Army of Tennessee delicacy: "Biled Cat" ???

[Will Carry]

I'm reading a book called "A History of Lumsden's Battery, CSA" which is a compilation of notes and stories written down during a 1905 reunion. They mentioned what a treat it was to eat Biled Cat (Boiled Cat). You roll out biscuit dough 1/4 thick, then cover it with peaches or apples and brown sugar, lay another layer of dough on top and roll it up into a log, then wrap it with a linen cloth. Boil it in water until done, then remove the cloth and slice it like bread and add sugar and butter. I figure when you remove the cloth from the boiling water, it looks similar to a cat. So far they do not mention eating a cat.

 

 

This is something I have never heard of and just thought I'd share it.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Will Carry

[maroonandwhite]

I'm glad that didn't end with eating cat. That actually sound really good!

[ttocswob]

Guess "cat head biscuits" are related somehow.

 

No pets were harmed in the composition of this post.

[Mike.357]

I like cats,  just can't eat a whole one by myself.

[Randall53]

Cat tasts just like

























cat......you thought I was gonna say Chicken. Didn't you?...oh yeah...sure you did.....LOL

[TN_Hiker]

I am so glad that post didn't turn out how it did in my head when I read the thread title. It sounds pretty good.

[peejman]

*whew*

 

Morbid curiosity got the better of me so I clicked on this thread.  Yep, that actually sounds like a pretty good treat.  I also would assume that it's somehow related to "cat head biscuits".  Interesting that folks in the 1860's would know what a boiled cat looks like... 

[walton6467]

Its been my observation that NOTHING will eat a dead cat. A buzzard will pass by a road kill cat for anything else. I also clicked in anticipation of a recipe for feline. However, I am pleasantly surprised and might pass this along to the wife. :)

[bronco302]

Cat looks like anything else once you get it out of it's fur coat.

[Will Carry]

This book is a treasure trove of information about the Army of Tennessee. It's not a good read at all, but it's first hand accounts of day to day camp life. How they fed themselves, sheltered and moved. These are stories that may have been lost forever.

I need to share these tid bits with someone.

 

They buried some cannon barrels at Camp Dick Robinson in Kentucky, in an apple orchard, so the Yankees wouldn't get them. They never went back to dig them up, being smoothbore Napoleons, they are made of brass and won't rust. Are they still there?

 

A farmer came up one day to pick up his son, who lied about his age to join. The captain gave him his boy back and they went home.  

 

    Being a volunteer army, the officers typically did not punish the men for disciplinary infractions by torturing them or humiliating them.  The men would accept being on work details, they would accept being shot but not being hung by their thumbs. The union army (Yankees) had no such restraint. Union soldiers suffered severe tortures and humiliating punishments.

 

The writer lamented that the worst death a soldier could suffer was dying in a hospital of the fever or disease. He said those were the real heroes.

 

He also goes in to great detail of the negro "servants" that went with the army. If you were a private and you owned a slave, he would have to do what you told him. You, as a private, had to do what you were told, but officers and NCOs could not give your slave any orders. These black men were never documented so there is no telling how many served with the Confederacy.

 

Artillery men were sometimes ordered to leave their guns and follow the infantry in an assualt so that when they capture enemy cannons they could man them and use them against the enemy. They would be unarmed during the attack.

Edited June 7, 2013 by Will Carry

[Guest nra37922]

Anyone for Chinese take-out?

[Moped]

Wow!  Would have hated to be one of those artillarymen that were ordered to follow the infantry, unarmed!  Thanks for sharing this! Very interesting!  Where did you find this book?

[Spiffy]

Cat Oil works just like chap stick.

[peejman]

Cat Oil works just like chap stick.

Eeeewwwww.....

[Monkeyman2500]

Well I was hoping for an entre to go with my kitty fritter apps. Those are some pretty neat stories, too bad you will never learn them at school.

[jughead]

i have seen buzzards eating cats killed on the railroad that runs in front of my house. have seen them gathered around dogs but never did they eat the dog.

[vontar]

Eeeewwwww.....

What, don't like chap stick?

 

 

For those interested.  The paper back is available on Amazon for 4 bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/History-Lumsdens-Battery-Confederate-America/dp/1481056123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370693061&sr=8-1&keywords=A+History+of+Lumsden%27s+Battery%2C+CSA

Edited June 8, 2013 by vontar

[RichardR]

We're going to give it a try this weekend, hopefully I can coax the neighbor cat over in time (joke, that was just a joke!).

[xjsnake]

Crap I want to try this now

[Will H]

Even in my time in the orient I never actually saw anyone eating cat, although I have seen dog eaten, and I have partaken myself.  It was pretty good.  Although we have all heard of it, I don't think the amount of ammonia produced by cats would make them good eating.

[Guest TankerHC]

Thiought you were going to write about Chung Yow Fats Tavern on the Cumberland. 

Edited June 9, 2013 by TankerHC