This is from an article in the Lowell (MA) Daily Courier, Thursday, July 18, 1861.
The Courier sent a correspondent to Camp Cameron, most likely because Companies D & H of the MA 16TH regiment were from Lowell. In the story the writer gives a detailed description of the food the recruits received each day.
He began with a brief description of the camp. "The locality is delightful, and everything seems to have been done to make the soldiers contented and as happy as can be expected to be in camp life." Some of the men busied themselves by cleaning their muskets, barracks or clothing in Tannery Brook. He mentions that the brook is behind their cooking tents. This is the first mention of tents, in addition to wooden structures, I have found, Though I have suspected that at least temporary tents were used at times. The camp is described a "Neat."
The men had more food available to them than they could eat in a day. The pork smelled sweet and was Extra Clear Brand, The bacon was first quality Boston cured, he described the potatoes as "sound." The bread was baked outside of the camp, but close enough that it was still warm when it was delivered each morning. Fixings for soup, tea and coffee was also made available.
As far as portion size goes, each man received 21 ounces of meat each day, a pint of coffee and three ounces of bread made up breakfast. Another 3 ounces of bread, or a third of a loaf, was added to the evening meal. No mention is given to the size of lunch or the size of the "extras", the soup, potatoes and tea etc. It is made clear that the food was both sizable and of high quality.
DAN SULLIVAN
The Courier sent a correspondent to Camp Cameron, most likely because Companies D & H of the MA 16TH regiment were from Lowell. In the story the writer gives a detailed description of the food the recruits received each day.
He began with a brief description of the camp. "The locality is delightful, and everything seems to have been done to make the soldiers contented and as happy as can be expected to be in camp life." Some of the men busied themselves by cleaning their muskets, barracks or clothing in Tannery Brook. He mentions that the brook is behind their cooking tents. This is the first mention of tents, in addition to wooden structures, I have found, Though I have suspected that at least temporary tents were used at times. The camp is described a "Neat."
The men had more food available to them than they could eat in a day. The pork smelled sweet and was Extra Clear Brand, The bacon was first quality Boston cured, he described the potatoes as "sound." The bread was baked outside of the camp, but close enough that it was still warm when it was delivered each morning. Fixings for soup, tea and coffee was also made available.
As far as portion size goes, each man received 21 ounces of meat each day, a pint of coffee and three ounces of bread made up breakfast. Another 3 ounces of bread, or a third of a loaf, was added to the evening meal. No mention is given to the size of lunch or the size of the "extras", the soup, potatoes and tea etc. It is made clear that the food was both sizable and of high quality.
DAN SULLIVAN
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