2. Who were the soldiers?
Required to be at least 18 years old but many were younger than
that
Felt strong loyalty toward the ideas their government
supported
Many joined to lead lives of excitement and adventure
Thought the war would be short and exciting
3. Union Soldiers
What do you notice about his uniform?
4. Notes
10. Union soldiers wore dark blue jackets, light blue pants, a blue
cap, and black shoes.
5. Confederate Soldiers
What is different about their uniforms compared to the Union
soldiers?
6. Notes
11. Confederate soldiers wore gray jackets, light blue pants, and
long gray shirts.
7. Civil War Camp Life
Using clues in the picture, which army do you think this is?
Why?
8. Training
marching drills
bayonet practice
9. Camp and Supplies
Each soldier carried half of a two man tent to use at night.
Armies did not battle during winter so more permanent camps were
built.
Four or more soldiers would build a log hut together.
In the winter men had time to write letters, read, sing songs, have
snowball fights
Civilian workers (often women and children) produced supplies for
both armies.
10. 11. Meals
Soldiers in both armies had a hard time finding food.
Meat was packed in salt water to preserve it.
Union soldiers had dried cakes or pressed bits of potatoes,
carrots, and other vegetables. Sometimes they found pieces of roots
and leaves in these cakes.
Union soldiers received supplies more regularly than Confederate
soldiers.
Hungry soldiers stole fruit from orchards and supplies from peoples
homes.
12. Hardtack
These flour and water crackers were thick and so hard that
sometimes soldiers called them teeth dullers.
Sometimes insects called weevils got into the hardtack.
13. Disease
More men died of disease than in battle!
Thousands of men died before even firing a single shot.
Examples of diseases:
chicken pox, measles, mumps
dysentery-intestinal disease
Sanitation in the camps was not good.
People did not know about germs or bacteria.
14. Battles
Most soldiers had a musket with a bayonet.
Bullets called Minie Balls caused wounds that were difficult to
heal.
Cannons
15. Letter Writing Assignment
1. Dear Insert Name Here,
2. Date: December 1, 1861 (***this is winter in the North)
2. Introduction: Tell where you are (North or South). You may pick
a specific state or city if you choose.
3. Body: Tell about your day.Include anything that we learned
today. Include:
What was the weather like?
How do you feel about the war? Why?
What was the food like?
Are you sick? Do you know anyone who is sick?
Other
4. Conclusion: Finish up your letter, tell what you hope will
happen.
5. Closing: Sincerely, Love, Yours
6. Name on top of your paper if you make up a name.
7. ** Pick if you want to be a Union or Confederate soldier, write
from their point of view the whole time!
16. December 1, 1861
Dear Mother,
I am writing to you from North Carolina.
It hasnt been too cold here, not like it is back home in Potsdam. I
used to think this war was going to be exciting but now I am just
tired of it.The food is terrible.I cant wait to come home and eat
something that isnt hard and seems like it could break my
teeth.Thankfully my health is fine but my friend Bill has been sick
for days with dysentery.
I hope this terrible war will be over soon and the South will
rejoin the North.
Sincerely,
S. Narrow
