What Goes in the Bag: Hardtack

[Paul Elliott]

It’s the start of the re-enactment season, and I’m making lists again. I always make lists. What I tend to do is start writing up a list of what a legionary needs for 2-3 days away. But then I look at my sling moulds and lead bullets (“I can talk about those”, chuck them in), I spot my lead curse tablets, my portable altar, my strigil, my pair of wax tablets (“I can talk about all those”, chuck them in, too), until my satchel is bursting with a soldier’s impedimentia and more. Its one third tool kit, one third personal neccessitiy, one third booty from a Roman house ...

Well this year I’ve decided to split my kit into: a) strictly soldiers’ marching and survival gear for 3 days, and b) other Roman kit from the barracks that I will carry along in a sack or basket. But I want to be ruthless about what goes in that bag.

Firstly, in my mind, it has to be food. I’ve read threads here and there, articles and books, and I’m not convinced food goes in a ‘net’. I’m putting buccelatum in a leather waterproof bag – my satchel. I need three days worth.

How much is that??

Folks from Alaska should know Sailor Boy Pilot bread well, this is modern-day hard-tack sold in supermarkets, and sold as coffee-mug diameter thin crackers.



Each is a 24g cracker with a stated calorific value of 100 calories. The ingredients are simply fat, salt and flour, familiar to every legionary. Assuming 3000 calories required per day for camping/patrolling/standing watch, and assuming I have no other foods, I’d need to pack 90 Pilot Bread crackers.



As you can see, my hardtack is a bit bigger, averaging 35g a piece (works out at 146 calories), so I’d need 60 home-made pieces of hardtack. Looking at my little pile of 9, I’m not sure I can fit 60 into my bag, even if it was empty...

So I’ve got a problem.....

[Paul Elliott]

Other thoughts: That total is only 2.1 kg, though, and with some experimentation it looks like I can stack all 60 pieces in my loculus, but filling it up to the top. I took the 3 days hard-tack ration from Josephus.

The 6th century Oxyrhynchus papyri states that rations should be .980kg of bread per day. That would total 2.94kg, but it isn't stated whether its leavened, unleavened or hardtack.

The only way to find out would be to live on the stuff for a couple of days and see what I need! Or at least mentally calculate what would make a decent meal... that's not so 'precise'...

[M. Demetrius]

Starting to sound like you need a cart and mule, eh?
:lol:

[Paul Elliott]

Throwing in 6 rashers of bacon (250g) and a nice chunk of cheese (400g) will take care of a portion of those calories, requiring only that I carry a further 45 pieces of hardtack. That's 15 per day.

I think I'm going to settle on that, bake my remaining hardtack tomorrow, then pack the bag with food.

After that its 'other essentials'.

Looking at the 'typical re-enactor's marching kit' the following could be used for transport:

• Leather Satchel
  
• Rolled Cloak/Leather Cloak Bag
  
• Some Kind of Net
  

I'm putting my waterskin in that net.
I'm putting my cloak, leg wraps, hat, scarf and spare tunic in the cloak bag.
That leaves the satchel for the rest of the personal possessions (and the food).

So, what 'essentials' can you cram into the satchel along with your 3-days of rations? I'm off to write another list!!

[Paul Elliott]

Starting to sound like you need a cart and mule, eh?
:lol:

Now a mule I'd like. It would look awesome, and I like mules and donkeys

[Titvs Statilivs Castvs]

You do not want to guide a mule/donkey along a grassy road when carrying all of your equipment and loaded furca... :wink:

[Paul Elliott]

I have a 13 yr old son, can that be his job

[garrelt]

I always pack my food in a (A4 size) linen bag .
Why do I use linen, dirty just throw it in the washing machine.

Meat and cheese are rolled independently in linen cloth.
Dried apples and other dried fruits (dates) or nuts go in a small linen bag.
Honey, butter and salt are transported in small wooden containers.
Eggs are precooked when transported in the bag.
Hardtack (army crackers) also go in a separate bag.
Either we home make the hardtack or buy the ready ones in a outdoor shop (Bever).
I always have enough with me to last for 48hours.

Water is transported in a leather canteen.
Together with the food, material to make fire is placed in the main food bag.
I also carry a small knife with scabbard and a leather pouch with flint,steel and tinder hung from my Bracea belt worn under my tunic.

[Paul Elliott]

You sound like you have a good working system, Garrelt. I think the hard part is removing completely all modern items, and this can be quite hard when dealing with food. Things like honey, butter and raw meat have always been a problem for me over the years, although I do have a square-Roman style glass bottle I use for olive oil.

[M. Demetrius]

Dehydrate the meat beforehand. Not only is it lighter (obviously) but it will keep longer and requires less care.

[Paul Elliott]

What about precooking? I reckon any fresh meat would be cooked there and then, not carted about. If I precook my venison or pork, it is much safer/easier/cleaner to carry around...

[A_Volpe]

If people are looking/interested in modern versions, there is the Bent Cookie Factory in Milton, Massachusetts, USA that was known as a major supplier of Hardtack during the American Civil War, and continues to make them with the same recipe, et al. as well as some other products.

http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/

[Epictetus]

Or perhaps the meat could be smoked?

And, just out of curiosity, what is your recipe for making your own hardtack? I'm intrigued.

[Marcus Mummius]

I agree with David.

Dehydrated-smoked-cured meat is ideal to include in marching rations.

The meat is light, keeps for a very long time and still has a very large ammount of proteins in it.

I like to include some biltong, droewors (both South African) or beef jerky in my marching pack. If you add things like that into your calculation I think you will end up with less food weight for more energy.

I'm also interested to know your hardtack recipe.

[Robert Vermaat]

I'm also interested to know your hardtack recipe.

Me too!