Re: Issuing Rations
I offer Billings's fairly well-known account of a coffee issue, printed in Hardtack and Coffee on pages 122-123:
“[Coffee] was brought to camp in an oat sack, a regimental quartermaster receiving and apportioning his among the ten companies, and the quartermaster–sergeant of a battery apportioning his to the four or six detachments. Then the orderly-sergeant of a company or the sergeant of a detachment must devote himself to dividing it. One method of accomplishing this purpose was to spread a rubber blanket on the ground,—more than one if the company were large,—and upon it were put as many piles of the coffee as there were men to receive rations; and the care taken to make the piles of the same size to the eye, to keep the men from growling, would remind one of a country physician making his powders, taking a little from one pile and adding to another. The sugar which always accompanied the coffee was spooned out at the same time on another blanket. When both were ready, they were given out, each man taking a pile, or, in some companies, to prevent any charge of unfairness or injustice, the sergeant would turn his back on the rations, and take out his roll of the company. Then, by request, some one else would point to a pile and ask, ‘Who shall have this?’ and the sergeant, without turning, would call a name from his list of the company or detachment, and the person called would appropriate the pile specified. The process would be continued until the last pile was disposed of. There were other plans for distributing the rations; but I have described this one because of its being quite common.”
I suspect that the mechanics differed from one company to the next, but the system described by Billings seems like it must have been pretty common, and I'd lay a bet that a similar approach was used to dole out crackers, meat, etc. as well as coffee.
I offer Billings's fairly well-known account of a coffee issue, printed in Hardtack and Coffee on pages 122-123:
“[Coffee] was brought to camp in an oat sack, a regimental quartermaster receiving and apportioning his among the ten companies, and the quartermaster–sergeant of a battery apportioning his to the four or six detachments. Then the orderly-sergeant of a company or the sergeant of a detachment must devote himself to dividing it. One method of accomplishing this purpose was to spread a rubber blanket on the ground,—more than one if the company were large,—and upon it were put as many piles of the coffee as there were men to receive rations; and the care taken to make the piles of the same size to the eye, to keep the men from growling, would remind one of a country physician making his powders, taking a little from one pile and adding to another. The sugar which always accompanied the coffee was spooned out at the same time on another blanket. When both were ready, they were given out, each man taking a pile, or, in some companies, to prevent any charge of unfairness or injustice, the sergeant would turn his back on the rations, and take out his roll of the company. Then, by request, some one else would point to a pile and ask, ‘Who shall have this?’ and the sergeant, without turning, would call a name from his list of the company or detachment, and the person called would appropriate the pile specified. The process would be continued until the last pile was disposed of. There were other plans for distributing the rations; but I have described this one because of its being quite common.”
I suspect that the mechanics differed from one company to the next, but the system described by Billings seems like it must have been pretty common, and I'd lay a bet that a similar approach was used to dole out crackers, meat, etc. as well as coffee.
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