early field rations

[Rifleman1776]

Since the breakfast thread is locked. :idunno:
I'll start a new one.
The question was asked:

Does anyone KNOW what the first MPs of the AWI, War of 1812, Mexican War & TWBTS carried as "field rations"?

I have seen many references to the use of parched corn, ground parched corn, jerky, bisquits, dried fruits and even fruit cake. I would love to find a good fruit cake receipe from the AWI period. Coffee, when available, was also carried.

 

[satx78247]

THANK YOU for the information.

IF you are interested in a WBTS-era recipe for fruitcake, I'll share our family recipe, which is known to have been served to guests at an 1862 Christmas party in Montgomery, AL. - The "jam cake" recipe may be far older than that.
(This recipe is well-known to have been "a particular favorite" of COL Smith P. Bankhead, late of the PACSA, who often carried it in his saddlebags, as the cake is filling and won't spoil for a LONG time.)

Addenda: One of the first known references to Military Police is a written order, published over his signature block, by GEN George Washington, "The Provost must be furnished unto him a horse and some men to attend him, as he must correct many and will not be loved."
("--- and will not be loved." may be the understatement of the AWI or any other era!)

yours, satx

 

[tenngun]

I don't know how old my fruit cake is and have not made one for years but think it would be a good field ration. I make it in jan soak it in brandy or rum for a year to serve at Christmas. Its almost a pemmican, mostly candied fruit and suit bound with flour, Its about 1000 calories per slice.

 

[Preacher Jeremy]

Personally, I can't stand fruit cake, :barf: but I can see how it would make good rations, as when made right, it, much like the modern Twinkie, has a half life, not a shelf life, and quick calories are your friend when on the march.

 

[Claude Mathis]

Since the breakfast thread is locked. :idunno:

Threads usually get locked when they stray far from the original topic. A word to the wise. This topic is, "What they carried as Field Rations". :wink:

 

[satx78247]

Do any of you KNOW how far back that food was "canned" for food preservation, whether in glass or metal?

Fwiw, modern MPs eat "field rations" that are NOT too dissimilar from what Rifleman1776 mentioned, with the addition of canned meat/fish. cheese & fresh/preserved fruit, as we MPs move so frequently that access to "mess halls" or "field messing" is "quite a treat".
(I suspect that if a Chasseur of the AWI era was "magically transported" to Afghanistan in 2014, he would recognize MANY of the same rations and the same general sort of missions that he dealt with in the 18th century. = Straggler control, scouting paths of tactical movement, recon missions, security of "lines of communication", giving directions to "lost personnel", Main Supply Route security, guarding facilities/POW/military prisoners, apprehending prisoners/looters/criminals, fighting guerrillas, writing reports, etc. = Little is new in the missions of soldiers in "small unit operations", while "eating on the march", making do with what you can acquire, and "stealing sleep" are the normal methods of dealing with the overall tactical mission requirements.)

just my opinions, satx

 

[tenngun]

I'm thinking middle 1840s without looking it up. They had to be opened with chisles for years. Glass home canning 1870s or 80s. Cans from attic expeditions from the 50s have been found. Early fish cans were sealed with lead solder.

 

[satx78247]

THANKS.

yours, satx

 

[Preacher Jeremy]

Do any of you KNOW how far back that food was "canned" for food preservation, whether in glass or metal?

I'm not sure if it's true or not, but I heard once that Napoleon used canned rations. I suppose I should do some research, as it may turn out to be interesting if true..

 

[pargent]

Napoleon's grand armies were issued mainly bread and worn out oxen and horses ,and they were like a giant plague of grasshoppers on the countryside they passed through .

 

[pargent]

Go to the 40th's (bloodhounds ) facebook site , lots of photos etc .

 

[LaBonte]

Do any of you KNOW how far back that food was "canned" for food preservation, whether in glass or metal? satx

a short history of canned goods http://foodpreservation.about.com/...on-Jars-The-Brief-History-Of-Canning-Food.htm

 

[pargent]

Just rechecked my primary sources , NO mention of bottled foods, some uncooked rice was issued and foraging from everywhere was the main source .

 

[satx78247]

THANK YOU. :hatsoff:

yours, satx

 

[Wes/Tex]

Although it's c. early 1830's (one the oldest written accounts I've got mentioning actual rations) and early Texas rangers, but they're rations amounted to a pound of ground corn that had been heated in sifted ashes from the fire till brown, then sifted out of the ashes. That and a pound of ground coffee beans, both in cloth bags. According to the original source, they didn't bother packing dried meat, game being so common nearly everywhere. Just hop up on ole Sparky and chase after marauding Comanches with as few hanging bags as possible!

Though it's tough to make assumptions about half century earlier, similar would have common during the AWI if corn and coffee was available. Any mobile unit would have scrounged up whatever was around. Since the first MP unit was von Heer's "Provost Corps" and seems to have been recruited from Penn. German population, some of the more common eats from that area might be the first iron rations for that unit!

 

[Sean Gadhar]

"What they carried as Field Rations". :wink:

http://www.qmfound.com/history_of_rations.htm

 

[satx78247]

THANKS, Wes.

Presuming that the MP Regiment's Museum at "Fort Lost in the Woods" records are correct, the FIRST (by about 4-6 months) MPs were called Le Corps des Chasseurs & was first headed by a French "military advisor", who was appointed by Washington's CofS.
(During the war of 1812, we were evidently called BOTH Provosts & Chasseurs, depending on which military organization was being supported by those early troops.)

Note: The use of French titles seems to have been most long-lived in the states south of PA, as "Provost" seems to have SOUNDED "just too British".

yours, satx

 

[satx78247]

Because the MP Corps is relatively small in numbers of personnel, our operational forces are often detached/widely disbursed, heavily populated with civilian police officers from the ARNG & USAR units AND because our organization is still to some degree "ad hoc", what we call "field rations" is NOT & has not been mostly government supplied, but rather whatever our 2-5 person tactical teams CHOOSE to carry in the operational area. - That choice is SELDOM for MREs.
(Particularly CS & Division MP units, especially in "low intensity combat areas", OFTEN go for days without "returning to base" & we have learned over the decades to acquire our own "eat on the fly" food by various means, as government messing facilities/rations are OFTEN unavailable or considered "unpalatable".)

Note: when "military transport tonnage" is limited, we MPs tend to request ammunition & POL as the priority before rations are transported.

yours, satx

 

[Wes/Tex]

Some of the early accounts refer to von Heer's company as "Marechaussee". Though they were most often involved in trying to catch deserters, they did guard the rations wagons at times...and depending how "honest" they were, may have supplemented their own meals. Though, with 4 "excarboniers" ( executioners) in the company, they may have minded their officer's rules more fastidiously! :wink:

 

[satx78247]

THANKS.

The Chasseurs/Provosts/Marechassee were also & OFTEN used to track down Tories/black-marketeers/"line-crossers"/looters/renegades/spies/etc. during the AWI.

yours, satx