- Title
- North Carolina historical review [1945 : October]
-
-
- Date
- October 1945
-
-
- Place
- ["North Carolina, United States"]
-
North Carolina historical review [1945 : October]
Hits:
(0)
























The North Carolina
Historical Review
Volume XXII October, 1945
Number 4
THE SALT SUPPLY OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
By R. L. HlLLDRUP
Salt was as essential to the armies of 1776 as gasoline is to
the armies of 1945. When it was not obtainable the horses of the
quartermaster’s corps and of the cavalry became weak, meats
spoiled, and soldiers mutinied. The Continental Army occasion¬
ally incurred a great expense in time, wagons, and money to
secure an adequate supply of the precious commodity.
Salt was also necessary for the maintenance of the morale of
civilians. It was their chief preservative for fish and meats. Fish¬
ing was a highly important industry in the New England colo¬
nies. The Middle Atlantic and Southern colonies raised huge
quantities of beef and pork. Salted fish and salted meat were
foods frequently seen on the tables of the American colonist.
Besides, salt was needed for their livestock, for the curing of
hides, and as a condiment. When pioneers were selecting spots
for a new settlement one of the first questions they asked was :
Where can we get salt?1 Glass canning jars and tin cans had
not been invented ; and artificial refrigeration was still a dream
out of fairyland.
In no other colony was beef and pork as important in the eco¬
nomic life of the people as in North Carolina. Great herds of hogs
and cattle were raised there during the late colonial and revolu¬
tionary periods. Cowpens were scattered over the back-country.
Grazing ranges were extensive. When the governor summoned the
colonial assembly to meet in Wilmington in November, 1749, leg¬
islators protested because November was the beginning of the
slaughtering season. He was informed that “their Livelihood
depended upon the Beef and Pork Season.” 2 Also, the packing of
i Colonial Records of North Carolina, V, 3. (Hereafter referred to
аз
Colonial Records.)
- Colonial Records, IV, 196.
[ 393 ]
Select what you would like to download. If choosing to download an image, please select the file format you wish to download.
The Original File option allows download of the source file (including any features or enhancements included in the original file) and may take several minutes.
Certain download types may have been restricted by the site administrator.