Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-10-10
STAR.
Promotions from the Rank and File Of the
army. -+
The following " General ORDERS" which are
being issued from the War Department, are of
great public interest

being issued from the War Department, are of
great public interest
ADJuTANT GENERALS OFFICE,
No. H. Washington, Oct 4, 1851.
The following regulations have been estab-
iished to carry out the provisions of the 5th
section OF the act of Angus 4, 1854, relative
to the promotion of fnon-commissioned officers
IAN Army Board, composed of four rank
will be convened, annually, on the first Mon
day in September, in the city of Washington
for the examination of such non commissioned
officers as may be ordered to appear before
them by the War Department.
2-To aid the Department in the selection
OF proper Candidates for promotion, company
commanders will report TO their Colonsls al,
such non commissioned officers as, in their
opinion, by educatiOn conduct, and services
seem to merit advancement In these reports
| must be set forth description of the candi-
date, his length of service as non commissioned
othcer and as private soldier, his character as
TO hdeiity and sobriety his physical quaiifiea-
tl0ns and mental abilities, the exte ut TO which
his talents have been cultivated, and his fitness
generally to discharge the duties of commits
stoned ofi,er. If recommended on account OF
| merltorlous services, the particular service,
referred TO must be stated in detail On re-
celVlng the reports of company commanders,
the Colonel will assemble Board. to consist
OF four officers of his regiment, of as hi gh rank
| as the convenience of the service will admit,
| to make preliminary examination into the
claims and qualifications of those non-com-
| mlssloned officers who may appear to him de-
| serving promotion. Where the Colonel has
not authority to convene such Board, the regi
mental ofhcers necessary 10 form it will OF
application to the proper Department com
| mander, be placed subject to his orders The
| Board, constituted as above, will submit a full
statement in the case of each candidate ex
| amined; and on these statements the Colonel
| will endorse his remarks and forward them
through the Head Quarters of the Army, to
the Adjutant General, to be laid before the
Secretary of War.
The foregoing reports must be trans
| mitted In time TO reach Washington by the lst
day OF May in each year, and such non COIN
| lnissl ned officers as the Secretary Of War NAV
consider suitable candidates for promotion viii
! receive orders from the Adjutant General s
once to present themselves for examin alton
by the board to be convened on the first Mon
day In September following As u general
rule one-fouFth of the vacancies occurring an.
| nually in the Army will be tiled from the non
commissioned grades. The persons thus ap
pointed shall, as far as practicable, be at
| tached to the regiments in which their meri-
torIous services had been rendered and will
thereafter succeed to vacancies in their par.
ticular arm of service according to seniority.
4-No candidate will be examined who is
married; who is under twenty or over t. enty-
elght years OF age; who, in the judgment of
the board, has not the physical bi!Ity to en-
dure the exposures Of service who has any
deformity of body, or whose moral habits are
bad.
5.-The board, being satisfied of these pre.
llminary points, will proceed to examine each
candidate separately:
First. In his knowledge of Eoglish gram
mar, and ability to read and write with facil-
ity and correctness. -.
Second: In dis knowledge of arithmetic
and his ability in the application of It's rules
to ali practical questions and in his knowi.
edge OF plain and solid geometry
Ihlrd. In his knowledge of geography, par.
ticularly in reference to the northern conip, MT
| of America, and in his ability 10 solve the
usual problems on the terrestrial globe; also,
IN ms knowledge OF what is usually denonli-
mated popular astronomy
Fourth In his knowledge of history. mar
ticulariy In reference to his own country
tltth. In his knowledge of the Constitution
OF the Onlted States, and of the organizatieD
OF the Government under it, and of the general
principles which regulate inleraaiioD al inter-
course.
6-After having completed the examina-
uoh OF all candidates who have presented
themselves, the board will then submit their
names to the Var Department in order of rel
auve merit In determining this order the
board will consider eight as the maximum OF
the first, fourth, and fifth herds and Ten as the
maximum of the second and third heads; and
no candidate will be passed by the board who
shall not have received 1T Ieast half the num-
Der OF maximum marks on each head or SUBJ
Ject OF examination ; and any candidate having
passed, who is also graiua'e from any col
iege, shall be- allowed live additional marks in
his favor, which shall be taken into the ac-
count Of his general merits
I'm order to give effect, as early rs prac-
tlcable, to the intention Of the law the first
general examination Of non commissioned ofii-
cets, except such as are serving in the Depart.
nent OF New Mexico, will take place at Wash
,ngton on the second Monday of January next.
those serving in New Mexico will be examined
the first Monday in j June following. OoloneIs
will accordingly take immediate measures for
forwarding, due season, the reports neces-
Sary to aid in the selection Of proper candi-
dates to be brought before these first two
Boards Of examination.
By order OF the Secretary of War:
5. COOPER, Adjutant General