Fighting for the Union A Day in the Life
(Adapted from Discovery Techbook)
For soldiers fighting in the Civil War, part of life was similar to camping. Unlike most
camping trips, however, soldiers had to be ready to battle at any moment. They
lived this way for years.
The Day Begins
A day in the life of a Union soldier could be boring or surprising. One moment he
might be cleaning, and the next moment bullets might be flying near his head.
After inspection, soldiers would have a small breakfast of crackers, old meat,
vegetables, and coffee. Food could be hard to get. Meals were not very nutritious.
An actor playing Union soldier
cooking breakfast.
A Tidy, Disease-Filled Camp
If there were no immediate battles, soldiers would keep their
tents and campsites tidy. A tidy camp reflected a disciplined unit.
This also helped to keep away rodents and insects.
However, campsites were
unsanitary and smelled terribly.
Hundreds of soldiers who were
A Union army campsite.
sick occupied a very small area.
Diseases quickly spread among soldiers. Another reason for the diseases was
that people did not know anything about bacteria or virus. This meant that
people did not often sterilize tools or wash hands.
A Union hospital full of sick and injured soldiers.
As a result, many soldiers suffered
from dysentery, an infection in the
intestines that causes dehydration,
Union soldiers in front of their tent.
nausea, and stomach pain. Another
disease was typhoid. Typhoid results in a high fever, stomach pain,
weakness, and loss of appetite. Smallpox was also common.
Smallpox is contagious and lethal. Other soldiers contracted
malaria. Over 400,000 soldiers died of diseases in the Civil War.
The Daily Drills
Soldiers had to take part in daily drills even if they were sick. These
drills kept men on their feet for hours. The drills were repetitive,
and helped the soldiers become comfortable with their weapons.
Drills also helped the soldiers practice to become more precise.
Soldiers learned how to hold their weapons in exact positions and
to shoot with precision.
Union soldiers participating in a drill,.
Lunch
Lunchtime was often called dinner and, if there was no battle, soldiers would eat around noon. Soldiers would
eat anything. They were exhausted and hungry. Dinner foods included pork or beef, and vegetables.
If soldiers were in battle or marching, they would have to eat quickly. On days
when soldiers had to march 20 or 30 miles a day, commanders would provide rest
breaks. If the distance was shorter, soldiers might have to eat while walking.
Afternoon Activities
After dinner, soldiers would again practice their
drills. Soldiers were bored after hours of marching
and drilling. When they had time, soldiers read,
Union soldiers at lunchtime.
played cards, or worked on wood. But those
activities could only entertain for so long, especially when units did not move
for weeks.
Supper
The third meal of the day came when soldiers stopped fighting or marching. If
there had been no fighting, soldiers would eat around 5:00 p.m. The food choices did not change from those
of breakfast and dinner. Often, soldiers would eat the same foods, just in smaller portions.
Evening Activities
Evening activities depended on what had happened during the day. If the
soldiers had been marching, soldiers would just set up camp and sleep.
If solders had not marched or battled, soldiers would spend the evening
telling stories and cleaning or fixing weapons. Many soldiers wrote letters
home.
Soldiers’ time to sleep varied. Sometimes, they went to sleep at 11:30 p.m.,
sometimes a1:30 a.m. Sleep was very important to have the energy to walk
many miles or to fight. Sometimes soldiers did not have enough tents to sleep in and had to sleep outside.
The Psychological Battle
It is important to note that battle could come at any point in the day. In war,
there are no rules. This meant that no time or place was safe. Soldiers could even
attack hospitals full of injured people.
Union soldiers agonizing in the
arms of another soldier.
In the 1860s, doctors uncovered a problem in the mental health of soldiers. Family
members spoke of changed men coming home from battle. Boys who were quiet
were now angry or frightened. Doctors named the condition soldier’s heart. Today
these and other symptoms are called post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
Today’s doctor can help soldiers with PTSD. In the Civil War era, however, doctors
knew little about the condition, and there were few successful treatments.
Soldiers who returned home had many painful memories. They had watched fellow soldiers get injured or die.
Soldiers coming home felt guilty. Why did they live, when so many others did not? When they left for war,
these young men had no idea the brutal realities of war. They had memories of killing others. No one had
prepared the men for the anguish of killing another person.
Many men thought life as a soldier would be heroic and adventurous, and it was in some cases. But it was also
a life of repetition, boredom, and constant fear of fighting. It was a hard life, and it had terrible consequences
on the thousands of soldiers who participated in the war.