Graham guardian., 1900-08-24
FEEDING AN ARMY,
An Enormous Task That Involves
Much Labor.
great Quantities of supplies CON
stsntiy In Demand and an Army
OF Men and Horses to
Handle TheH.

armed 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, says the Detroit Free
Press.
When an army is encamped in
friendly country there is not SO great
difficulty in feeding it as when it
is penetrating hostile territory and
has separated itself from its own
country. And yet in either case it
is no light task to furnish and dis
tribute the food that is to keep, say,
30 900 stomachs satisfied and 10000
hearts in the right place. This is the
work of the commlssary department.
When an army division or an army
corps is encamped at home the prob
lem Of getting supplies is compara-
lively simple. 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 procur-
ing of these supplies and having them
deposited at depot within easy
reach Of the troops.
Each company of regiment has its
cooks; each regiment has its com-
missary depot, where supplies are
kept sufficient for, say. a week or ten
days for all the men Men are de-
tailed from each company TO assist in
the work of getting the supplies from
the regimental depot to the company
kitchens every day. Others are de-
tailed to help transport the supplies
to the regimental 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 ard receipts
are given for everything secured. it
can be seen that there is an immense
amount of clerical work necessary to
the smooth and uninterrupted work
of the department.
When 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 open
ing for the huge coffee kettle and an
oven for the baking OF bread.
Whenever any important move is to
be made by the army each soldier is
usually supplied with rations for n
day, which he carries in his haver-
sack. These he is not TO use un-
less ordered to do So There are, be-
sides, two days rations carried in
transport for each fraction of a com
mand to tide the troops over the
march. In the English army there
are. even wagon arrangements for
cooking meals on the march, great
quantities of soup being heated and
meat and potatoes being prepared
while on the march. But when the
army moves away from its base of
supplies then it is that the feeding
problem becomes more complicated.
There are always number of men
detailed from each regiment to assist
in the work of bringing up supplies
The keeping open of a line of com
munication with the base of sup
plies is the first thing that a COM
mander must see to, for it means the
safety of his army. If this line of
communication is but days march,
the work is simple, and it does not
take many men detailed to wagon
driving to replenish the impoverished
larder. But when the distance is in
creased to 60 or 100 miles the trick is
one of great difficulty.
There are along this line of COM
munication two lines of transport
wagons constantly on the move and
in opposite directions. The one line
is fer wagons filed with stores and
supplies for the army. The other is
made up of empty wagons going back
to the base for other loads. Easy
stages are made Of the journey.
Within easy reach of the army is
established second base of supplies
where great amount OF stores is
accumulated in order to enable the
army to extend its operations further
from its principal base. OF course,
railroad makes the thing doubly sure
and quick. But there is usually
good deal of wagon hauling to be
done even with the railroads, because
it is not often possible for an army
TO confne its operations to the line
of rail communication. In any case,
from the nearest base of supplies are
brought the division or regimental
wagons, which are filed on requisi-
tion and receipts are given Cor the
supplies received.
A weeks supply or even ten days
food should be at hand with the army.
From the regimental depots the COM
pany gets it's food for each day, and
it is transferred to the company's
Kitchen. Here are great kettles Of cof-
fee steaming over the fire, with bacon
or other meat cooking In the pans.
Thus the food which started as the
contents Of one OF the boxes in the
mountain of supplies on the shore
finally comes to the plate of the SOL
der to give him strength.
Sometimes flying column takes no
commissary train with it, cuts itself
off from its base of supplies and
moves swiftly through the country,
taking a few days rations. This can
not be done unless the country is
thoroughly known and can be depend
ed on for food.
An Arisona Diii of Fare.