Library of Congress A large portion of a soldier’s life was spent in camp. The vast majority of a soldier’s life proved to be quite repetitious and boring. Consequently, he often looked for ways to pass the time. Indoor and outdoor games were popular, along with whittling, carving, letter writing, sketching, singing, and playing musical instruments. OUTDOOR GAMES Among outdoor games, wrestling, boxing, foot races, leapfrog, and in the winter, snow ball fights were very common. Baseball was beginning to catch on, although the rules were different from today. Hunting and fishing took place whenever conditions allowed. INDOOR GAMES Indoor games centered around chess, checkers, and dominoes. Dominoes was perhaps the most popular game. The vocabulary term “boneyard” refers to the dominoes that have yet to be drawn for play. Card playing and the use of dice were equally as popular, with gambling among the soldiers being quite common. While men were not adverse to placing wagers it is interesting to note that before going into combat soldiers frequently discarded their gambling devices. Back home many had been raised to resist the temptation to play cards or various games of chance that involved any form of gambling. When a soldier was killed his personal belongings were sent home to his next of kin thus explaining a soldier’s desire to leave cards and dice behind when he knew a battle was imminent. Perhaps you will have students familiar with some of these games who can teach others. If not, the rules are included with the games that are provided. Encourage the students to attempt some of the games or to participate by sketching some Civil War scenes. Students need to compare and contrast 1860s pastimes with those of the modern day. The absence of television, radio, phones, internet, and other necessities of the 21st Century will become apparent. OBJECTIVE Students will be able to appreciate the various kinds of games and other pastimes that soldiers participated in during the Civil War. VOCABULARY Boneyard, whittling Pastime Materials From The Trunk
Pastime Materials From Your Classroom
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Last updated: September 22, 2025