The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-30
TEST OF EMERGENCY RATIoNS.
, DETACHMENT RETURNS AFTER
EATING THEM FOR FIVE DAYS.

can't Keifer's Squad Enjoyed the
.rrin and Returned in Good COndt-
.ion-CoI. BfrRie Has Issued 13.4SO
Guns to the Seventh Army Corps.
Noes Not Include officers, the
third Georgia ana Second ArtiI-
,ery-With the Arrival of the
Eourth Tennessee There Are Now
Il. LOCO Soldiers in Savannah.
fest of what is known as the emerg-
.,,y ration was about completed in the
seventh Army Corps yesterday, though
,be actual results may not be tabulated
and nut into the shape of a report for sew
eral days yet.
party of twenty men, selected from the
rirsi Division of the corps, in charge Of
c,,t II. c. Keifer, aide to Gen. Ke.fer,
,od Lieut. Pulls of the Third Nebraska,
and accompanied by surgeon, left the
city last Friday on a sort of forced march
for the purpose of testing this new emer-
ercv ration which has been offered the
Government and highly recommended.
Cant. Keifer and his party returned to
,be first division camp yesterday afternoon
At o'clock, after a march of sixty to
seventy miles altogether, up the Augusta
road and back, and so far as the officers
could state at the time of their return yes
teriay the results are most satisfactory.
The men continued to subsist on the
emergency ration at supper last night, and
This morning they will be weighed TO as
certain whether they have lost or gained
as the result of their experience.
This new emergency rat.ons consists of
three packages of compressed food, which
is well seasoned, and packed in a tin can
about four inches long by three broad and
three deep. There is also a package of
concentrated tea. which is supposed to be
drunk with each meal. One of these cans
contains a fun days rations for soldier.
The material may be made up into soup,
porridge or it may be eaten as it is.
THIS detachment from the First Division
has been put upon five days march for
the purpose of testing these rations and
the results viii be inquired into with much
interest They carried with them a hos
pital wagon, and one other wagon loaded
with forage for the mules. The men had
only their shelter tents and though they
was no complaint On two nights they
had rain, and the other two were quite
cold The men, however had all volun
tered for this service and they were
much interested in it themselves. Two
men were sent in day before yesterday one
of them being sick, though the physician
said it was not as a result of the use of
the emergency ration. The other it is
stated was shamming, in order to get
back without having to march. The men
took their guns with them and were
equipped just as they would be on cam
paigu,
The first two days out the cooks ac
compauying the man cooked their rations
for them. making soups and porridge,
and The last two days the men cooked
their own rations to suit themselves. The
results in both cases are said to have
been most satisfactory There was no
haggard look about the men when they re-
turned and they do not appear to have
lost any flesh. The weight test to-day
viii determine that point.
The men in this detachment covered
about fifteen miles, day under all the
conditions practically which would be
found during actual warfare. Many of
them expressed great delight with their
trip and stated that they were ready to
try il again whenever another test might
be desired
Col. Rogers Brine, chief ordnance Off
Ger OF the corps. completed yesterday the
works of distributing the new United
States rifles TO the soldiers in Gen. Lees
command. The Forty-ninth Iowa Reg-
ment was the last to receive its supply.
just 1880 guns were issued to the
Seventh Army Corps. a figure which will
give some idea of the number of soldiers
in the city. This does not include the
officers, OF course 20 whom no guns are
issued nor does ii include the Second
United States Artillery Regiment, who had
their new guns when they came to Sa>
vannah, nor the Third Georgia, to whom
none have been issued. There are at
least 500 officers here there are 1900 men
in the Second Artillery and nearly 1900
in the Third Georgia, which will make
total of more than 1900 officers and SOL
ders now stationed in Savannah.
This figure does not include the number
oil soldiers who are here now and then,
on their way through Savannah, headed
Tor some other point. The Fourth Ten
hessee Regiment arrived in Savannah last
night to take the transport Manitoba and
mat makes a total of 1900 men now
mere The Tennessee men win probably
remain here for four or five days
Coz Brine has issued to each regiment
Fn rounds of ammunition for each one
OF the new .9O-calber guns, or total of
$4,000 cartridges These cartridges are
practically in charge OF the ordnance Off
Ger OF each regiment, who is one of the
heutenants designated to act in that ca
pacity, and he reports to the chief ord
nance officer through the ordnance Off
GERS OF the brlgades and the divisions.
Mag. Mcdonald OF the ordnance depart
Heht has reported to Maj Gen. Keifer and
AS 7a.1a ~ 4.
oHeer Of the First Division
'oL George r. Pond. chief uuartermas-
Ter OF the corps, will return to the city
49, "4~''tiis, "a a., q IAnt. .sy-,teAl. 1lv,I
Washington, where he has been for the
purpose of consultation with the quarter