James M. (James Monroe) Sanderson

author

James M. (James Monroe) Sanderson

1817–1871

Best known for a lively Civil War–era cooking guide, this hotel keeper turned army commissary officer wrote practical advice for feeding soldiers in camp. His work blends everyday know-how, military experience, and a vivid glimpse of how people managed food in wartime.

1 Audiobook

Camp fires and camp cooking : or, Culinary hints for the soldier: including receipt for making bread in the "portable field oven" furnished by the Subsistence Department

Camp fires and camp cooking : or, Culinary hints for the soldier: including receipt for making bread in the "portable field oven" furnished by the Subsistence Department

by James M. (James Monroe) Sanderson

About the author

Born in 1817, James Monroe Sanderson was an American hotel proprietor and later a Union officer whose writing grew out of real experience rather than theory. Sources connected him with Philadelphia hotel life, including the Franklin House, before the Civil War drew him into military service.

During the war, Sanderson served in the commissary and is remembered for Camp Fires and Camp Cooking (1862), a handbook meant to help inexperienced soldiers prepare food safely and sensibly in camp. The book stands out because it is practical, direct, and full of small details about everyday army life, from bread baking to the challenges of feeding men in rough conditions.

Sanderson died in 1871, but his work has lasted as more than a cookbook. Today it is valued as a window into Civil War logistics, camp routine, and the overlooked importance of decent food in keeping soldiers healthy.