The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1884-01-09
HOUSEKEEPING
The Queer Partnerships Which Were
Often Found in the Army.


AAANA ONthA
The housekeeping arrangements OF soldiers
were subject to all sorts of variations. These
differed in different regiments, even as TO the
general features, and it is extremely difficult
to present any one man as a type of the army
housekeeper. In nearly all regiments the
plan OF employing n company cook was
abandoned when active campaigning COM
menced. Mess cooks succeeded; but when the
interminable marches in Kentucky, TenneS-
see, Georgia and Alabama commenced, these
gave way 70 another arrangement. The
actual fighting strength Of the company on
such marches was rarely more than fifty men.
For the sake OF convenience in issuing ~rations
the company was divided into three messes or
divisions, each with a recognized chief These
messes were formed of men who naturally as
sociated together when this could be done.
but they often had nothing in common.
The company sergeant, detailed for tho
purpose, drew the rations for the company.
divided them into three parts, and calling a
representative Of each mess assigned a part
70 each. This was divided into sixteen or
thirteen parts, Us there were sixteen or thir-
teen men, by the chief Of mess, and some
man turning his back as each successive nile
was touched in answer TO the question,
Whose pile is thisf' assigned 1t to some par
ticular man. Each man at once took charge
@N AAtAAt IObhNDeat tOIeE.
sugar, etc, and took care of them. The men
In cooking made up families Of two, and
these families were as independent in their
individuality as families In a village, and tho
relationship between the two "pards" WA
very close. Sometimes for weeks the conf
pany would not SEQ the company wagon. or
have the use of camp kettle or other cooking
utensils provided by the vernme This
led TO the general adoption Of little quart ket
ties for coffee. canteen halves for skillets, and
the two partners carried always with them
their blankets, shelter tents, cooking utensils,
and provisions, BY this arrangement the
army acquired that capacity for prompt
movement and long continued effort under
disadvantageous circumstances, that made it
80 efficient in western campaigns.
These families of two were often queer
partnerships One Of the couple was often a
d~rlnkard, while the other was strictly tenn
perate; one a hard swearer, while the other
had n horror for profanity: one an Intelligent
man with literary tastes, while tho other was
shallow, with a contempt for books. The
partners were rarely from the same neigh
borhood The relationship was entirely an
army one.
The domestic life was not always pleasant.
Sometimes there would be quarrels and fights
and temporary divorces. Both men would
then DO "lone widows because no other
family would take them in, and there would
In time DO a reconciliation. Some partners
never had any unpleasantness, and were held
up as models of domestic happiness. Some
times a lone widow would coax another
mans partner to dissolve a partnership and
form another. This reused the Indignation
OF the company, and the men looked forward
aiixiously 10 the time when the new partner
ship would bust up. Some men always
p~estered their partner. A quiet fellow called
'Old Steer" had little double" for n partner.
II the former was on guard, and came in
at midnight to turn in, he would find Double
curled up like n dog in the middle Of the bed.
Punches and pulls elected only little snarl,
and snaps, Double initiating "a little
dog to perfection. Finally the snarls
wonld become %torbidding growls,
and atlast up would spring Double, grab Old
Steer by the ear, and shake, and snarl and
growl until the company, now wide-awnke,
would rear with laughter at the swearing and
pleadings and scolding on one side, and dog
like Indifference on tho other. Double would
always bring his partner down to a plea, and
then, tnking his teeth from his ear, would
lnugh and iD1ulee in odd remarks. Old
Horse would q lter his tent like a whirlwind
when coming I'll guard. and rouse the whole
company by Strike n light, strike a light,
there's a bug in the baby's ear Bones would
come swearing up the company street about
some mnn snoring; swear about his boots,
about his blouse, and, soliloquizing at the top
OF his voice, order himself by sections into
bed. Othor men would creep into bed along
side their partners as quietly as u husband in
town slipping In after regular hours.