Food for the Soldiers
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At the beginning of the war, both sides had the same size food ration. It consisted of hard bread, meat, and coffee. As the war continued, the South reduced their ration size. These food shortages were most frequent for Southern soldiers. They often had to forage, or steal, for fresh vegetables and other foods.
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Diseases |
Once food shortages became more common, the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables caused scurvy in soldiers. The horrible sanitation of many of the camps caused dysentery to be one of the largest killers of the war. Many men fighting lived in rural areas, and thus had never been in contact with large amounts of people and weren't as immune to as many illness. This would cause small outbreaks of the measles and chickenpox. The death rate from diseases was 2:1, which was an improvement from previous American wars.
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Supplies |
Supplies was a particularly difficult issue for the Confederacy as its main economic strength was agriculture, with little to no manufacturing. Also the problem of individuality between states created problems, as some soldiers from different states dis-proportionally received supplies. The lack of good transportation systems made it difficult to ship supplies in the south. The loss of control of the Mississippi River put another stress on the transport of goods for the south. Many soldiers supplied their own supplies, like using their own horse in battles.
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Medicine and Medical Treatment |
Medical treatment at the onset of the Civil War was just emerging from a time where bleeding was common; this practice often just made the patient worse off. As the country was faced with increased demands, medical treatment began to expand and improve. Key figures, like Clara Barton, worked to bring medical supplies and increased medical knowledge to the battlefield. An example of medicine used on the field was morphine and it was often given to soldiers for pain. Improvements and demands during the Civil War led to the creation of programs like the American Red Cross in later years.
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