Wisconsin Towns Send Food for the Troops

From Saukcountyhistory.org

Between 1861 and 1865, Baraboo and Prairie du Sac each sent 50 boxes of relief supplies, which included knit garments, blankets, reading material and bandages to the front lines.

In addition, women also provided food for the troops. In 1863, scurvy (a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C and characterized by spongy gums, loose teeth, and bruising under the skin and on the mouth, nose and throat) broke out among the Union troops and a call was made for each state to provide anti-scorbutics (a food or supplement that counteracts the effects of scurvy. An example is vitamin C supplements). Below is a list of some of the food sent to the troops by women on the home front:

Pickles
Blackberry Juice
Processed Horseradish
Dried Apples
Butter
Cheese
Wine Eggs
Onions
Cabbages were made into sauerkraut
Potatoes packed into barrels with hot vinegar.

By November 1863, Wisconsin stood first among Union states in the number of boxes of anti-scorbutics sent to the Union troops.

Posted in: Civil War Volunteers,Diet,Women of the Civil War