You eat maggots?

           When we went back downstairs I noticed the putrid smell of gangrene had been overwhelmed somewhat by the smell of freshly baked bread. Mrs. Schriver and her mother were busy slicing loaves for the injured soldiers while more bread was being baked in the wood fire oven. The oven was made from black iron, and it put out a lot of heat. The back door was still closed to protect us from sharpshooters, but we had to open all the windows elsewhere in the house and fan in some fresh air to keep from boiling ourselves. The taste of homemade apple butter spread across that fresh bread made enduring the stifling heat worth it.

          “I haven’t tasted such sweet bread in all my life,” said one of the injured soldiers. The fingers from one of his hands had been blown off by shrapnel so Tillie helped feed him.

          “What kind of food do the soldiers have out there?” I asked him.

          “Not much. Some hardtack is the only food I guess. We used to have salted pork, but I haven’t seen much of that in weeks. At least not without maggots crawlin’ in it.”

          “That's awful!” said Tillie.

          “They’re not so bad once you get used to ‘em,” continued the soldier. “I hear they kinda good for ya.”

          “You eat maggots?” I asked surprised.

          “You eat anythin’ when you’re hungry enough,” said the soldier.

--from Time Trip #4: Killing for Country

Hardtack biscuits and a tin cup.

TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 4

KILLING FOR COUNTRY  

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TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 1

THE JOURNEY TO ANCIENT GREECE 

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TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 2

A RIDE ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

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TIME TRIP ADVENTURE 3

WITNESS TO THE FIRST THANKSGIVING 

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