Something Maybe You Didn't Know About the Civil War

From the August 14, 29022, Chicago Tribune.

"How to dine like a local in New Orleans" by Alan Behr.

"It was not until I arrived at Cafe Du Mond that I realized you now have to stand in line to get your beignets and coffee with chicory.  The beignet -- a puffy, fried doughnut swimming in powdered sugar -- has been a New Orleans tradition since the city was French.

"Cutting Columbian coffee with chicory has been a New Orleans practice since the Union blockade during the Civil War made it a necessity."

Well, considering that the city fell in April 1862, it wasn't long under the Union blockade.  But, it does make for an interesting jolt in your coffee.

Those Beignets and Chicory Coffee.   Mighty Good!!   --Old Secesh

John Banks Goes Looking for Lt. Crocker, Unsung Hero of Battle of Shepherdstown-- Part 1: 'My House Is Haunted'

From the December 2021 Civil War Times magazine "No Man Left Behind" by John Banks.

Every so often, John Banks' blog makes an appearance in the hallowed pages of this magazine (I believe it was the first non-veteran regular magazine published).  This is how I became aware of him and now I often go to Mr. Banks' blog as he writes more than one blog a month.

He often travels to the spot he's talking about in his post, as he did for the Battle of Shepherdstown. 

Now, remember, until recently I really didn't know anything about this battle.  I've learned a lot and it was quite the coincidence that the battle would be featured again.

John Banks' goal was to walk in the footsteps of 118th Pennsylvania Lieutenant Lemuel Croker "whose heroics on September 20, 1862, in the final Maryland Campaign should be legendary."

They, unfortunately, are not, but Mr. Banks makes a good point of support for the lieutenant.  

In typical John Banks style, he meets an interesting character who will take him on a tour of the battlefield, but had some time to kill, so finished his cup of coffee in the Sweet Shop Bakery.  

Because of the likelihood of ghosts since the building was used as a Confederate hospital in the aftermath of the Battle of Antietam, the war's single bloodiest day, he asks the woman behind the counter is that creeps her out.

She tells him:  "My own house is haunted so it really doesn't bother me."

And, then John was off.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Discussion Meeting 3/27/21: Civil War Prisons, North and South

Four members of our McHenry County (Illinois)  Civil War Round Table met yesterday at Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, for our monthly discussion group.  Stucky's had a nice layout of fresh fruit, pastries and plenty of coffee.  Thanks, Stucky's.

This was a hybrid meeting in that we also had Zoom going, with another four joining us, including one of out members in Florida.  How about that.  This was the first time I had had first-hand experience with Zoom and I was impressed.  Not enough to get it going for myself yet, anyway, nut nonetheless.  I'm thinking all of our discussion group meetings will also be Zoom in the future.

Something good coming from trying times indeed.

Much of our discussion was on prisons in Illinois, though many others were mentioned.  I'll have more on that later.

The last discussion group meeting we had was in October and at Stucky's again (our usual month meetings are in a room at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake but, of course, the room has been closed since last March).

Anyway, it is good to talk Civil War with like-minded folk.

I'll also have the answers to yesterday's prison questions (and some more questions) in tomorrow's post.

--Old SeceshZoomer

Satterlee General Hospital, Philadelphia-- Part 5: Food Consumed in One Year

Food consumed at Satterlee, September 1862 to September 1863

804,418--  pounds of bread

540,519--  pounds of beef and mutton

41,052--  pounds of pork

37,420--  pounds of chicken

95,250--  pounds of fish

490,388--  pounds of potatoes

283,123--  pounds of mixed vegetables

23,635--  pounds of coffee

4,425--  pounds of tea

74,325--  pounds of sugar

334,222--  quarts of milk

27,272--  dozens of eggs

Keepin' 'Em Fed.  --Old SeceshEat

Mort Kunstler Civil War Calendar-- December "My Friend, the Enemy"

The last monthly calendar for 2015 is "My Friend, the Enemy."  It shows a Confedrate and a Union soldier standing on stones along the river, talking and the Union soldier enjoying a smoke from his pipe and the Confederate having a cup of coffee.  There are other soldiers way off in the background and a town, probably Fredericksburg, in the background.

"RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER, VA., December 25, 1862.  Fraternization was ever-present in the Civil War.  This was not remarkable.  Johnny Rebs and Billy yanks spoke the same language, had the same backgrounds and cultures, possessed the same likes and dislikes.

"While it was easy to hate the enemy in abstract, sometimes individual feelings overcame sectional animosity.  A regular reason for fraternization was the federals' wish for tobacco and the Confederates' desire for coffee.

"This swapping of hard-to-get items is shown here as two enemy soldiers meet in the Rappahannock River.  |They had declared a truce by long-distance shouting.  Now they stand in no-man's land and silently enjoy luxuries for a few moments.

"Winston Churchill once dubbed the American Civil War "the last war between gentlemen."

--Old Secesh