Bread was a staple of the soldier's diet. His daily ration (18 ounces) was baked in ovens here by bakers chosen from each company on a bi-weekly basis.

All soldiers took their turn at baking bread. One baker was expected to turn out 200 loaves per baking, enough to supply a two-company (100 men) post for two days. The baker's duties included heating the ovens, making yeast, mixing, kneading and shaping the dough, proofing and baking the loaves, and policing (cleaning) the premises.

The army did not issue recipes for making bread until late in the 19th century. It is, therefore, not surprising that medical officers found both good and bad bread on the mess table. In the 1850s the most reliable test for determining whether flour would make good bread was to squeeze a handful. If it adhered slightly to the hand and retained its shape, it was good. The baker's skill however was recognized as critical to good bread baking.

The Quartermaster would issue to the bakery a 196 pound barrel of flour as needed. This barrel of flour could yield 233 rations, or 262 pounds of stale bread. The men were not allowed to eat fresh baked bread unless it had been toasted; stale bread was thought to be better for digestion.

At the end of a day of baking, a sergeant would check to make sure that the proper amount of rations (233) were produced from the 196 pound barrel of flour. Anyone caught eating fresh bread would be punished.