The accomplishments of the Confederate forces during the Civil War, especially the continued success of the Army of Northern Virginia, are particularly noteworthy when considering the obstacles that had to be overcome. Malnutrition, even early in the war, and poor sanitation negatively impacted both the health and strength of an army that was almost always outnumbered against a force that was better fed and better armed. Oddly, Western Confederates were better “fed” than those in the East, but perhaps not as well “led.” Napoleon concluded that the morale of his troops was three times more important to success than any other single factor, and this esprit d’corps was the responsibility of top leadership. However, Napoleon is also often quoted on the observation that “…an army marches on its stomach.”
According to Carlton McCarthy’s memoirs, Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia; “The Confederate soldier knows the elements of his success—courage, endurance and devotion. He knows also by whom he was defeated—sickness, starvation,
death.” The disparity between the theoretical and the actual diet was a problem, not only of declining resources, but also logistics, inefficiency, chicanery, and the ponderous supply system. Rations would sometimes get to the camps, but not regularly or in the expected amounts. McCarthy continued,
“Sometimes there was an abundant issue of bread and no meat; then meat in any quantity and no flour or meal. Sugar in abundance and no coffee to be had for “love or money,” and then coffee plenteously without a grain of sugar. For months nothing but flour for bread and then nothing but meal, till all hands longed for a biscuit, or fresh meat until it was nauseating; and then salt pork without intermission. To be one day without anything to eat was common. Two days fasting, marching and fighting was not uncommon, and there were times when no rations were issued for three or four days.”
No discussion of Confederate Civil War rations would be complete without including peanuts. Period accounts suggest that when bread and meat were scarce, peanuts, a/k/a goober peas, pindars, ground-peas, or groundnuts, were useful as an alternate source of protein. Since cooking facilities and other equipment were scarce, Confederate soldiers roasted their peanuts over the campfire or shelled and fried them in leftover grease. Regardless of preparation, peanuts produced a high protein ration that was light in weight and could easily be carried on the march. A good handful in the shell provides 200 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrate, the same of fat, and 6 grams of protein. As a nutrient, “a pound of peanuts…provides approximately the same energy value (in calories) as 2 pounds of beef, 1.5 pounds of Cheddar cheese, 9 pints of milk, or 36 medium-size eggs.”
A raw or “green peanut” is not green in color. It takes a hundred or more frost free days to grow peanuts for consumption, and they are usually available from May through November primarily in nine Southern states. Peanuts grow best in sandy soil, especially along the coast or just inland. The varieties are quite different, though. The king of the American peanut family is the so-called “Virginia.” This variety has the largest kernel and is only grown in Southeast Virginia (Suffolk, Waverly, Wakefield, Surry, etc.) and Northeastern North Carolina in sandy soil just inland from the coast. The low country of South Carolina and the Georgia/Alabama region grows what is known as the common “Runner” variety, that features a smaller kernel with a more uniform size. The Georgia Runner variety is the most widely grown type. Georgia produces about 40% of all peanuts grown in the South. Further west, in Texas and Oklahoma, the smaller, redskin Spanish peanut is grown. This type has the highest oil content, but you would have to be pretty hungry to fool with eating them.
Peanut coffee is an odd beverage, obviously not coffee as there are no coffee beans, and not made solely from peanuts either. It is an amalgamation composed of 1/3 cup peanuts, 1/3 cup rye or wheat, and 1/3 cup cow peas. The three ingredients are roasted black, then ground up, and brewed. As far as this beverage goes, follow the advice from the Wilmington, N.C., Daily Journal dated October 3, 1861:
“Don’t use the stuff. There isn’t one cook in five hundred who ever did anything else than ruin it. Some of the papers are recommending substitute—parched beans, rye, peas, acorns, etc. Swamp mud will blacken water just as effectually, but neither will it make coffee....Think of paying forty cents a pound for charcoal to embitter and blacken the water you drink. The practice should be suppressed by the Board of Health, if there were no war to do it.”
Save the peanuts for eating, especially if they are “Virginias.”
Craig L. Barry was born in Charlottesville, Va. He holds his BA and Masters degrees from the University of North Carolina The (Charlotte). Craig served Watchdog Civil War Quarterly as Associate Editor and Editor from 2003–2017. The Watchdog published books and columns on 19th-century material and donated all funds from publications to battlefield preservation. He is the author of several books including The Civil War Musket: A Handbook for Historical Accuracy The Unfinished (2006, 2011), Fight: Essays on Confederate Material Culture Vol. I and II (2012, 2013) and three books (soon to be four) in the Suppliers to the Confederacy series on English Arms & Accoutrements, Quartermaster stores and other European imports.
