Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-11-14
HalfRatIons.

When the report goes flying through
the land on lightning wings that any
portion of our army is On half rations,
many calculate that our brave boys are
actually suffering the pangs of starva-
ton. The following statement by the
Chattanooga correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Gazette will serve to dissipate a
great deal of misapprehension on this
point We copy it, that many anxious
mothers and sisters may not take unnec-
essary alarm when they again hear that
the army of the Cumberland is again on
half rations. Says the correspondent:
1 don't believe a single man in this
army has actually suffered for want of
food since the battle of Chicamauga; but
the fare has been Of the -coarsest and
most homely kind, and the soldier has
often eaten less than he would have done
had there have been no blockade. The
statement that the army is on half or
quarter rations, excites great deal of
horror III the minds Of most people, who
at once infer that the soldiers have only
half or quarter enough to eat But this
is not the meaning of the phrase; when
soldier is on half rations he simply re-
ceives only half the usual Government
allowance Now the quantity of food of
all kinds furnished by Uncle Sam to the
private soldier when he is on full rations,
is, as every one at all conversant with
the facts wen knows, much more than
any one man ought to eat, and much
more than the soldiers generally do eat
l have known cases where companies
saved fully one-third of their rations, and
then had the greatest abundance to eat
and drink. Nothing is more common
than to see soldier selling part of his
share to citizens, or exchanging bread,
beef, pork or coffee, for butter, milk and
eggs In the article of coffee especial
ly, the Government is almost lavishing in
its supplies. Not long since soldier
told me that in his mess they made
strong coffee three times day, never
drank less than quart to a man each
meal, aud then had "a big Handkerchief
full left, almost every day, to exchange
with the natives for chickens, vegeta-
bles, ETC., when such luxuries were at
tainable.
Frequently it happens, too, that the
"half rations arrangement extends
only to one or two articles For in
stance, the quantity of meat in the hands
of the Commissaries may be such that
only one half of the usual allowance is
dealt out to the army; everything else
remains just as before. But forthwith
the news is spread abroad that g the
army is on half rations;" and many a
mother spends sleepless nights in fret
1 ting over the starving condition of heI
poor boy in the armyl even at the very
time, perhaps, that the aforesaid boy has
still as he can conveniently devour o.
good, wholesome food.
Let the public understand, then, tha
the terms half and quarter rations, useC
to describe the condition of our army
with respect to the supplies it may have
at command, scarcely ever indicate tina
the individual soldier is suffering fol-
food o, anxious motherl you who hav
tearfully but willingly yielded up you
darling for the sacred service of the Re
public, don't worry over imaginary evils
If your boy tells you he has been pu
, upon half or quarter rations, don't b.
alarmed. Ask him " if he has enough t
eat" or if he eUer lies dos0n to slee
: srhile suffering the gaai0i'lgs Of hungel
, If he answer these questions in the a
frmative, there is real .use for solic
tude; but until then, rest satisfied tina
: while he may not be permitted to enjoy tn
, delicacies which your gentle han
could prepare, he has enough of all ths
is necessary to vigorous and healthfr
life.