Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-11-28
About War.
RANK. AND INSIGNIA OF RANK.

pay d,perd on his tank-that is, upon the
Office that I've l,lls. II he Is private SOL
dier, he has no power or authority. He
has only TO obey orders. Above the pri-
vate soldier there are more than dozen
ranks or grades of oAicers. going up from
the Corporal to the Lieuienant-General
Every officer is required to wear some-
thing while on duty, tha, shows just what
his rank is. These are called the badges
or insignia Of rark. When you meet
man in the stFeets at home, you can; tell
| by his dress whether he is a lawyer, or a
doctor, or farmer; whether he Is a rich
man or poor man. But the moment you !
meet soldier, you can tell whether he is a
private or an officer, and if an officer just
what his rank and pay are--that i, if you
understand all about these badges or insig-
MIA of sank. Let me, then, explain them
to yopE
Officers are either commissioned or non
commissioned. The commissioned osEcers
are appointed by the Governors of the
States in the volunteer army, and by the
President insthe regular ARMY. There are
nine grades of commissioned officers, whose
pay ranges from 500 month up to near
iy $500.
The commissioned officers all wear shoul-
deE-straps. These are pieces of cloth one
aud three-eighths of an inch wide and four
inches long, hordered with an embroidery
Of gold quarter of an inch wide. The
, color of the cloth in the shoglder-strap tells
to which arm of the service the officer be-
! longs. In the artillery the cso4h is scarlet
{ in the isSantry it is light blue, and in the
cavalry it is yellow. Geaeral officers that
: staff officers of Generals, wear dark blue
; shoulder-straps.
!. A Second-L Lieutenant, who is the lowest
!. commissioned oiicer, has nothing inside of
: the gold bordering Of his shsulder-straps.
i A First Lieutenant has a little gold en-
a broidered bar just inside of each end of the
:, border Of his straps, and parallel with the
Il end, A Captain has two such bars in each
e end that is, four in each strap. A Major
1t has, instead of the bars OF god, gold en-
s broidereG leaf in each end of each strap.
4. A Lieutenant. Colonel has silver embroi-
l. Gered leaf in each end of each strap. A
.e Colonel has q silver embroidered eagle in
I. the middle Of each strap. A Rrigadier.
Il General has silver embroidered star witt
10 fse rays in the place of the eagle. A Ma
le ior- General has two such stars in each strap
in A Liesteaant-G General has three stars, ih'
m center one being larger than the other two
* Whenever you see man with s-oulder
ne straps on, you know he is commissioner
n officer; and you can tell what arm of tn
ry service he belongs TO by tie color OF tn
cloth in his straps, and what his rank is b
at what is worked or embroidered inside G
/ the border of his straps.
,st Non-commissioned officers all wear ehey
n rons upon both sleeves of their coats, be
be tween the elbow and the shoulder. Thes
ot ehesrons are made Of silk or worsted bind
so ing half an inch wide. In the artillery th
It's binding is scarlet in the infantry light blue
is and in the cavalry yellow. The chevron j
- in the form of a letter A tRrned upsid
BY down. The point or angle of the A bein
st towards the elbow.
MT A Corporal has two bars of werstel
re binding on each sleeve. A Sergeant ha
re three bars. An Orderly Sergeant has thre
" bars and a lozenge or diamond above then
mt in the open angle which they make. A
ut Ordnance Sergeant, who has charge of tn
EFF ammunition, has three bars and star i
be silk binding. A Quartermaster's Sergean
NV has three bars and tie in silk. A Ser
geant Major has three bars and an are owe
;es them in silk. A Hospital Steward has
ID. half che1roa of green cloth on each arm
m. and I" Caduceus," or snake twisted aroun
es a rod, embroidered in yellow silk.
re The non-commissioned officers are ar
.ir pointed by the Colonel of the regiment, an
may be reduced to the ranks, that is, mad
private soldiers again, whenever he think
that they neglect their duty or are guilty
irl any crime. The Corporals get no moi
to pay than privates--namelv Sl3 a montl
offs The Sergeants get sl7 a month. The o
on deily and Hospital Steward S20 III
'as Sergeant Major and Qaartermaster Sc
'ui geani sci.
he You see that there is great different
between the pay of commissioned an
ew non commissioned officers. But the MOI
ne, commissioned officers are supplied by ii
Government with food called /" ralious
ed. the army, and with s42 worth of clothir
he every year. The commissioned Office
nd have to feed and cloIhe themselves. Th
makes the difference less than what it seen
rts to be at frs. and yet it is too great. I'll
rid duties Of many non-eomnissioned Office
cir are very laborious and responsible.
- The principal Surgeon of a regiment ranl
"a Major the Second Surgeon as Cal