Camp Life: Civil War Collections from
Gettysburg NMP
Drinking intoxicating
beverages and smoking tobacco were common in the armies. There was a lot of social
drinking and some hard drinking, particularly among officers. Officers had more privacy
and disposable income. Whiskey, gin, beer, and wine were the favored drinks.
Tobacco
use was prevalent in both armies. It was not always available to the soldiers due to lack
of money or a place to buy it. During periods of quiet along the front, Confederate and
Union soldiers would swap items of value. Union soldiers often swapped coffee with
Confederate soldiers for tobacco.
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Drinking intoxicating
beverages and smoking tobacco were common in the armies. There was a lot of social
drinking and some hard drinking, particularly among officers. Officers had more privacy
and disposable income. Whiskey, gin, beer, and wine were the favored drinks. 
