Army·Institutional politics·In Memoriam
Sutler / Post Trader
Served: 1775–1893
Civilian-but-Army-appointed merchants who followed regiments selling whiskey, tobacco, paper, needles, and anything else the Quartermaster didn't issue. The original AAFES.
The Story
A US Secretary of War (Belknap) resigned ahead of impeachment because the appointments to sell groceries to soldiers had become so corrupt it was worth taking bribes over. The PX exists because of him.
Epitaph
“Took the money. Took down the Secretary of War. Got replaced by the PX.”
Sources
- Essential Civil War Curriculumwww.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com
- NPS — Fort Scott Sutlerwww.nps.gov