Mr. Martin,

What was authorized and what was on hand available for issue were two totally separate things. According to the Regulations for the Army of the Confederate States, 1863, the authorized daily ration was paragraph 1107, "three-fourths of a pound of pork or bacon, or one and a fourth pounds of fresh or salt beef; eighteen ounces of bread or flour, or twelve ounces of hard bread, or one and a fourth pounds of corn meal; and at the rate, to hundred rations of eight quarts of peas or beans, or, in lieu thereof, ten pounds of rice; six pounds of coffee, twelve pounds of sugar; four quarts of vinegar; one and a half pounds of tallow, or one and a fourth pounds adamantine, or one pound sperm candles: four pounds of soap, and two quarts of salt." "Modification of the Ration.-Henceforth the ration will be a pound of beef or a half pound of bacon or pork; and the ration of flour or meal will not exceed a pound and a half of either. Commissaries are again instructed to save all the tallow they can, to be used in place of lard." "1108. The annexed table shows the quantity of each part of the ration in any number of rations from one to ten thousand." "1109. On a campaign, or on marches, or on board transports, the ration of hard bread is one pound." (Article XLII. Subsistence Department. The Ration. The Confederate Regulation generally reflected Federal Regulations.

The type, frequency, modifications, availability, etc. are extensively mentioned throughout the Official Records. Three other good sources of discussion of the ration are:

The Civil War Infantryman: In camp, on the march, and in battle, by Gregory A. CoCo. Rations Chapter, pages 24-32. Thomas Publications, Gettysburg, PA, 1996.

The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union by Bell Wiley. pages 66, 127-128, 164, 224-246.

The Life of Johnny Reb: The Common Soldier of the Confederacy, by Bell Wiley. pages 90-107(general discussion), 247 (inadequate variety), 74, 89, 134-135, 137, 147, 175, 274 (scarcity of).

I hope this helps.

Respectfully,

Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment
http://39thgavolinfrgt.homestead.com/39thHomepage.html