The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-20
THE LOSS OF THE SOUP.
a Brief Chapter Out or the Experience Of o
Soldier In the Civil War.

Soldier In the Civil War.
The most terrible calamity that ever bete,,
US, in its way" said the old soldier. was tho
loss Of the soup. When our regiment FIRST went
into service it had. furnished by the State for
each company, n cooking outfit that included q
stove. This stove in shape was something Ike
a length cut Off the end of a big square timber.
1 guess it must have been about four feet long
and a foot and a half or two feet square. 1t was
made of sheet iron, with fiat wrought-iron ribs
on the inside to support it There were holes in
the top and n hole at one end for the pipe Of one
length. We used to set the stove right on the
ground. or. IL we were settled in q place for
some little time. we would block 1t up in some
way. stick on the pipe, fill 1t up with wood and
let her go.
with this stove we had two cooking kettles
shaped like wash boilers. one fitting inside
the other to save space in transportation. One
of these boilers was for soup or meat or potatoes.
the other for tea or coffee. Then We had some
pans to fry meat in The boilers and the pans
and the stovepipe could all be put inside tho
stove. When We moved we used to pack them
that way for transportation. 1t made q con-
venient package TO slide in and out Of .
wagon, and it didn't take up overmuch room.
Theoretically it was a good army cooking
outfit. and SO it was practically as long as We
could use it: and it would have been always IL
war could always be carried on methodically;
il We could always have wagons to move things
with and could always be where we could ges
new stoves when the old ones wore out. ASH
was, the outfit was a comfort and convenience
as long as II lasted. which l think WAS about
three or four months
We had already begun to use camp kettles.
stove for good. 1t had come TO be pretty well
battered up-sides caved in. big dents in the top,
whole outfit Pretty Well bunsed up and played
out-and finally one time. when We oFoSe camp
T fRe MntSh @e c Mg 6d't came ine H Ht4 , sso'S w RS4tV we
moved: If we had a wagon. we pQt the kettles in
that; II we didn't. then we nestled Them together
and put n stick through the handle OF the big;
Rest kettle. and the cool: TOOK one end and
some other man the other. and away they went.
and banging now and then against the nuhs n
the road. II the road was too rough; or some
times just for a change. the men would hoiSi me
stick up and carry it on their shoulders; When
we went into camp again, or hated. q man
them into the ground. w would rest the ends
OF the stick holding. the camp kettles in these
%crotches and build a fire under the kettles. ana
THE loss OF the soup was one of the last Incl.
dents that attended the use Of the stove. FOR a
week or more al that time we had had nothlnS
to cat but pork and hard bread. and then BY an
extraordinarily fortunate combination OF cir
cuEStanCes the coWmisSary had fresh meat, po-
tatocs. and onions 10 ISSUE all on the same Gay.
1t was a sort, % spontaneous sense OF our com
Ions Of Two or three OF the men. and BY them
communicated TO the cook, that our rations
Ought L W lHlV lNO n soup. tt NAA4' Ah'
that day received, too, a lot, OF c~'hbagcs. Some
OF the men in our COMPANY bought half a Dozen
cabhages, which they turned into the common
stock; the cook cut them up and put them into
the soup. made in the biggest wash hoicr.
Der rt a rSIH iSa sSr ' hss day oEe Tslli i Th wss M IN N % high
wind which blew square across tho camp, from
the rear toward the color line. Itswept past the
stove and down through our company stTeeJ
laden with the oiors OF our soup. Men could
smell il in their tents. but some men came oue
the air in the street. When IL came pretty
near time for the dinner cal! the men all
and spoons aud waited. and looked al the stove.
and the boiler, and the cook. ana thorEht or tho
going to take il of. II Was about lime for the
call TO sound; and the, men hss.n 10 dai IN. inc
cook took hold OF the boiler ny the Nahule At one
end aud slowed II arount, aud began pulling 1t
OF the stove. ~ the same siiie ra!l!ng 10 q man
and take the other handle.
"Threo-Quartcrs al III" company stood looking
oil. thinking how near they were TO the soup.
The cook continued 10 pull the boiler off. so. as
to mako il casio 10 III on finally, and he had u
s SIow Sn t 9Tsf boiler ,iS around SroInd a en litt HH0 i Ina; iHsS Of
tho stove, 50 ms 10 make II still easier for the
man who wgs coming 10, take hold Of The handle
ut his end when he got there. Slowing u around
in this way lc slowed it Just a hnir TOO far, until
oniy u corner OF il rested on the stove, and Just
was coming around the stovcpipe The boiler
began TO ZIP. The cook tried u stop II, bur he
couldn't do a thing. Tho boiler fairly ,iipprd
oyer and turned bottom pp md spilled cvrry
ground.
Well. l am no word painter. and | coul4r''
even give you an idea about how The men ie!l'
u was really u tremendous, ir"cparall ioss
But what could YOU DO about ~ Nothing; -
use cussing the cook. lie had burned his hand
badly in trying TO stop the boiler from ruhS
over, and he f,lt as bad over the loss Of he sou,
as anybody. There wash anythinS To- 90 H' e",
went back 10 their TENS.
"A year after thar, one dark night on a loneiN
{ picket post, when IL came MY turn TO relieve nv
, man on duty. | found hIm standing leaning on
his gun and looking out across HE country, anu
softly but earnestly talking 90 himself,
: thing Z
mo says Bill. y don't see anything. wa
Just thinking OF something
, And knew he was still dwelling on The IOsA
Of that SOUP"