• Hard Tack and Coffee

  • Or, The Unwritten Story of Army Life
  • By: John D. Billings
  • Narrated by: Edward Lewis
  • Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)

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Hard Tack and Coffee  By  cover art

Hard Tack and Coffee

By: John D. Billings
Narrated by: Edward Lewis
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Publisher's summary

Throughout history, from antiquity to the present, service in the armed forces of one's country has provided an almost endless source of material to entertain and even enlighten listeners. Military life has usually been a unique and peculiar experience for most civilians exposed to it.

Originally published in 1888, Hard Tack and Coffee is the fascinating account of the everyday life of a foot soldier in the U.S. Army of 100 years ago. John Billings describes all aspects of a soldier's life, including living quarters, foraging, wagon trains, offenses and punishments, equipment, transportation, food, hospitals, and much more. This is a detailed, comprehensive, and highly absorbing resource on the common soldier's life in the Civil War army.

Public Domain (P)2000 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Billings not only presents his own experiences but also describes what he learns from other soldiers. His account is often full of humor as he describes soldiers' rations, fights with lice, and camp songs." ( AudioFile)
"One of the most entertaining of all Civil War books." ( Henry Steele Commager)

What listeners say about Hard Tack and Coffee

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