitary taught lessons on how to travel with food and what to look for when scavenging for food.
The envy released by many towards coffee was what I found to be outstanding. In “How Coffee fueled the Civil War” by The New York Times, coffee played a vital role in the progress of the war. For example, “In their diaries, coffee appears more frequently than the words rifle, cannon, or bullet.” In addition, a cup of joe could accommodate any situation such as uplifting soldiers moods prior to heading into battle or drinking a warm cup of coffee after being rescued to be assured all would be alright now. Also, when soldiers were most caffeinated, it was seen as the most proper time to go out and attack their enemies. The drink rising tremendously in popularity set the tone in the mood for the outcome of the war and how well each battle went.
Although the men placed during the Civil War were stripped of their food favorites, what I cannot go without is Welch’s Fruit Snack. The fruit snack have been one of my favorite’s since middle school and I do not intend on not buying a pack of gummies at least a couple times out the week.
