Camp Life during the Civil War

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Camp life during the Civil War was very primative. Housing was mostly of tents, with log insulation used in winter months. Meals were cooked outside on an open fire.

On this page:

Housing
Cooking and Eating
Books on the Civil War
Links to other sites on the Civil War

Housing	Top of Page
Union Army Camp in Virginia (Source: Library of Congress) Camps were packed with tents housing 5 or 6 men. This is a Federal, or Union, encampment at Cumberland Landing, Virginia.
Log Cabins at Confederate Winter Camp in Virginia (Source: Library of Congress) Log cabins were used in winter months to provide insulation from the cold. This picture shows Confederate winter quarters at Centreville, Virginia.
Union Army Officer's Winter Log Cabin (Source: Library of Congress) The Union army also used log cabins in winter months. Chimneys would be built for a fire to keep warm. The picture shows an officers' winter quarters at the Army of the Potomac headquarters.

Cooking and Eating	Top of Page
Cooking Food over an Open Fire (Source: Library of Congress) Most cooking occurred on an outdoor fire. In the early days of the war freed slaves were not allowed to carry a rifle and fight. They were often given the role of cook or other similar jobs. This picture shows an African American army cook at work.
Dinner at an Army Camp (Source: Library of Congress) This picture shows a dinner party in front of a tent.

Books on the Civil War	Top of Page
	Books on the Civil War

Links to other sites on the Civil War	Top of Page
For a daily history lesson see AccentHistory.net	http://www.accenthistory.net
American Civil War	http://www.civilwar.com/
Civil War	http://www.civil-war.net/
The Civil War on PBS	http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/
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