# Did any soldiers in history ever used to put coleslaw inside their boots? My god, I have finally asked this question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423 "2024-04-17T19:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TJEckleburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@TJEckleburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJEckleburg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/1 "2024-04-17T19:05:49Z")
When I was in the 6th grade- 11 years old- one of my classmates (who I think was possibly distantly related to German or Dutch- type ancestry) one day started saying “I need some coleslaw for my boots!” He kept repeating this darn phrase, and when asked why, he replied something to the effect of "There were soldiers in _(insert Germanic/Dutch - type European country here)_ who used to put coleslaw in their boots because _(here I think he said “It kept their boots in good condition” but he might have also said “That was how they made coleslaw”- I’m 90% it was the former not the latter)_ I’ve had this mystery stuck in my head for about the last 30 years, and no Googling has ever yielded a dang thing. I’ve debated many times whether to even bother asking this awful, ridiculous, and laughable question- hence the title of my thread- and yet, by god, I am finally going to do it! Let me know if you have any inkling of what this 6th grader might have meant, or whether he was just making this crap up. If you answer this ancient mystery of mine, I’ll be content for life 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/2 "2024-04-17T19:13:51Z")
The only thing I can think of is Civil War soldiers lined their boots with leaves in winter…mostly southerners. I imagine. Maybe they used cabbage leaves? They are thick on the outer leaves. And the inner cabbage could be eaten?? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/3 "2024-04-17T19:14:31Z")
I highly doubt it. It would be gross and the food would surely be spoiled. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/4 "2024-04-17T19:14:38Z")
A mistranslation maybe? Germans use the very generic word _Kraut_ for cabbage or coleslaw, which is also used to refer to _herb_ or _weed_, which in turn seems more likely to occur in soldiers’ footwear. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/5 "2024-04-17T19:19:08Z")
I just texted my brother. Who fancies himself a Civil War/Military amateur smarty pants. He said the southern soldier would more likely use pine needles off the tree. Leaves would be last resort. So…no boot coleslaw that he ever heard of. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/6 "2024-04-17T19:19:38Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > which is also used to refer to _herb_ or _weed_, which in turn seems more likely to occur in soldiers’ footwear. Yeah. Or the kid was saying some German or Dutch word that sounds enough like the English “coleslaw” that the OP remembers that similar sounding but unrelated English word. IMO most likely by far is the kid misunderstood something his parents had told him and he was faithfully repeating his confused understanding. Which our OP has mostly accurately remembered. But it’s still nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![TJEckleburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@TJEckleburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJEckleburg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/7 "2024-04-17T19:23:40Z")
One thing I should clarify- I said this guy was possibly _distantly_ related to Germanic or Dutch type Europeans- as in, his distant ancestors. He was all-American, and spoke perfect English and had every American trait I do. His name was Justin Brown, by the way, which is such a common name that I feel okay sharing that here. He wasn’t some European exchange student or something, he definitely said “I need some coleslaw for my boots!” ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/8 "2024-04-17T19:39:38Z")
WTF!? Now [this old Ren and Stimpy vignette](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trXjZ70ab1Q&ab_channel=MikeO%27Brien) - “Yak Shaving Day” is starting to make sense 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/9 "2024-04-17T19:42:19Z")
> [@TJEckleburg](#): > > His name was Justin Brown, by the way, which is such a common name that I feel okay sharing that here Now how great would it be if Justin Brown registers to explain himself? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/10 "2024-04-17T19:42:27Z")
Could it maybe have been something that (some) soldiers did as a sort of lotion, to prevent their feet from getting all gross from marching fifty miles in ill-fitting boots? ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/11 "2024-04-17T19:44:11Z")
Are you sure he didn’t say boob and was suffering from mastitis? [https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-cabbage-leaves-for-mastitis](https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-cabbage-leaves-for-mastitis) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/12 "2024-04-17T19:48:35Z")
I now wanna go shopping for brown _Justin Boots_ So cute with jeans. Certainly hope they smell ok. ---
**Author:** ![TJEckleburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ebca7d/32.png) [@TJEckleburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJEckleburg)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/13 "2024-04-17T20:01:53Z")
> [@themapleleaf](#): > > WTF!? Now [this old Ren and Stimpy vignette](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trXjZ70ab1Q&ab_channel=MikeO%27Brien) - “Yak Shaving Day” is starting to make sense 😃 You have just shown me coleslaw being poured into army boots- you, sir, may have just answered where Justin Brown’s silly self might have gotten that random crap from. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/14 "2024-04-17T20:08:47Z")
Oh. Good. Think of all those hours of Googling. You’ll never get them back. As well as my 30mins or so I’ve thought about this. Aaaccckkk! ☺ It was fun thing to think about, wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/15 "2024-04-17T20:10:06Z")
Well, there was that famous guy- a southern plantation owner wiped out by the Civil war. He had a small fortune- all in CSA notes- which were worthless. He left the south and migrated west- when he got holes in hom boots, he’d just put a bill or two in there. He finally made it to Bakersfield, where he grew cotton again. But his nemesis was that well known cotton pets, and he always complained about it, so that became his nickname. Later, after he got more well off, he had his boots made with CSA currency. You certainly have heard about him- _Money is the Boot of Boll Weevil._ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/16 "2024-04-17T20:11:35Z")
You should be summarily banned for that. Even by Dope standards that’s awful. Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/17 "2024-04-17T20:13:05Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Certainly hope they smell ok. As long as you don’t add coleslaw they’ll probably be fine. Until you step in critter shit. Then not so fine. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/18 "2024-04-17T20:15:08Z")
Man, you must have waited forever for the right opening to tell that joke! And today was your day. 🌈 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/19 "2024-04-17T20:22:48Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Man, you must have waited forever for the right opening to tell that joke! And today was your day. Yep. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > You should be summarily banned for that. Even by Dope standards that’s awful. > > Congratulations! Well… I plead insanity. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423/20 "2024-04-17T20:31:24Z")
> [@themapleleaf](#): > > WTF!? Now [this old Ren and Stimpy vignette](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trXjZ70ab1Q&ab_channel=MikeO%27Brien) - “Yak Shaving Day” is starting to make sense 😃 There is an error in that clip. When the yak leaps over to the sink there is no bowl of lather there. But when he looks down, there is. I hope somebody was fired over that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-soldiers-in-history-ever-used-to-put-coleslaw-inside-their-boots-my-god-i-have-finally-asked-this-question/1000423.md?page=2)