New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-04-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

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loom and bis bone in Paisley, some eighty ears since
and arrived in New-York in the summer of 1S45. Not
finding any employment to his mind and having seen
service in the British army he was tempted by the pros
pect of fair pay and good treatment to enlist in the
United States Service His first experience was at the
RENDEZVOUS on Governors Island to which he was taken
the evening after his enlistment His description OF
one day of soldiers life does not present very fater-
! ing picture Of that vocation.
We were reused next morning by the revoile, which IS
always beat little before sunrise Having got mp with the
assistance of good naured recruit who happened 10 look
into tent rolled up mattresses, and ioded me
blankets according Ia regulation and them falling into the
ranks formed in front Of the tents answered TO our names
as they were called by the sergeant who had charge of as
All hands then distributed in separate parties each
party in charge Of corporal to police or clean round
the garrison. portion of this duty AZ which the recruits
grumbl loudly and which soon learned was one of >eve
raj standing grievances Of which they complain being
to the barrack square where company called the per
manent company, Stationed "A the recruits lay IN
tents outside and NJ considerable distance from The bar
racks they naturally felt indignant at the unjust degradation
TO which they were subjected in being compelled every
morning To act scsvcngng commission for the p"rn
company The refusal to obey orders caused by this
foolish regulation the of many OF the recruits
being confined in the guard house while was ON the island
At six o'clock were assembled and formed into squads
for drill then drilled until seven when we were
dismissed
At Il o'clock at beat of drum, again fell into the
NJ TO the collar The roll again called after which
we were marched TO the cook house to breakfast 1t Is
rule in the American service thai soldiers snail breakfast
dine and sup in the cook house very absurd ana neon
veuieut regulation for which never heard s1istlcto
~ reason assigned Our breakfast consisted of six ounces
OF bread slice of salt pork and pint OF TX unpaa;a
bic coffee totally innocent of the useless extravaganza OF
mix. instead Of which were rermtted 10 season our
sumptuous fare with vinegar at discretion large black
bottle p Of that coDdment being placed at each end oI
the table
Alter breakfast the sergeant in charge of tire recruits
took and the others who over On the previous
evening TO the clothing store where each received the oE
lowing articles Of clothing forage cap leather stock,
jacket and trousers Of coarse blue cloh two cotton Shirts
two pairs Of socks pair of hall boots blanket great
coat 4 knqpsack, and hayersack Having brushed our
clothes, cleaned the metal buttons ot our packets and pot
ished our boots 10 o'clock again tell into the ranks
for inspection and drill After 4 minute inspection by the
officer who had in charge to that we were smart and
clean in appearance formed into number OF
separate squad, for drill those who had joined earliest aud
consequently the most forward with their drill, beng
placed in the first squad and 50 on in sSon The other
two recruits, Murphy and tnnean and my H. were turned
to corporal named Bright to be taught the prennn
steps of a soldiers drill the position of 4 soldier or
the manner in which soldier should stand in the ranks;
the acing" mode of turning the heels 70 the sht
or left with slow marching and few OF those things when
usually the of instruction with recruits
Having been well drilled while serving in the British army
found no difficulty III acquiring my Gri on me i'n me
systems OF English and American drill being essentially
the therefore escaped good deal of that annoy
which recruits often subject upon first Joining
the army, and which frequently proceeds from the iSno-
rance or bad temper of the non-commssiOned officer APP
pointed TO drill them The proper combination OF ntei
eence rmncss and mldnes of manner requisite to form
good drill instructor is of rare occurrence, ana OWING to
this cause, many young and high spirited recruit discour
aged and freed by the bullying and clustering tone OF those
who ought to be his patient instructors tempted to desert
the service when, with proper treatment he might have
been made good and efficient soldier.
At IL o'clock, the squads were dismissed and the
greater part of the recruits who possessed money or had
credit at the suffers store went over to to buy crackers
and cheese pies and other eatables and to drink cider
ginger and root beer all of which articles with Tobacco and
several other neccsare sold there at the sght adj
vance olOo per cent upon the price at which similar com
modities could be purchased ia New York
The suffers store is shop kept in every garrison, and is
somewhat similar to cantren in the British service only
the suffers stores prohibited from selling spirits Re
cruts arriving AZ the Island were allowed credit m me
suffers store t. the of So which sum, the amount
taken by the recruit. RENTED by the captain OF ms
Company on the first payday after he joined his regiment
Those recruits who had exhausted their credit at the store
either went to their tents or lay stretched ON the grass,
under the fine shady trees that ornamontod the parade
ground reading doing, smoking and chatting accord
At - o'clock the dinner call beat ifer and drummer
playing the regulation tune the Roast Beef OF Old
England We again fell into the ranks, outt0ncd mp as
breakfast roll CALL and having answered our names were
marched to the cook house 10 dinner. This meal con
sisted of six ounces of bread slice OF salt pork and
basin of bean soup This compound very salt, and
very fat and contained quantity of hafboiled beans
have strange and rather unnyitng dishes both
before and since but anything utterly unpaatable
the beansoup of Governors Island few of the more
vcrdant OF the trecruts occasionally swallowed portion
of IT, under the false impression that II WAS species of
military soup which might possess some hidden nutritious
virtues though snglary uninviting in taste and APP
pearance For this venal however they pretty
sure 10 suffer moderate degree OF penance until led
by experience to their mistake. The old and more
experienced hands usually preferred TO wash down their
dry vctuals with drink of water that the quantity of
Spartan broth and salt pork daily left on the dinner table
of the recruits quite fact easily cited TO
retute any complaint OF an insufficient dietary.
NJ clock again fell in for drill and were dismissed
at y and at O'Clock were marched as before 10 the
cook house which consisted ounces OF
bread and pint of coffee. need not insist upon the made
quacy the diet furnished the recruit both regards
quantity and quality at Governors Island where complete
organization 10 exist tor the purpose OF rob6ng the
recruit and disgusting him with the service nj the very
outset The diet and general treatment are much better
when the soldier Joins his company: although am tree 20
confess that throughout the service generally very wide
field still remains for Improvement; am aware that II VIII
to many thing quite incredible, that IN country
Astounding as America does with cheap food, standard
grievance with the soldiers should be the which
they fed it is fact nevertheless, quite notorious 20
every soldier who has served the American army
After supper we usually had interval Of until nine
O'Clock Now the sweet OF the night while the old
and sedate portion of the recruits stroed along the foot
walks that inersect the island small parties
versng in front of their tents the younger and more volatile
among them engaged in variety Of pasimes and
ments Football eapipg wrestling, tOotraclng, eaptroS,
throwing the stone, dancing when music could be pro
cured few Of the prominent Of the diversions
commonly resOrted Later in the evening. after having
answered retreat which beat precisely
sunset groups assembled round the tent doors smoke
humorous formed the staple of these social entertainments,
except with the German portion OF the recruits who having
been taught 10 sing in their national schools had acquired
refined ear, and taste for music OF rather superior
quality They generally arranged therefore separate
party forming very easing concert among themselves
by singing their national songs these, when heard little
distance off on stilevenng had very beautiful and
harmonious effect At nine O'Clock we Tell H. TO answer
our names az tattoo roll call when the drums and ties
played few merry tunes which the roll clel aud
ewere then dismissed 70 bed About fifteen minutes wore