sutler

[ suht-ler ]

/ ˈsʌt lər /

(formerly) a person who followed an army or maintained a store on an army post to sell provisions to the soldiers.

Origin of sutler

1580–90; < early Dutch soeteler (now zoetelaar), equivalent to soetel(en) to do dirty work, work poorly (akin to soot) + -er -er¹

sut·ler·ship, noun

So they all gathered at the sutler's store, to celebrate events with a round of drinks.

Vanished Arizona |Martha Summerhayes
The credit a Sutler was obliged to give was often as long as a plea in chancery.

The Army Mule and Other War Sketches |Henry A. Castle
Paying over the money, the sutler would throw the cloth behind the box, and continue his trade with those in front.

History of Kershaw's Brigade |D. Augustus Dickert
Clavering, however, was not the man to remain a sutler very long.

Mrs. Darrell |Foxcroft Davis

We have a fighting strain in us ever since my kinsman followed Ireton's army as a sutler.

Micah Clarke |Arthur Conan Doyle

sutler

/ (ˈsʌtlə) /

(formerly) a merchant who accompanied an army in order to sell provisions to the soldiers

sutlership, noun

C16: from obsolete Dutch soeteler, from Middle Low German suteler, from Middle High German sudelen to do dirty work; related to soot, seethe