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When people think of war, they often think only about the fighters (infantry, cavalry, and artillery). This is natural, because they are the ones who make the story exciting. In actuality, the numbers of fighters in an army are usually the minority. Most of an army is made up not of fighters, but of units whose job is to support the fighters. Modern armies — and Civil War armies are a part of modern warfare — consume enormous amounts of everything. Whether in camp or in the field, armies consume tons of food and water every day. And not just people do all this consuming, either; the tens of thousands of animals that provided mobility for the cavalry and artillery needed to be fed as well. Anyone who has ever had to feed even one horse or cow knows how much forage it takes every day to keep them happy. In battle, an army consumes ammunition at incredible rates. Also, inevitably, men are killed or wounded.

In the general mess that is war, somebody has to haul every bite of food and every bullet and cannonball fired. Somebody has to provide clothes, shoes (for horses and men), equipment, and repair or replace whatever is lost or broken. Somebody has to keep records to make sure supply stocks are maintained, so that no shortages occur. Somebody has to deal with the sick, dead, and wounded. Somebody has to house the troops when they go into camp. Somebody has to build the bridges and rail lines to supply the army. You get the idea.

American Civil War For Dummies

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