The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-09-07
WA.H,Soros. Aug. -. ls47

WAsHISoroS, Aug. =, ls47
The Department Of War.-.4 most extraordinary Soup,
story,Jonnded positively upon the facts in the Case
Tfde The Records in the Var Office.
Edmund Burke, of the Patent Office We believe once
upon time remarked that although the age Of chvary
was gone, los Yanks" had supplied its place with the
age of invention Hence those white Ga pumpkin seeds
dogwood nutmegs, and hickory bacon hams He that
adds useful invention to the catalogue does more for
the common good than he that wins battle The man.
however, who can produce invention that will enable
Scott and Taylor to dispense with their long trains Of
escorts and baggage wagons viii contribute large
y than the appointment Of Lieutenant General to the
vigorous prosecution Of the war
Such discovery has been made-such an has
been submitted to Secretary Marcy of which We have the
honor to present the following report Col Benton Col
Donphan and COL Fremont all three belong Missouri
but that not all plain country farmer in that State
during thelate fine harvest had employs large number
of reap his FIVE hundred Of wheat equal to
a crop Of ten thousand bushels AS usual large num.
Der OF harvesters required vast of
cue prepared and celebrated in the woods thus making
daily jubilee or harvest home of the abors of the
SON. sort patrarcha manifestation of thanks to the
Great Gver of the fruits Of the earth and the
Of Heaven; spontaneous expression Of gratitude ap-
proprate to the benifcence Of wise Providence who
deigns from to to bless beloved country
with surplus Of the good things of the earth.
Well day the harvesters of this old farmer had
their beer br0ed barbecue fs Onthe next day 1t
fried, roasted and stewed-and the next for change
three fat beeves such only raised the fat lands
OF Missouri boiled, with corresponding proper
ton OF hoe cakes baked In the ashes Tuckahoe style
and large hogshead Of whisey toddy the shade OF
the spring-a large spring, bubblng up like river from
streams from the Rocky Mountains and which sinking
in the sands Of the great American desert prairie and
pursunS subterraneous passage, here rise out from
the earth, COOL copious, refreshing, and pelucid
1t happened that the day the three fat beeves
were to be boiled, that dozen sugar kettles were
ployed Of the largest sze and large the expecta
tohs of the harvest Of the rich soup and
they would have for the dinner that day. Col Benton
and Col Donphan visited the field and the grove where
the pots boiling and inspecting the
of the cooks and after admring the curious table in
the woods which hundred yards long, made of raw
hides hairy side up and arranged that the tails hung
down each side OF the table like tasses, with the
head Of the table ornamented with the shaggy SIX ms of
four bualoes the horns supporting large esrthen bowl
for holding the soup after inspecting all these arrange
ments for the dinner, Col Benton and Col Boniphan
passed to the harvest field of hundred acres
There under the shade of a group Of great hickory
trees (caed by the Yankees white walnut Col Benton
Then toass exchanged and the sport kept up
until the long santing rays of the reminded the
aud his people that the day had slipped through
their fingers
But the dinner in waiting, they repaired far
and worknen and their vsiters to the grove Sad
was the Complete the disappointment there
The cooks had been trying the hogshead OF today and
they oil asleep At the spring. The fires had burnt
out under the ks',lssths soup BY long boiling had
gallons in each kettle, cooking like much glue, in
which the bones bleactsd from the excessive heat
Of the fluids, 30 long keptup
The bonos taken out and the soup, on exposure
hardened rapidly to the consistency OF caoutchouc
India rubber But it was not to be lost 1t cut up
fragments Of the size OF cake of shaving SOAP
divided among the hands With n plenty of water and
whiskey, OF these cakes found equivalent to
good dinner The company dissolved, but there
man who had made discovery which was, and Is thai
this quntessenoe Of beef thus
would be the very thing for the army in Mexico.
SOme after, consultation with Col. Benton
this Of the great utimatum Of the
beef o specimen by mail to Qusrtsrmaster Gen
Gibson, ut Washington, franked by the distinguish
SENATOR sSfd sp" (solidihed sSup) embracing pro
positions to supply the army with the article, and
presenting that one mule could carry as much Of th
quntessence, would be equivalent to two wagon
loads the material of corned beef and that with
the addition of vegetables, aud milk and bread, II
would be the very thing-the great desderatum In
crossing the desert Of Encarnacion.
We understand that the surgical bureaus, army nd
navy, have been experimenting for week or SO upon
this ertrait de Jeuf," and that q wag Of officer
who was requested to try it, and give in his opinion
rendered in his eport to the army bureau, In the fol
lowing doggerels-
My DEAN DocToR-
Your extract I've boiled,
But in making good soup I've been totally foiled-
II my opinion you value think, II you take
Some leather and glue, better coup you will make;
But, II Science Dear Doctor, insists it will do,
am bound to defer, and to say the same too,
And leave out all about
The leather and glue"
Judging from this report, the experiment has failed
but all know that Captain Ross, in OF his voy
ages toward the North Pole, did carry with him large
supply Of this very extract of beef that 1t answered
the purpose among the iccbergs Of sustaining his
through long winter But the climate OF Mexico Ia
different from that of the ice bergs around the North
Pole and fresh beef salt junk will continue to be
among the principal ingredients Of the army rations
We submit our statement of the interesting circum-
stances ending In this discovery without comment (;
adding only this closing remark that defy Father
Richie to deny the validity or reasonsbenees Of the
exposition. THE DOCTOR.