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looking forward |
View
looking aft |
| Hot food was prepared on the camboose, a big wood burning stove located in the forward section of the gun deck. It was the only place an open fire was allowed on board, and just forward of this was the only place below decks where Sailors and Marines were allowed to smoke tobacco. The aft section of this stove served as the armorer's forge or could be used to roast meat. To permit efficient food distribution, the crew was divided up into "messes" that were made up of eight to ten men. Each mess was numbered and they often became tightly knit -- messmates took care of each other. The diet primarily consisted of soups and stews to satisfy the more than 400 robust appetites. Meals normally consisted of meat, dried peas or beans, soft tack (or bread) while it lasted then dried hard tack. When available, vegetables such as potatoes would also be served. The meat was either beef or pork and was preserved in salt. An important part of a cook's task was to first soak the salted meat in the "harness cask," to steep the salt out. Large quantities of cordwood were required to be stored in the hold to provide fuel for the galley stove. |
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