La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-07-16
THE SOLDIER AND Hls rooD.

Feeding an army II much more Of
an undertaking than most people are
ab.s TO appreciate. Only the sxpert
who has been for years familiar With
catering for largo numbers Of per-
sons can properly engineer the three
meals 4 day that are necessary to keep
Uncle Sans men In good fighting con-
dition.
At certain stages In their career the
men have their food prepared by ex-
perienced cooks. but once fairly en-
barked in soldering in the field, they
must cook their own rations-a task
that very many Of them are not un-
wiliin- to shirk whenever they can
find anybody who will assume the re-
sponsibility OF what Il to them q great
undertaking
A list has been prepared by an ex-
pert showing how best to use the ten
days rations that are served out for
the men. The following Is the issue
rs given in this list: The quarter
master-sergeant draws 65G pounds of
beef, ia pounds OF bacon, $50 pounds
OF bread. $50 pounds of potatoes. rs
pounds of coffee. 102 pounds of sugar
and 102 pounds of beans This is
the allowance for seventy-fivs men
for ten days, and is either purceled
out to each man or messes or club;
Of men according to their own fancy.
The great trcuble with camp die. is
that it very soon grows monotonous,
and the men are likely t. lose their
relish for IL. The one compensation
is that hunger makes good sauce
and when la men come in from their
duties tired and warm. hot coffee
bread and beef. and little dainty as
finish. is generally very acceptable.
or sticks on which The kettle 10 inse-
curcly balanced is not a very easy
task. During the civil war one in
genious soldier invented little ap-
pliance that was no end Of comfort
to him and the admiration Of his en-.
tire acquaintance. He secured large
sized gridiron and attached it by
wires to four strong stakes, sc
stretching the wires that there was
neither swing or give to the appa-
ratus. Upon this the camp kettle
tea-kettle. coffee-pot. and whatever
other dishes necessary, were placed.
He fed the FIRE entirely from one side,
pushing the Goals along as the fuel
was added. In this way II was the
work OF a short time to prepare bed
of glowing Goals. over which he could
broil. toast. or place his frying pan
to the very best advantage.
inexperienced cooks rarely realize
the gain there is in boiling meat
rather than frying or broiling 1t. II
can be placed over the IRE hours be-
fore It is required. and. by simmering
1t slowly acquires a delIcacy and
richness not to be found In meats
that are done by the ordinarily crude
camp methods. Exception to this,
however. is found in the swinging
broiler that may be risged with very
little trouble. A common tosstine
rack has the steak placed between the
edges. securely closed. and from the
four corners bit OF wire drawn tc
the middle and twisted To this IL
tied long string. which is. in turn.
fastened to a pole twelve or fifteen
feet long. SO set that the broile.
hangs directly over the fire. A com
mon cord will twist and untwist with
very little momentum and keeps the
meat moving. thereby securing much
more even cooking than is possible In
any other way.
During the warm weather berries
and fruit of many kinds are easily
obtained. These are eaten fresh or
made into delicious puddings, which
are easy enough II one has even
very slight knowledge of cooking. A
batter made Of -four and water, with
a heaping teaspoonful Of baking pow
der to each quart OF flour, little salt
and pint Of berries. may be poured
into buttered pan. covered and
buried in the ashes. This will rise.
almost filing the pan. and will come
out as toothsome and appetizing as
one cosld desire. All in all. soldier
ing may not be much worse thar the
fishing or hunting camp. and those
who greatly enjoy out-of-door life
rarely suffer any abatement OF health