Dough Gods - Vol. III, Episode 2

One way the bread ration could be issued was just to give the men flour. How could they handle that in the field? In this episode, we explore the description of how “dough gods” were made. This simple recipe was recorded by William Bircher, a drummer in the 2nd Minnesota Infantry.
Whether you are looking for a good detail for a living history impression or need a project for either class or Scout troop enrichment - the answer is right here! Join us as we learn the simple steps one soldier took to turn his flour into food.
The account comes from "Diary of William Bircher: A Civil War Drummer." The book can be found here: amzn.to/2jeLsO5 (affiliate link)
Want to learn more about our research? We have a book list for each episode and other printed materials used for the research. Find out more for yourself at civilwardigitaldigest.com/page...

[@michaelbarnes5223]

While at the 160th Antietam "I Hear the Distant Thunder" event last year with the Liberty Rifles, I was amazed to hear an account from the 4th TX of this being done. The men had gotten rations after 3 days of skirmishing, and were only issued flour and no cooking equipment. So this was their solution.

[@CivilWarDigitalDigest]

It’s great to keep adding primary sources that match!!

[@thosrburke]

Seems like you could turn easily this into a "period pretzel" recipe!

[@jantrewitt4058]

Very interesting--looks almost edible!

[@garyturner4789]

More food!!! YES!!

[@siroccowind736]

Didn't they use corn meal and skillet grease from salt pork to make a similar meal, also wrapped around the ramrod? I think I remember Shelby Foote describing that in one of his interviews. Maybe it was called sloosh or something like that...?

[@daveridding9645]

Just tried these..Turned out a bit sootier than yours but really much nicer than they appear

[@charlestemm4870]

wish these had been available when I started out in the hobby

[@CivilWarDigitalDigest]

+Charles Temm I would agree! Thank you for watching.

[@lilz8848]

Bushcraft ... Called hammock .grind hardtack fine do same also use feedstock for ramrod! Or try in bacon grease

[@vielumiereg9794]

I see it looks like you're using the ram rod from a musket to wrap it onto. I'm sure they did this plenty back in the day, but as a firearms collector that pains my heart to see lol. A crooked ram rod would be hell to try and fit back into the stock, let alone trying to ram a cartridge down the barrel with it

[@CivilWarDigitalDigest]

Pain away. We do what they did. But take heart - it’s a reproduction ramrod. Thanks! Will

[@mikegallant811]

Ramrod roll!

[@lilsteve68]

Love these Videos whish I had them 15 yrs -12 ago make my events more period correct

[@kentfreier5705]

why can't you show us a camera close up of your final product?

[@garyturner4789]

+thosrburke good idea

[@ScottAvellino1]

Could this be done with cornmeal?

[@CivilWarDigitalDigest]

I don’t think the door would hold together as well so I doubt it. If you test the idea, share the results please!

[@ufc990]

@@CivilWarDigitalDigest If you look up "sloosh" you can see that something similar was done. The confederate soldiers would cook their pork rations then swirl their cornmeal around in the pan with the leftover grease to make the dough and wound it around their ramrod to cook.

[@Beaguins]

So...how was it?

[@CivilWarDigitalDigest]

+Beaguins it is pretty good! Somewhere between soft bread and hardtack. I have done it several times at events. Key again is not to get the dough to wet as it will not want to stay on the ramrod/stick.

[@Bungus477]

I think the confederates did this with corn meal and bacon grease, but they called it sloosh.

[@williammontroy9024]

Yep and it’s actually not all that bad

[@teneresand]

Hah, snobrød...