American soldiers were entitled to a daily portion of meat (1 1/4 pounds of beef or 3/4 pounds of pork), 18 ounces of bread or flour and a certain amount of salt and vinegar. They were also entitled to four ounces of whiskey, rum or brandy a day.

Sometimes even these basic food items were unavailable, however. In the winter of 1812, James Winchester's troops were out of flour for a fortnight; they had to survive on rotten beef, pork and hickory nuts.

Soldiers with extra money could purchase luxury items such as coffee, bacon, chocolate, tobacco, and molasses from the sutler, an authorized vendor who moved with the camp. In actual fact, very few soldiers had the means to buy anything from the sutler.