Manual for Army Cooks/Prepared Under The Direction Of The Commissary General Of Subsistence;
Published By Authority Of The Secretary Of War For Use In The Army Of The United States.
Washington: G.P.O., 1896.

This book represents a small but important body of culinary literature - food for the military. This is a particularly interesting volume. In addition to hundreds of recipes for use in garrison and in camp (permanent, temporary, or on a continuous march), there are discussions and illustrations of ovens, ranges, bake houses, equipment, and utensils. There are suggested bills of fare; hints on purifying water that is muddy, putrid, or salt; securing and transporting rations; how to run a mess; duties of cooks, waiters and others - and so much more.

The majority of recipes in this volume are for cooking in garrison. Just about every recipe in this section (pp.57-201) is made from scratch; canned goods are called for in some recipes in the camp cookery section. But the garrison recipes are what surprises. They include recipes for Kidney Soup, Salt Codfish Hash, Crimean Kebobs, Marrow Bones, Pemmican, Fancy Bacon (New Orleans Style), To Bake or Roast a Quarter of Lamb, Roast Loin of Veal, Baked Venison, Stewed Rabbit, Boiled Okra, Stewed Parsnips, Succotash, Sauerkraut, Stewed Salsify, Fried Mushrooms, Dried Peas and Oatmeal, Stewed Rice, Hominy Grits, Fried Eggplant, both French and Jerusalem Artichokes, Flannel Cakes, Rhode Island Pancakes, Plum Duff, Apple Dumplings, Rice Toad-in-the-Hole, Roly-Poly, Brown Betty, Baked Cracker Pudding, Frijoles, Tamales, Chile con Carne, and Jambalaya.

These are obviously a far cry from today's M.R.E.s (Meals-Ready-To-Eat).

There are also the intriguingly named recipes for Bombshells, Cannon Balls, and Artillery Pie. The discussions on feeding the military man are numerous and interesting. For example, we are informed that "the appetite of men taken from quarters and placed in the field increases considerably for the first few days. Meats that would be indigestible from toughness, and simple dishes often neglected while living in barracks, are eaten with appetite."

Those interested can do further research in similar books published by the American Army and Navy as well as compare volumes published in other countries, such as Great Britain.