Civil Hardtack and Hardtack Crates - A Veteran Speaks

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  • čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
  • The Union armies consumed massive amounts of hardtack during the war. Each soldier was allotted a pound of hardtack per day and a crate holds 50 pounds. With Union force at times totalling over 600,000, that is a lot of hardtack crates everyday! The men learned to repurpose these “Amazon cardboard boxes” of their day in many useful ways. In this episode, Will takes a look at a couple documented utilitarian crate builds.
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Komentáře • 26

  • @GrangerGangster
    @GrangerGangster Před 5 měsíci +9

    That company cook pantry is awesome! I hadn’t come across that practice before. Same goes for the underground butter storage! When you collate all the 1001 uses for hard tack boxes into one source, it really underscores how dear are those few that survive to this day in their original form.

    • @CivilWarDigitalDigest
      @CivilWarDigitalDigest  Před 5 měsíci +2

      It was pretty amazing how much space in the book he spent talking about it.

  • @ftargr
    @ftargr Před 5 měsíci +5

    some aspects of soldering never change. give him a chair, its just a chair. give him a crate, the possibilities are endless

  • @Texian_1836
    @Texian_1836 Před 5 měsíci +7

    Things don't change! We'd break up MRE boxes and used them as flooring in our sleep tents, and we'd take other MRE boxes and turn them into extra file space for office supplies and things non HIPAA. 68G, PAD to the Bone!

  • @robertmccann5838
    @robertmccann5838 Před 5 měsíci +5

    One thing I've strived for in my living history: mimic tge ordinary. Nice bench!

  • @RW4X4X3006
    @RW4X4X3006 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Even today in the Army, a wooden crate of any size is gold. And so are pallets!

  • @arfyego0682
    @arfyego0682 Před 5 měsíci +1

    No way! I just so happened to paint my hardtack box lid today!! Small world!

  • @MikeD56034
    @MikeD56034 Před 5 měsíci +1

    just in time as i am pricign lumber to build a couple bread boxes based on plans from a book i have. for a soldier being able tap into the skill of Utility is key to survival.

  • @mcritel1
    @mcritel1 Před 5 měsíci +4

    Excellent piece covering a common item again!

  • @yankeebarber
    @yankeebarber Před 2 měsíci +1

    Nice episode, Will. Reenactors should get in the habit of using boxes and crates as "camp furniture" instead of some of the hideous items we see in today's camps.

    • @yankeebarber
      @yankeebarber Před 2 měsíci

      Btw, If you look at original 50# army bread boxes you'll find out that the boards are different dimensions than just 3/4" planed lumber.

    • @CivilWarDigitalDigest
      @CivilWarDigitalDigest  Před 2 měsíci

      We hope this makes a case for that and shows a few more options to choose from. Everybody doing the same thing wouldn’t be great either.

  • @scottrmckinley
    @scottrmckinley Před 5 měsíci +2

    There's something comforting about these videos when they concern food, shelter, and a camp fire. Nicely done, Will! Was the wood in the original crates that thick, though? I would have thought they'd be thinner like...shingles?

    • @guynemer53
      @guynemer53 Před 5 měsíci +2

      The 2nd USSS did a how to video on making one. Its about 45 mins long.

    • @CivilWarDigitalDigest
      @CivilWarDigitalDigest  Před 5 měsíci +2

      There are three surviving examples, that I know of. The thinnest board is 5/8 of an inch thick. The thickest is just about an inch. Remember, you need the structural stability to carry 50 pounds of bread inside.

  • @danreger8924
    @danreger8924 Před 5 měsíci +3

    Awesome bench!

  • @peterott-tn6pf
    @peterott-tn6pf Před 5 měsíci +1

    Awesome content Will! Thank you guys very much for sharing this with us!!

  • @robertweber567
    @robertweber567 Před 5 měsíci +1

    Great episode

  • @TXCannoli
    @TXCannoli Před 4 měsíci

    I was waiting for the Tasting History with Max Miller’s hardtack “clack clack”

  • @loganhane5270
    @loganhane5270 Před 3 měsíci

    Watching this whilst eating hardtack I'm not kidding I submerged it in water with a spoon so I can move it around so yea

  • @altonbunnjr
    @altonbunnjr Před 5 měsíci +3

    Mmmm...hardtack. Said no one.

    • @Fluffinator129
      @Fluffinator129 Před 3 měsíci

      Honestly I have been known to eat hardtack as a quick snack at home. Bust it into small pieces, and just kinda naw on one like an overweight squirrel.

  • @tomgreen1721
    @tomgreen1721 Před 3 měsíci

    I wonder if they ate birds and deer or boar and stuff