I derive much pleasure, and certainly knowledge, from reading Civil War soldier's letters. Some come in the form of letters home to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and all sorts of other relatives, and friends. Others letters were from soldiers at the front relating their experience to local newspapers, which were intended to inform a broader audience. Obviously, those written for print were often lacking in providing intimate details. But where they fell short in some areas, they prove advantageous in others. A good example is the group of letters that I'm currently reading in the book Voices from the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War by Carleton Young.
These letters are those from brothers Henry Martin (4th Vermont Infantry) and Francis, aka Frank Martin (2nd Vermont) to their family and friends. Frank, who enlisted later than Henry, also sent intermittent missives to the Vermont Watchman & State Journal newspaper under the pseudonym of "Conscript."
Frank "Conscript" Martin's letter on November 27, 1863, included a mention of soldier's food. Food is one of the most commented upon aspects of soldier's life. The famous book Hard Tack and Coffee, originally published in 1887 by former soldier John D. Billings comes by its name honestly.
Enough with the commentary . . . below is that portion of the letter as it appeared in the Watchman, which I found on the Library of Congress' "Chronicling America" database.
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