Feeding the Revolution: Food and the Continental Army Part 2

In 1776 a group of Mennonites declared themselves passivist refusing to take up arms on either side of the American Revolution. Instead they among activities sold food to the army. Members of the Continental Army did (irregularly) receive government provided rations. When they arrived on the battle field they included besides 1 pound (lb.) bread and or flour, lb “of beef, or 3/4 lb. of pork, or 1 lb. of salt fish; 1 pint (pt.) of milk, or payment of 1/72 dollars, and 1 quart of cider or spruce beer; 3 pts. of peas or beans per man per week” says one source. Patriot officials, along with the British, confiscated salt for preserving most of these food stores, thus price of salt and food in general skyrocketed as shortages set in. Most specialize suggest that rank and file troops spent more time starving on the battle field and depending on the donations of women, freedmen, enslaved Africans, and friendly Native Americans for food than on the Continental Congress. It figures that during the revolutionary war the population of wide game like deer became greatly dimensioned which is the opposite of what we are experiencing here in the Hudson Valley. Here’s a roasted venison recipe that calls for ingredients that are far more lavish than the average soldier could obtain: http://www.venisonrecipes.net/roast-venison.html "> http://www.venisonrecipes.net/roast-venison.html