In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I hope to chronicle the daily life of my great-great grandfather, William Fleming. He served with the 130th Illinois Infantry. I also have a great-great grandfather, William Henry Ellis, who served with the North Carolina Cavalry. Unfortunately, I do not have much information about his service, but perhaps I'll mix in some of his story in when time allows.
Friday, December 25, 1863
The holiday arrived, but the soldiers were in no condition to celebrate. However, their regimental cooks were resourceful and made pies from dried apples, sprinkled some sugar on toast, and worked some culinary magic on the beef. All things considered, the men enjoyed a respectable army Christmas dinner.