Our speaker for the evening was Charles Blanchette, whose vocation is that of Social Studies teacher at the Coventry Middle School and his avocation is that of member of Battery B in the Rhode Island Light Artillery and member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He participated in the 136th Gettysburg re-enactment, which took place in 1998 and will be participating in the re-enactment of the Battle of Bull Run this summer. Dressed in the uniform of an artilleryman in the Union Army he set the scene for his program on the "Human Element of the Soldier in the Civil War".

The Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1865. About four million men were in service, not continually, but were mustered in and mustered out. Rhode Island had about 26,000 men go through the ranks of the Union Army. It was the only state that never had to draft, all of its enlistment numbers were met by volunteers. Casualties numbered over 660,000 more than all American was casualties combined and if you consider those who later died of their wounds, the total is closer to one million.

The war pulled young men off the farms and the new immigrants out of the city. At camp they found life to be tedious, dirty, hot, and uncomfortable. They spent 95% of their waking hours drilling. Clothing was a source of discomfort. The Confederate soldier was outfitted in cotton which was cold for the battles up north while the Union soldier wore wool which had the opposite effect down south. Each man was issued two union suits, one for the spring and one for the winter. Since there was little opportunity for laundering or even bathing, "graybacks" (lice) were common. (One way to get rid of them was to stand close to the fire where they would pop off.)

Eight men slept in a small A-frame tent, which was about eight feet square. In order to keep warm they would put down a rubber gum blanket as a ground cover (this blanket also served as a poncho) and spread straw or whatever else they could find around that to keep out the drafts. To keep warm they would sleep together in a "spooning" formation, facing each other's backside.

The artillerymen and the cavalrymen were never far from the horses. When they set up camp for the night the horses got first preference. They were given fresh water and a quiet place where they could rest tethered to a tree or hitching post. The soldiers then went about digging themselves a slit trench nearby.

Civil War food was bad. Pepper sauce was commonly used to kill the taste of rancid meat. On a march each soldier carried a haversack, which is basically like a big purse. When they had a five-minute break they reached in the bag and pulled out some hardtack (army biscuits) for a snack. It was easy to pull out a piece while marching. In camp it was made more edible when softened in boiling water or bacon grease. Sunflowers were also good to snack on. And they all loved coffee. The beans were a popular item that could be quickly taken out of the sack and chewed on the fly and then washed down with water. At every opportunity or at the end of the day a clay pipe and some tobacco provided a little relaxation. When the pipe got too hot to smoke or got clogged, part of the stem was broken off. When it got too short another could be had for a few pennies. In the evening when things settled down they would play cards, use their quills to write to loved ones, or read the Bible for spiritual comfort.

The flag-bearer played an important part in the battle. It was a great honor but it was also a dangerous position. The flag-bearer went into battle virtually unarmed. When he fell on the battlefield another man immediately dropped his weapon and picked up the flag. It wasn't just that it was a Union or Confederate flag, at times secret codes were stitched into the fabric.

Mr. Blanchette was wearing an artilleryman's jacket, which is short like an Eisenhower jacket. Two thick knots in the back help to hold the heavy belt that carries his side arm, sword, cartridge pouch and firing caps. His trousers were of black kersey- weave wool. He wore a foraging cap, which is folded toward the front visor. When unfolded it forms a sort of pail that can be used for fetching water, harvesting apples, cherries, nuts, fish, or any other food that the soldiers come upon. He wore boots but noted that the Civil War soldiers were issued brogans, a one-size-fits-all shoe which were made with neither right nor left, making them even more uncomfortable.

The Civil War not only changed the technology of war but also that of medicine. New weapons were invented. Rifles took the place of muskets. Edouard Minie invented the "mini ball" which had an effective firing range of 600 yards. Compared to the previous limit of 40 yards. New medicines were discovered and patented. Out of necessity prosthetics were created.

In 1868 the veterans of the Civil War decided to start their own organization to ensure that they would receive government pensions and medical care. Many hundreds of thousands of sick and wounded men formed the Grand Army of the Republic and to further their cause many of them became involved in politics. The last member died in 1956. He had been a drummer boy in the Civil War. All the records of the organization were turned over to the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, the organization Mr. Blanchette belongs to. Their mission is to carry on the traditions of the G.A.R.
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