Iron rations are compact stores of hardtack, salt pork, dried peas, and fat, bound tight in cloth for campaigns and long marches. A single ration sustains one soldier for a day of heavy labor. The components are rock-hard and demand soaking or long cooking; eaten dry, they sit heavy in the belly. These rations are issued to military units and long-distance caravans where weight and durability matter more than taste.
Rations, Iron
Compact military bundle of hardtack and salt pork, sustains one day.