Combat Food: Analysis and Deadly Failure

The major development of the period between the Civil War and the Spanish-American War was the growing realization that even the full army ration had deficiencies. In 1875 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, an analysis was made of the food that startled many by concluding that the American ration was below the English ration in the critical area of energy value. The report went on to say that the American ration was particularly lacking in fresh vegetables and milk, which led to the physical deterioration of the men.