Army Barracks for Enlisted Men

Army Barracks for Enlisted Men. . After the war broke out, wooden frame barracks were built by North and South at permanent installations such as forts, arsenals, coastal installations, and training camps. In winter, smaller barracks were constructed with available materials and man power., We occupied time in various ways when not on guard detail duty or ill. We carried water, cooked, carried wood, washed our clothes, cleaned our guns, conversed, wrote letters to our people at home, tussled, ran foot races, jumped, boxed or jollied each other in friendly ways, some recruits loafed or lay around and grieved of home until sent off to the hospital or died in camp., Other jolly souls sang songs, especially at night, others played various games of chance, cards, dice, keno or other games. , We sometimes fished in creeks or rivers and went in bathing, and some frequently attended religious services..." , Pvt. William E. Matthews, Co B, 33rd Alabama Infantry, , Wartrace, Tennessee, April 1863 , War-time barracks built by Confederate Memorial Park from original 1863 US Army engineer plans with modifications based on illustration and photograph of Confederate barracks on Tybee Island, 1861. , The barracks had room for approximately 85 non-commissioned officers and privates (basically an entire company minus the officers). The smaller room housed the NCO's while the larger room housed the Privates. Each bunk was shared by two to three men. The amount and quality of the furniture inside the barracks depended on available materials and whether there were carpenters in the outfit., Photo captions: , Middle top: Confederate soldiers in front of their winter quarters, Quantico, Virginia 1861 , Right top: Typical camp duty: washing, cooking, cutting, and cleaning , Main Photo: Confederate encampment at Fort Harrison, Virginia , Bottom: War-time illustration and photograph of a barracks occupied by Confederate soldiers on Tybee Island, Georgia in 1861.