Campaigning in the Wet & Cold: Shelter - Civil War Camping

I am going through a marathon of books on letters and diaries of Rebs. Richard Adams, 5th Alabama: "Wet as a rat, hungry as a wolf, poor as a church mouse. Down came the rain and we could no nothing but take it. I’d rather be dead than alive cold and wet."

Ahh yes, Fort Blakely. The event where God forgot he promised Noah not to flood the earth again.

09:38 "We're gonna talk about the concept of spooning."

Word of advice, always wipe off and stuff your boots into the bottom of your blanket pile or sleeping bag. This prevents them from being freezing wet and covered in frost in the morning.

Yes! This sort of content is much needed.

Thank the Lord I was in the Army infantry with some high quality sleeping bags because the whole spooning thing would have been a hard sell to me. When I first joined our sleeping bags were goose down and I would have been warm and happy in a blizzard tucked into it. The next generation bags that came out, the Goretex ones, I woke up covered in snow and rain many times and had no clue it had occured while I was asleep. Those men in the Civil War were tougher than woodpecker lips.

Huge props for going the extra mile and showing us!

I can confirm, that by "embracing discomfort" you see discomfort in your "normal" life with other eyes!

Bravo gentleman!! once again a smashing success and absolutely amazing post. It's so cool how you delve deep into the real life aspects of a soldier's everyday life and the challenges faced while on campaign. I think it really enhances the experience, and creates a multidimensional understanding of the real world these men lived in. While at Gettysburg I found I was more often fascinated by the small seemingly insignificant items a soldier carried like a pipe, comb, pocket knife, a handkerchief, maybe playing cards. Little personal things which we use to this day. Intimate experiences EVERY soldier who served would have had. This post felt that way Thank you truly LD

This is why outdoorsmen make good soldiers. They are somewhat inured to discomfort and take it in stride as the cost of doing business, so to speak.

My Gran who had experienced both conditions was fond of saying she would rather be hungry than cold. I guess opinion varies but I agree with her.

Gum blankets are life savers

This video was recommended. And YT got this right. I learned here

Soggy hardtack seems to be an improvement compared with the dry stuff.

I always enjoy hearing the writings from soldiers; it's like they're sitting right there with you! Great stuff, very enjoyable to watch.

I'm glad you mentioned trenching around the tent; CW vets often mentioned that. If the rain was really bad they would also sleep on branches or fence rails. Knapsacks sometimes served as pillows. It all sounds very uncomfortable to me.

Did a Rev War event in the middle of a hurricane. Cold rations and wool. We actually got to take turns to go inside the 18th century building and warming by the fireplace. Really made it "real life"

Just in time as I was getting ready for an event this weekend in Florida. Thank you! Thank you!

Should talk about using straw, pine, dry grasses to insulate from the ground.

This is a great topic. Thanks for the consistent, excellent content