The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-02
FEEDING DUB BOYS.
UNCLE SAM PROVIDES A VERY GOOD
TABLE FOR THEM.

Il SERIOUS Work Of Feeding an Army I'll
a Problem Of Fresh Brsad-How tho 10
ID disrs Health 10 Guardsd-The Compau
b Cook.
3 Uncle Sans soldiers are probabl
i. the best fed and cared for troops In tn
It world. The facilities for securing Pre-
Q visions, even on forced marches, ar
n such that the commissary departmen
: has little trouble In supplying tn
troops with varied and palatable bill
of fare.
/ The greatest tests In the matter o
I food supplies during the past two de
, cades have been to secure and trans
port provisions to the little bands O.
cavalry and infantry engaged In keep
Ing down Indian depredations in thu
west. 1t was during these expeditions
that the equipment Of the commissary
J department has been perfected, until
to-day each company carries in small
space all the necessaries Of q kitchen
and culinary department. This outfit
ts one which never fails to interest
women visitors to encampments OF
United States troops, and to win from
the housewife great praise for its sim
plicity and effectiveness.
Each company has Its cook, usually
a fat and jolly member of the service,
whose headquarters are freQuented
during all parts Of the day by convivial
members Of the company. The usual
habit Of cooks to grow fat and good
hatured seems to be a rule OF those
who serve in the army. as we'll as those
who are 10 civil life. The cook is q
Regularly enlisted member Of the army,
told of for his duties because of his
fitness for the part. He is allowed two
assistants, these being appointed by
the commander of the company for
weeks service in the cooks depart
pent, and being under his charge.
While they assist in preparing and
Serving the food, the cook does the ma
lor part of the work, and it is his taste
Pnd skill which goes to make the
Sictuals served factor in the health
and contentment Of the corps.
The cook has one small tent In
which are stored the extra provisions
end utensils needed. A large fly, with
poles and guy ropes, serves to shelter
The cooking apparatus and to form the
fompany's kitchen. Under 1t the stove
Is placed. The latter is an oblong
metal affair, made on purpose for the
frmy, and having griddle holes for the
OTIS and pans. A ditch Is scraped in
he earth, and on it the stove is placed,
leaving room underneath for the fire
bf glowing weed embers. The cook is
On artist at making fire in this trench
End In keeping 1t at an even heat. Var
|ous folding chairs. tables improvised
Of camp chests and other things, serve
10 make the necessary apparatus for
use In the kitchen. A dozen big ket-
les, boilers and pans are the utensils
needed.
Dinner, at noon, is the principal meal
II the day in camp life, and for an hour
before the kitchen presents a busy
eene. One assistant, with sleeves roll
ID up above the elbows. sits on q chest
FEELING potatoes. bushel or more be-
ng necessary for the meal. Near him
he other assistant bends over a great
uarter Of beef. carving out q supply
or the meal. The cook watches his
1en while he attends the stove and be-
ms preparations for the coming re-
asst. A huge boiler on one side of the
tove holds four gallons of fragrant
once, another boiler Is filled with wa
er to receive the potatoes, while In q
right kettle on another part of the
love the cook drops vegetables, rice
nd other wholesome parts of soup and
ats for the assistant to finish carving
le meat that 1t may be added.
Soon the dinner is well under way.
I'd the cook and his assistants are
isy men. In addition to the hot parts
the meal, there are to be taken from
10 chests and served great loaves of
cad or hard tack. The bread problem
a serious one on a march or in camp,
Id away from the cities, and while
e cook often has to prepare the corn
cad or other cereal himself, 1t is
ought into camp already prepared
,eneVer possible. A company of a
ndred men or more will eat a great
antity of the staff Of life in a week.
d hundreds of loaves are necessary.
There are other parts Of the soldiers
.al to be fixed, if the company Is
ar civilization and provisions are
'ntiful. Baked beans often appear on
bill of fare, dried fruit, rice, hon.
: and other easily carried eatables.
to prepare all these on the one
all stove and with only two assist
IS is an art that only an army cook
derstands.
When the meal Is ready and the
yles blow to mess, the soldiers ar
ge themselves In an orderly man.
=, and the cook and his assistants
TT out First the soup is labeled out.
n the more solid components of the
al. then the coffee and then tho
let's, until all are supplied.
. such an extent does cleanliness
er into. the preparation of the SOL
IS meal that the greatest precau-
IS are taken to exclude dirt. Care
y the pots and pans are scrubbed
chilly, the big knives and utensils
polished and the refuse of the cook
s is carried far of and dumped to I
vent the contagion that might arise
n decaying Stops. The officers are
liant in keeping watch on the cook II
his assistants. as the health of the ne
p may depend on their careful
SO
ach company has its cook and mess nv nv
pit where great armies are encamp-
then number of cook departments -
thrown together to work in unison. MI
e Sam has all his cooking utensils
Q to order, and chests are used to
everything in when on the march.
BuckIen's Arnics SaIye WI
9 Best Salve in tho world for Cuts -
ses, Sores, Ulcers, Salt Rheum, Fever
}, letter, Chapped Hands, Chilblains,
8, and all Skin Eruptions, and posi-
' cures Piles or nc pay required. 1t ~
aran eed to give perfect satisfaction vi
oney refunded. Price 20 cents per