Digital Issues of CWN are available by subscription alone or with print plus archives from 2012 at
William Byrns (1838–75) of Burr Oak, Mi., enlisted as a fifer in Company B, 1st Michigan Infantry, during 1861. He was promoted in August 1861 to 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant in April 1862, and then captain in September 1862. He resigned his commission due to disability and entered the University of Michigan to study medicine. After graduation he and his wife moved to Galesburg, Ill., where his wife’s family lived. He practiced medicine until his death.
The below letter is to his fiancé, Florence Clark (1842– 1927), then living in Ceres, N.Y. William wrote numerous letters to Florence during the war. They married March 9, 1863, in Galesburg. The letter was written after the regiment’s transfer from a Maryland camp to join McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. The First fought in all the Army of the Potomac’s campaigns, Fortress Monroe Old Point Comfort, Va.
past 10 days have all been missent [sic]. I have written you no less that 5 or 6 times since I received yours saying that you had gone to Ceres. So I have written to Ceres, Pa., & I see by your letter that Ceres P.O. is in N.Y. Were I a lady I am sure I should go off in tears, but I am only a masculine & all I can do is to fill my pipe & smoke my troubles away.
Perhaps you have not heard a word from me since we left Monocacy Bridge [Maryland]. We left our camp there on Sunday the 9th & arrived at Annapolis Junct. the same p.m. There for the 1st time in over 5 months our Reg. was all together & held a dress parade. We there recd. orders to be ready to move, to drill hard & to reduce our baggage preparatory to going into the field. That night we recd. an order, by telegraph, to report to Fortress Monroe at once. We were astir early on Monday a.m., broke camp, but could not get away from Baltimore until 2 a.m. on Tuesday. We were very tired & I soon forgot my troubles in a comfortable bunk of the Steamer Georgia. Awoke at six to find that we were at anchor & had been for over an hour in consequence of the breaking of some part of the engine. We had to lay there till after noon. Arrived safe at the Point on Wednesday a.m. We went into camp at a point distant about one mile from the Fortress Monroe between Mill & Hampton Creeks.
I will not try and tell you much about the country. Of course, you know all about a fashionable a bathing place as Old Point Comfort. My time is very limited for we are to have a Brigade Inspection this p.m. at 1 & tis now 12. I am so sorry that I knew no better than to have directed your letters to Pennsylvania. Perhaps you will receive them but I don’t like it one bit. I know that you are wondering why I do not write. I have written almost every day & shall continue to until I hear that you do get my letters. Tis too bad for I have taken so much pain to write all about what I have seen, & this must be the reason why I have not heard from you.
When at Monocacy I wrote to have you direct your letters to Washington D.C. Our mail goes there now to be forwarded. You will see by this that it takes some time for letters to reach us, & you will write me very often. We have a pleasant camp & I am feeling well, much better than in the winter. Our regiment is in fine condition & we have plenty of work. Capt. Abbott1 is on picket duty today. His wife has returned to Michigan. I do not know how long we are to remain here. Perhaps a good while. Our own Col. is with us.2 He preferred to come & gave up his acting Brig. Generalship.
for you to go with him. If we are laying at this camp doing but little I will probably go home for good or bad.
I will tell you privately that both Capt. Abbott & myself are greatly tempted to resign & may do so. We can do much better. In that case I will have some time to myself. But this will take another sheet of paper if I tell you all the reasons why. I am so glad to hear that you are feeling well. I will write again tonight if I can find time. Don’t forget to direct to Washington, the rest as before. Write as soon as you hear from me & let me know that you do not blame me for seeming negligence. Your Will …
Ira C. Abbott (1824–1908), later Colonel of the 1st and brevet Brigadier General.
John C. Robinson (1817–97), promoted to Brigadier General April 28, 1862.
Bruce S. Allardice is Professor of History at South Suburban College in Illinois. He is a past president of the Civil War Round Table of Chicago. He is the author of More Generals in Gray, Confederate Colonels, and (with Professor Wolf) Two Years Before the Paddlewheel.
Wayne L. Wolf is past president of the Lincoln-Davis Civil War Roundtable. He is Professor Emeritus at South Suburban College and the author of numerous Civil War books including Two Years Before The Paddlewheel and The Last Civil War Scout.
