TO THE CADETS at West Point, the prospect of eggnog without whisky was unconscionable. Flouting a ban on alcohol, a group took a boat across the Hudson river and procured gallons of grog. Around 90 cadets got so drunk that they spent Christmas morning smashing windows and flashing their weapons. Among the participants in the “Eggnog Riot” of 1826 was Jefferson Davis, who later became president of the Confederacy.
Eggnog is a sweet beverage with a serious edge. It is probably derived from “posset”—a concoction involving a combination of cream or milk, eggs, spices and ale or wine. Posset was believed to have medicinal properties: when King Charles I came down with a cold in the 1600s, his physician prescribed it.
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This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “A riotous indulgence”
From the December 23rd 2023 edition
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