Existing comment:
Soldiers' Settlements: Camp Life in the Civil War:
Only a small fraction of a Civil War soldier's time was spent in combat. During good weather, a soldier could usually expect to be engaged in battle one day out of thirty. Army camps became temporary towns, a refuge from war and yet a constant reminder of it. Time in camp was mostly spent drilling, although music and gambling provided some entertainment.
Much time was spent dealing with poor shelter, bad food, and lack of basic hygiene in these makeshift communities. Rations consisted of allotments of hardtack, salted pork or fresh meat, and coffee, sugar, and salt. The lack of fresh fruits and vegetables contributed to vitamin deficiencies and diseases such as scurvy. Another constant was dysentery, colloquially called "quickstep." After four long years of war under such circumstances, it is not surprising that for every soldier killed in combat, two died of disease. |