Rice Bag and Markings

[63rdGuy]

At a local event this weekend I was going to distribute rice as a ration. What kind of packaging would have been used (I assume a cloth sack of some sort) and how would it be labeled? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

[lincolnsguard]

Rice would have come in bags of some weight, or barrel. When this product was distributed by the QM, it would have been scooped onto or into what ever the company provided to put it into, and ergo; from the company to the individual into what he supplied himself to put it into. As per regs, measure the rice out into piles on a gum blanket and let the individual soldiers deal with it from there. There's a reason the bag inside a haversack is called a "rice bag." Kautz goes over the process in his book.

So, you should have your rice in a let's say, 20 pound bag. If you have 20 guys you are issuing rice, coffee, sugar and crackers to for the weekend, on a gum blanket you'd put 20 piles of rice, coffee, sugar and crackers, all together as one soldiers rations. The Soldiers line up, pick their pile, and do with it from there what they will. You want to really have some fun? Take molassas and issue them each 4 ounces or so, this would be separate from their pile on the gum, watch where they put it. Usually in their cup or directly into their stomach.

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




Clear as mud, right?

[flattop32355]

The alternative to letting the men fight over who gets which "pile" is to have an officer/NCO point with his sword/ramrod to a given pile and ask, "Who gets this ration?" An NCO, with the company roster and his back turned to the rations, randomly calls out a name and checks it off on the roster. That man gets that ration, and the question is repeated until all rations are accounted for.
It can make for some interesting humor and grousing, depending upon the quality of the pile you get.

[lincolnsguard]

Bernie, all that and a bag of donuts is 'splained in the link I posted. This can be a good "period" experience if performed correctly. Imagine your "salt pork" being a hoof. Yes, it happened.