Hardtack & Coffee: Army Life in the Civil War

🥖☕ What was it really like to be a Union soldier in the Civil War?

First published in 1887, John D. Billings’s Hardtack & Coffee is one of the most vivid firsthand accounts of daily soldier life during America’s bloodiest conflict. Billings, a veteran himself, goes beyond battles and generals to capture the routines, hardships, humor, and resilience of the common soldier.

From the rations of hardtack and coffee that fueled the troops, to campfires, marches, pranks, and the makeshift ingenuity of men under pressure, this book paints an intimate and authentic portrait of army life that official histories often overlook.

Richly detailed and illustrated, it has long been considered an indispensable classic for Civil War enthusiasts, historians, and anyone curious about the human side of war.

Whether you’re a student of history or a casual reader, Hardtack & Coffee brings the Civil War camp to life—one bite and one sip at a time.