The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-23
NO SMALL TASK is THIS.
ENORMOUS SUPPLIES ARE NEEDED
TO FEED AN ARMY.
essary--campaixn's Success De-
pends on Commissary Train-Red


II is very probable that ninety-nine peo-
pie out of every 100 think of an army as
a great aggregation OF fighting men, arm
ed TO the teeth with rifles, swords and
what not. while they never once give a
thought TO the men in the rear" Yet
these men In the rear are an important
part of the fighting machinery
When an army is eneamped in a
friendly country there is not so great a
dffhcuity in feeding IL as wnen II is pen
etrating hostile territory and has sepa-
rated itself from it's own country. And
vet in either case Il Is no light task to
furnish and distribute the food that is
TO keep, say. 5000 storachs satisfied AMI
5000 hearts in the right place. This
is the work of the commi.sary depart
ment.
When an army division or an army
corps Is encamped at home the problem
OF getting supplies Is comparatively sim
pie. Sometimes they are furnished on
contract. sometimes bought In large
quantities week or more In advance OF
the time at which they will be needed.
The commissary general is responsible
for the procuring OF these supplies and
having them deposited at a depot With
in easy reach of the troops.
Each company OF regiment has its
cooks; each regiment has its commissary
depot, where supplies are kept sufficient
for, say, week or ten days for all the
men. Men are detailed from each COM
pany to assist In the work Of getting the
supplies from the regimental depot TO the
company kitchens every day. Others
are detailed TO help transport the sup
plies TO the regfmental depots from the
general headquarters whenever the stores
in the former are getting low.
As all supplies are issued from head
quarters only on orders and receipts are
Uix for rxrfh
seen that there Is an immense amount
Of clerical work necessary TO the smooth
and uninterrupted work of the depart
ment.
Whom the troops are In barracks the
work of the kitchen can be better at
tended TO than In the field. Ranges and
all necessary utensils are on hand and
hot meals are served to the different
mess tables with regularity. When in
the field, either field stoves are used for
cooking or partially covered trenches are
constructed. with an opening for the huge
coffee kettle and an oven for the baking
of bread.
Suppose an army to have landed on a
foreign coast. The first move after the
landing of the men and arms is TO se-
cure a convenient spot for a depot of
supplies. These are landed and piled
high on the shore until there seems 20
be a mountain of boxes inextricahly
mingled In the general mass. Gradually
these nre separated into different piles
and order begins to make its appearance
out or chaos. until all the supplies are
properly housed.
For an army OF 5000 men and i6 90
horses for three months, Il Is estimated
that there are necessary II 600 tons of food
and forage. This must be made up OF pa.a-
table and strengthening meat, vexet ali ies
coffee and flour for bread or biscuits. The
T.
OF bacon are abundant. and even herds
of live cattle are taken along for flesh
meat
Whenever any important move IL to he
made by the army, each soldier II usually
supplied with rations for day, he IL not
to unless ordered 10 do So There are
besides, two DAYS rations carried in trans
port for each fraction Of a command to
tide the troops over the march. In the
English army there are even wagon ar
rsngemenss for cooking meals on the
march. great quantities OF soup being heat
ed and meat and potatoes being prepared
while on the march. But when the army
moves away from its base OF supplies. then
II Is that the feeding problem becomes
more complicated.
There are always number OF men de-
tailed from each regiment TO assist In the
work Of bringing up supplies. The fesp-
ing open of a line Of communication with
the base OF supplies Is the first thing that
A commander must see to, for II means the
safety OF his army. II this line 81 COM
munications IN but a days march the work
IL simple and n does not take many men
detailed 20 wagon-driving 10 replenish the
,mnoyerizhed stock OF the regimsntai o.
division arder But when the distance y
tncraa sad 20 sixty or 100 miles the Trick
Is one Of great difficulty.
There are along tnIs line of communtca.
lion two lines Of transport wagons con-
s,antlv on the move and IN opposite dree-
items. The one line IS for WAGONS nmea
r,,,b stores and supplies for the army Vhc
c,nsr a. made IN 81 empty wagons eoins
hack 10 the base for other loads. Easy
stages are made % the journey.
rEor Instance. one lot OF loaded Wagons
.,u ,svt nam the base and no an easy
s,sfsnre. when another lot ~ empty ones
viii he coming IN the opposite atfee''p,,
T.ha drivers ard horses VIII ne ssSna'i So y,
-, -, the loaded wagons returning wt'a
- .,.s,,,, one~ IN the base ~ supplies
s..S ,sn.o "a, ,hc empty wagons taxing we
go w,,,,,,iss one stage nearer me army
800. "a ~ ,se,ich the same thing - re-
.sa,es There IL thus SERIES o. tsIAfs
,srrnrn witch the transportaueh % -
r,,es ans ammunition too' "s"s
stAntly carried on ...h-
,s,,,r.r .asy reach of the army 10 estsp-
49, ..cnna ha.s 81 supplies. where
-. s,,o,,n, az stores - accumulatsa ~
a,ssr 10 enable the army 70 ek,,ns -
~ .,t,s further from It's raincisal base
~ ',,,se : railroad makes the thihf
sr,,,Iy sere ana quick nut taete v usual
A. !. xoos Zeal al wagon haDl.ng to he
sone even with ths railroads ees"ss =
~ ~, often vsosssbae for an army 70 com
a. -. operations 20 the line of ran corn.
,n mn, alton In any case. from the n n,,.
,..- .-,,rsges are hreuGht % the ohistsn
- ,,sr,s.,,fa, wagons, which are nlisd On
. y ana receipts arc given FOR the
pspplies received ... 80,
u.eeksa Supply. or even ten Gays 1909.
49, -. ~ Azra with the army. From
| ~. rer,rpentai dePois the company gets
- food for each day. aad y = trans
ss-,ss 20 me company kitchen Here
- s,sss kettiss 81 coffee siearniRg over
| az A. NTH bacon or other meat cosk-
/ snw IN the pans. Thus the food When
/ stared as the sontents % one * The
| .'cys.s N the mountain az supplies on the
I shore. anally comes 20 the plate az the
saidler 20 give blm strength.
-