Civil War soldiers did eat sugars and sweets - for many, they proved a vital part of their survival. Some were used as medicine. Others as a welcome break from other foods. Some soldiers made favorites for themselves at the start of the war, such as molasses pulls, made by one Confederate soldier in what he thought would be a short and decisive war. Hospitals and other organizations sent packages, many items such as cacao and sugar, recommended by the new US Sanitary Commission.
Where did Civil War Soldiers Get Sugars and Sweets?
Civil War soldiers got sugars and sweets from numerous sources. Early in the war plantations, where sugar cane was grown and produced by enslaved laborers, closed down. Instead, people used sugar made from a special “sugar beet” and sorghum grain. Abolitionists had used both of these alternatives before the Civil War as part of their boycott of foods made by slaves. By the end of the war, even these sugars, and so many other foods, were hard to find! At the very early stages of the war, some soldiers made favorites for themselves – in a letter, one Confederate soldier describes making molasses pulls in what he thought would be a quick, decisive war. Here are some other sources of sugar and sweets:
Government
The government provided sweets, such as sugar cubes, at the onstart of the war, and continued in various iterations, as possible. Figures such as Ulysses Grant, for example, shipped large quantities of cranberries, rich in sugar and vitamin C, to Union troops at the Battle of St. Petersburg.
Sutlers
Soldiers with enough money, most usually Union soldiers, bought goods from sutlers - traveling groceries, often in make-shift tents, that followed the troops
and sold raisins, citrus fruit, molasses candy, crystalized ginger, fruit and sugar. The sutlers were disreputable and their goods overpriced, but they did they did offer soldiers alternatives to the sparse wartime rations. The sutlers were later replaced by commissaries, providing approved goods at a reasonable cost.
Organizations
Hospitals and other organizations sent packages with such items as cacao beans and sugar, both considered healthy and medicinal. Many of these items were recommended by the new United States Sanitary Commission. Started in 1861, their goal was to educate staff at field hospitals and advise the public on healthy foods and shipping methods when sending packages to the troops. In 1862, for example, they recommended dried fruits and berries of all kinds, jellies and cocoa.
Others, such as the Maine Camp and Hospital Association sent clothing and medical supplies as well as marmalade, dried apples, tamarinds, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cocoa, strawberries in a jar, figs, candy, lozenges, peppermint, and tea. Still other items would have included dried berries and ginger snaps.
