Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-07-21
FEEDING OUR BOYS,
UNCLE SAM PROVIDES A VERY GOOD
TABLE FOR THEM.

diers Health Is Guarded-The Company
Cook.
Uncle Sans soldiers are probably
the best fed and cared for troops in the
world. The facilities for securing pro-
visions, even on forced marches, are
such that the commissary department
has little trouble in supplying the
troops with varied and palatable bill
of fare.
The greatest tests in the matter of
food supplies during the past two de-,
cades have been to secure and trans,
port provisions to the little bands OF
cavalry and infantry engaged in keep
ing down Indian depredations in the
west. 1t was during these expeditions
that the equipment of the commissary
department has been perfected until
to-day each company carries in small
space all the necessaries of kitchen
and culinary department. This outfit
Is 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
u 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
natured seems to be rule of those
who serve in the army, as well as those
who are in civil life. The cook is a
regularly enlisted member of the army,
told off 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 4
weeks service in the cooks depart
ment, and being under his charge.
While they assist in preparing and
serving the food, the cook does the ma
jor part of the work, and it is his taste
and skill which goes to make the
victuals served a factor in the health
and contentment of the corps.
The cook has one small tent in
which are stored the extra provisions
and utensils needed. A large fly, with
poles and guy ropes, serves to shelter
the cooking apparatus and to form the
company's kitchen. Under it the stove
is placed. The latter is an oblong
metal affair. made on purpose for the
army, and having griddle holes for the
pots and pans. A ditch is scraped in
the EARTH and on it the stove is placed,
leaving room underneath for the fire
Of glowing weed embers. The cook is
an artist at making a fire in this trench
and in keeping it at an even heat Var
ious folding chairs, tables improvised
of camp chests and other things, serve
to make the necessary apparatus for
use in the kitchen. a dozen big ket-
ties, boilers and pans are the utensils
needed.
Dinner, at noon, is the principal meal
of the day in camp life, and for an hour
before the kitchen presents busy
scene. One assistant, with sleeves roll
ed up above the elbows, sits on a chest
peeling potatoes, bushel or more be-
ing necessary for the meal. Near him
the other assistant bends over a great
quarter of beef, carving out supply
for the meal. The cook watches his
men While he attends the stove and be-
gins preparations for the coming re-
past A huge boiler on one side of the
stove holds four gallons of fragrant
coffee, another boiler is filled with wa
ter TO receive the potatoes. while in
bright kettle on another part of the
stove the cook drops vegetables, rice
and other wholesome parts of soup and
waits for the assistant to finish carving
the meat that it may be added.
Soon the dinner is we'll under way.
and the cook and his assistants are
busy men. In addition to the hot parts
of the meal there are to be taken from
the chests and served great loaves of
bread or hard tack. The bread problem
is serious one ON a march or in camp.
and away from the cities, and while
the cook often has to prepare the corn
bread or other cereal himself it is
brought into camp already prepared
whenever possible. A company of a
hundred men or more will eat a great
quantity of the staff of life in a week.
and hundreds of loaves are necessary.
There are other parts of the soldiers
meal u De Hxeu, IL the company is
near civilization and provisions are
plentiful. Baked beans often appear on
the bill of fare, dried fruit, rice, hom-
my and other easily carried eatables.
and to prepare all these on the one
small stove and with only two assist
ants is an art that only an army cook
understands. +
When the meal is ready and the
bugles blow to mess, the soldiers ar
range themselves in an orderly man
ner, and the cook and his assistants
start out. First the soup is Labeled out i,
then the more solid components of the
meal, then the coffee and then the
sweets, until all are supplied.
To such an extent does cleanliness
enter into the preparation of the sol-)
diers' meal that the creates. precau-,
tions are taken to exclude dirt. Care
fully the pots and pans are scrubbed
brightly, the big knives and utepailsl i