Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-07-14
ARMY UNDERCLOTHES
THEY ARE DRIED FREQUENTLY
ON THE PERSON.,
Only Ono Suit to nan-Clothing an
Army Is n Gigantic Undertaking
Shoes and Stockings Very Important
Adjuncts.

Important problems presented TO tne
war and navy departments for solu-
tion. The quartermaster general per-
forms the task for the army and the
paymaster general for the navy. In
time Of peace the duty involves consid-
cradle labor. In time of war, and es-
pecially at the beginning of hostilities,
when the public are crying for million
men to be enlisted, clothed and put in
the front in minute, the task assumes
the proportions OF mountain in fog.
Take the quartermaster general. for in
stance. 1t Is his duty to see that the
big army which the president has called
to give battle to the Spanish Is clothed
at the very earliest possible moment.
His usual sources of supply are quick
ly exhausted. Others must be found.
New clothing must be made. The first
thing the quartermaster general does is
to ascertain, as nearly as possible, the
exact number Of suits required, the
kind OF suits, the number OF shoes and
underclothing, also hats. The exact
kind is then specified in detail. and
manufacturers and jobbers in that line
Of business are invited to submit bids
for the whole or any part OF the cloth
Ing needed. Accompanying every bid
is q check to guarantee that the terms
of the contract will be carried out to
the letter. These bids are submitted,
together with samples Of the goods re-
guired. The bids are carefully exam
incd and compared, and the lowest bid
der (the quality Of the goods being sat
isfactory) gets the contract. When
they are delivered they are inspected
by the government officials. and, II all
right, accepted. Then they are for
warded to the storehouse OF the army
at Philadelphia, to await orders. When
a regiment Is recruited and sworn into
the United States service the captain
OF each company makes out requisi-
t;on for the number OF uniforms need
cd. and forwards the requisition to the
quartermaster of the regiment. The
colonel approves Of the requisition, and
then 1t is forwarded to the brigade
quartermaster. who. II he has not the
clothes required on hand, makes req
uisition on the corps quartermaster
The latter, when uniforms are needed.
makes requisition on the quartermas-
ter general. who draws the supplies
needed from the depot Mt Philadelphia.
Upon the delivery Of the clothing to
the regimentnl quartermaster the cap
tains Of the several companies are noti-
fed. The captains march their men to
headqualte ters. and there they receive
the clothing apportioned to them. and
for which the captain gives receipt
to the regimental quartermaster. who
keeps 1t for his voucher. The same
formula for the issuing OF clothing is
followed in the navy. The army and
ravy uniforms are made In nearly ev-
cry large city OF the Union. and the
cost OF those for the privates is about
So and OF those for men before the
mast is about IS per man. The off,
GERS uniforms range In price from $50
to SIS. Quite as important rs the
clothes are the shoes. For Cuban serv-
Ice the men will wear dark brown can
vas clothes. but the shoes will be the
game MS worn at home. They are COM
mon brogans. stout of upper and
mighty of sole and heel. In fact, the
army shoe is not n thing Of beauty. but
on the march It is Joy forever, as
every veteran knows. They are made
of cowhide, and. II possible. of the hide
OF very tough COW at that. They are
exceedingly broad Of sole and heel. and
are made with the double view of Sc
curing durability and comfort. At the
beginning OF the civil war shoes were
considered feminine. and were but little
worn. Boots were the fashion. and
they were made to fit like kid glove.
the volunteers for some months after
the war began clung to boots. not fan
.ying the uncouth shoe: but after n
while necessity forced the men to ac-
cept the shoes tpontoons. they were
called by the soldiers), and after being
worn for few days they were voted
luxury next to milk in coffee. The
service shoe is made by contract. and
averages in cost 75 cents per pair. I'm
less Jerry Simpson has reformed he
could not stay in the army even were
he to enlist, for every soldier has to
wear socks. The regulation sock is
made Of wool. and SO coarse rs to give
promise that It will last through this
war. Then there is the wooden under
shirt. 1t is very important part Of
the soldiers clothing. He is given one
of these undershirts: he must wash 1t
himself. wiring It out and let 1t dry on
his body II he is on the march. This
method Of cleanliness applies also to
the drawers and Is possibly accountable
for a soldiers walk. suggesting that his
thoughts are busy with something else
than the much-talked-of romance Of
war. This wouldn't happen were the
soldier to receive two suits OF under
clothes. But economy, and disincli-
nation to increase the weight the SOL
dier has to carry on his back when
marching have induced the government
to restrict its warriors bold, In the
ranks, to one suit OF underclothes
nniece Tho warrior in the ranks may