When I was little a wintertime tradition was the preparation of “Artillery Punch,” which I understood to have been derived from a military tradition from my grandfather’s time in the service. It was chilled and served outside in the snow.
Recently, my mother found the recipe we used, which appears to be a stained photocopy of a stained typewritten original. Here it is:
The recipe for First Artillery Punch
The text reads (with my annotations as footnotes):
Given to us1 by General Ruhlen2 Fort Banks 1960
As a memento of this occasion, herewith the recipe of the concoction you have been drinking.
This is alleged to be First Artillery Punch,3 and in view of its ingredients, which were in common use some 100 years ago, it has a certain ring of authenticity about it. It was given to my father about 50 years ago by Colonel Marshall Randol, who in turn got it from his father4 who was the Commanding Officer of the First Artillery Regiment in the Civil War. The elder Randol stated that this was a recipe which was frequently used before, during and after Civil War times by the First Artillery.
Prepare a pint of triple strength black tea and a pint of triple strength green tea and blend the two together.
Place in the punch bowl or a suitable container about 1/3 of a pound of loaf sugar5. Grate upon it the rinds of 3 lemons, then their juice, and the juice of 2 oranges.
Pour over all the boiling hot tea mixture. Stir well and put aside to cool, covering the container to prevent the escape of the aroma.
When perfectly cool, stirring slowly, add 1 quart of Jamaica Rum (not the light bodied Puerto Rican variety); then 1 quart of good sherry, and then 1 pint of good brandy. Mix the ingredients well and chill. Years ago the chilling was accomplished by surrounding the container with snow or ice.
When ready for use place a block of clear ice in the bowl and then to the mixture add a quart of champagne with greatly improves the punch and gives it life.
I understand that prior to the Civil War apple or peach brandy was used instead of champagne. The quantities as given above are suitable for small groups, such as we found on one or two company posts—about 25 people. I was also told that when entertaining other branches of the service it was necessary to dilute the punch with an equal amount of mineral water or tea, but this seems an unnecessary degradation of good punch.
1 This italicized text is handwritten. Presumably given to my grandfather Elwood “Van” Hattersley’s family when he was stationed there or attending a function there at Fort Banks, in Massachusetts.
2 Presumably Maj. Gen. George Ruhlen (1911-2003) son of Col. George Ruhlen Jr. https://corregidor.org/archive/ruhlen/mills/html/mills_03_07.htm
3 Not to be confused with Chatham Artillery Punch, a similar drink: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatham_Artillery_Punch
4 Alanson Merwin Randol (1837–1887) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alanson_Merwin_Randol
5Also called sugarloaf, a hard form of sugar common before the introduction of granulated sugar and sugar cubes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf