The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-23
RATIONs FOR THE. SOLDIERS.
Government Drawing on the COun-
try's Meat and Provision Supply,
New York Evening Sun.

New York Evening Sun.
One of the most difficult problems of war
mas always been the feeding of an army in
the field. Various plans have been tried
from time to time by the different countries
OF the world TO supply the troops with a
1000 that would nourish and sustain them
through long marches and hard times and
at the same time be as compact and light
as possible, so that 1t could be easily car
REQ. Inc governments of the United States,
france and Germany have experimental for
many years for the purpose of finding out
what. constitutes such a food, but with no
definite results.
Numberless beef tablets and extracts have
been manufactured and offered as substi-
tutes for what the soldier now eats but all
nave been rejected on the ground that while
they might do in an emergency they would
not prove of much use in a PROLONGED cam
palgn. The average soldier prefers his beef
d; ana PORK s1r 10 tablet, no matter whether it
In our army to-day the soldier generally
carries from one to three. days rations in
MS knapSack. Very rarely does he carry
more than enough for three days, unless the
regiment Is making forced march or is
far from it's base of supplies. Under no cir
cumstances does he carry more than ten
days rattons, which is very heavy load.
mans rationS for a day consist of the
Following: Beef, 70 ounces; or mutton, 20
ounces; or pork, II ounces; or bacon, p
ounces; flour 20 ounces, or / pound of hard
tack. Vegetables, such as BEANS rice or
peas, in small quantities, and coffee, sugar
and potatoes.
The meat bill is sometimes varied so that
instead of beef or mutton the troops have
dried fresh or picked fish. When in camp
the men generally have fresh bread but on
the field the bareback and salt beef take
the place of soft bread and fresh beef. The
advantage of salt beef lies in the fact that it
Keeps much more readily than fresh, and in
Cuba salt meat would most likely be used.
Fresh beef and pork are practically useless
in a warm climate.
In each company there is a commissary
sergeant who attends to the rationS of his
company. He is next in command to the
fol in
turn, is subject to the orders of the COM
miSSary of the brigade At meal time the
commissary sergeants see that the rations
or each man are turned over to the COM
pany cooks, who prepare them. A supply
wagon train usually follows the troops, but
1t sometimes happens that the army strikes
off from its source of supplies and depends
on the country through which it is passing
to furnish sufficient food. Sherman did this
on his march through Georgia, and when it
is necessary to make long, hard march of
many days duration the supply train has
to be left behind
Often the soldiers economize and by saw
ing part of their rationS sell what remains
back to the government. With the money
thus procured they buy soap, candles or
other necessaFieS
Just now an enormous quantity of sup
plies is being shipped from the East and
West to Chickamauga and other mastering
points. Carloads of canned and fresh meats
leave constantly from Chicago, Kansas City
and Omaha, The government has estab-
lished supply depots at the most important
and convenient points throughout the coun-
try and the stores are assembled there.
The big meat packing firms make con-
tract with the government to furnish so
much meat, and the great demand made
upon these firms has resulted in raising the
price of meat considerably. Since the be-
ginning of the war pork, bacon and beef
have continued to advance in price. A To-
cal market man when asked about this mat
ter said:
Yes, the price of meat is much higher.
Pork and bacon, for instance, have adj
on6 &c fhArA &c
prospect that the price will be higher in
stead of lower. OF course. the stores of
provisions and meat have been drawn on
to some extent in order to supply the troops
now in the field. but just how much 1t is
difficult to tell The higher prices do not as
yet seriously affect us. They may, how
ever, later on"
A prominent army officer who is now sta
toned in this city, in speaking about. the
every day with samples of beef extracts
and tablets, which they offer in the hope
that the government will buy from them.
Here is something from a New York man
ufacturer,' he. continued picking up a
small vial holding about ounce of liquid
This, its agent says, will take the place
of half a pound of beef; but j doubt If 1t
does. don't think l should want to live
You see, the principal thing in prepar-
ing food for the soldiers is to find some
thing which is as free possible from
water. To compress the meat is the proper
way to get the water out of it, and the
ern firms are about the best thing yet Of
fered for an army food which has the quail
tiles of being both light and nourishing.
In the FrancO-PruSSian war the Germans
thought they had discovered the correct
thing in sort of small sausage 1T was
found to be of little use, however, when 1t
came to the test. 1t has been the same way
with everything else of the kind
What does it mean when we hear that a
regiment of 1000 men has ten days ra-
tionS?" was asked.
TT simply means" he answered, that
unusual thing, by the way. 1t takes about
men. or 1850 pounds of fresh beef Mutton
is sometimes used when it is no higher in
price than beef. and a regiment of 1.000 men
rice and peas carried in small quantities
and we also allow little SALT vinegar and
sugar.
1.-THE food list is slightly different when
the regiment is travelling from what il is III
we generally give out what we call travel
ing rations' for so many days. After four
days of travelling we allow each soldier one
pound Of canned tomatoes. but when the
men get to camp they resume the regular
This will suffice for 100 men for one day:
Soft bread 1121a pounds. or bareback 100
pounds; canned beef, Is pounds; baked
beans, one-pound cans. 80 pounds; coffee
Toasted), pounds; sugar, pounds, and
coffee raw) 10 pounds"