Weather tips

The weather at Boonsboro in September is usually hot in the afternoons and warm or cool at night. Even though it's not bad, a lot of guys have trouble sleeping through the cold hours without the aid of fires -- so we have fires.

We are never more than a long walk away from warmer clothes in your car.

In the meantime, plan ahead: Bring along an extra pair of dry wool socks to wear at night, and a snug knit cap. Don't hesitate to bring along an extra wool blanket you can leave in the car just in case you need it; just make sure it's appropriate for the time (1862) and place (you're in the Union army).

Food

Rations will be issued for Company I participants, but not by the event.  We spend some time trying to make sure conditions are as clean as possible, and we also spent time drumming in the message that food needs to be well cooked. 

Ration issue should be followed by cooking, as quickly as possible.  You should cook it all.  After that you carry it with you and only need to warm it up.  It is a lot easier to just heat it up later than it is to try to get enough time to cook it when people are calling you out for guard duty, fatigue duty, drill, battle and marching.  The soldiers cooked it up the first chance they got. They had a good reason for doing it that way.