09/07/2026
Did you know?
History in a Can
When most people think about the typical rations that Civil War soldiers ate, hardtack crackers, salt pork, and coffee are probably what come to mind. Every time you stroll the baking aisle in the grocery store, though, you pass a less commonly known ration prized by Union soldiers. In 1856, Gail Borden, Jr. received a patent for a process to condense milk and then mix it with sugar as a preservative. At a time when there was no refrigeration and many died from drinking contaminated milk during hot weather months, Borden’s condensed milk was safe to store for long periods of time, retained its nutritional value, and was easy to transport. Borden’s New York Condensed Milk Company was prospering when the Civil War began, but business was about to boom. In late 1861, the U.S. War Department offered the company a contract for 500 pounds of its condensed milk. By 1863, the company couldn’t keep up with demand and had to license other factories to make its milk product and label the cans as “Borden’s”. Union soldiers liked the “consecrated milk” as they called it, and camp sutlers sold it for steep prices. The milk was included on medical supply lists and used extensively in military hospitals. The high-caloric, protein-rich milk product was often mixed with whiskey or brandy to form a “milk punch” and prescribed to convalescing soldiers to aid in their recovery. In 1866, Borden changed the name of his milk product to “Eagle Brand”. Today, Borden’s Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk can still be found on grocery store shelves.
Source:
Wert, Jeffrey D. Civil War Barons: The Tycoons, Entrepreneurs, Inventors, and Visionaries Who Forged Victory and Shaped a Nation. Da Capo Press, 2018.
(Image by WBA)
