The+Daily+Life+of+Soldiers+5

=The Daily Life of the Soldier During the Civil War=



Training Camp
 * Soldiers endured harsh drills every day for most of the day
 * They were allowed to eat a little between certain drills, but their food rations were of poor quality and very small
 * They also had roll call between some drills
 * Soldiers were forced out of bed at 5 a.m. or earlier for drills, sometimes beginning drills before even eating breakfast
 * The food they usually got was either salted pork or beef and hardtack, but they also considered coffee and sugar very important


 * The Average Soldier**
 * The average soldier in the Civil War was a white, male farmer, a Protestant, native-born, single, between the ages of 18 and 39, was about 5'7", and weighed around 145 pounds
 * The average age for a soldier was 25
 * Soldiers had to endure combat, diseases, wounds, poor medical care, difficult marches, heat stroke, possibly months without pay or shoes, hard winters, poor/little food, and filthy and possibly contaminated drinking water
 * Many soldiers had to "forage" for extra food while on long marches so they didn't starve
 * Soldiers earned around $13.00 a month, but usually had to spend it on things like toiletries, canned fruit, pocketknives, clothing, paper, stamps, and newspapers
 * Most Confederate soldiers could not afford these items on their own, so they had to depend on donations


 * Favorite Activities of Soldiers**


 * Some soldiers liked to keep pets such as raccoons, cats, dogs, and squirrels with them for company
 * Gambling and playing card games was a favorite activity of many soldiers
 * Reading (usually books or newspapers)
 * Pitching horseshoes
 * Playing team sports (ex. baseball)
 * Writing and receiving letters was an extremely important part of many soldiers' lives


 * Works Cited**


 * The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War: The Soldiers, Generals, Weapons, and Battles by: William C. Davis
 * [|http://personal.tcu.edu~SWOODWORTH/Robertson-SBAG.htm]
 * http://www.soldierstudies.org/index.php?action=webquest_1