COMMISSARY (Er. commissaire, ML. com wissarius, commissary, one intrusted with a com mission). An officer of the Subsistence Depart ment of the United States Army. This bureau is organized to provide for the distribution and expenditure of funds appropriated for the food of enlisted men, and for purchasing articles kept for sale to officers and men. The department comprises: one commissary-general; two assist ant eommissary-generals, with rank of colonel; three assistant commissary-generals, with rank of lieutenant-colonel; nine commissaries, with rank of major; eight commissaries, with rank of captain; 200 eommissary-sergeants, post and regimental; making a total of 223, all ranks, The eommissary-general furnishes lists of all articles kept for sale and gives instruction for procuring, distributing, issuing, selling, and accounting for all subsistence supplies. Pur chasing commissaries make purchases of supplies and distribute them as directed; and upon direct calls of chief commissaries they transfer to com missaries of posts and stations such funds from the appropriations for the subsistence of the army and such authorized sub,istence supplies as chief commissaries, under instructions from de partment commanders, deem necessary. Com missaries are required to make timely requisition and estimates, subject to approval by their com manding officers, for funds and supplies for the troops with which they serve, forwarding them, through the regular military channel, to the chief commissaries. Post coin az issary-scrycants
are appointed from the enlisted men of the army; only those being qualified who have served at least five years, during three years of which they must have held non-commissioned rank. The appointment is usually bestowed as a reward to faithful and well-tried sergeants. At military posts and stations and in the field. the regimental commissaries, who are officers of the rank of captain and are appointed to the regimental staff for a term of four years by the commanding officer, assisted by regimental oommissary-ser geants, perform their duties in the subsistence department at the headquarters of their regi ment. Regimental commissary-sergeants of in fantry and cavalry regiments belong to the non commissioned staff. There is one to each regiment. The duties of the commissary, in the English Army, are performed by the Army Ser vice Corps; and regimentally, by the regimental quartermaster, assisted by his quartermaster sergeant.