The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-27
RECRUITING FOR UNITED STATES ARMY,
Rendezvous in New York-Infantry, Artillery
and Cavalry Arms-The Men Who Enlist
Depot in Hudson street-Dessrtisns-
Troops In the Southern States

elusive OF officers. To keep 1t up to this figure
CURES constant recruiting In every part OF tho
country Our army differs from most others by the
large number that is lost by assertions The term
OF service being five years, the force Ia reduced
several thousand annually by discharges, and the
deaths must amount to no inconsiderable number:
but 1t Is by assertions that the rank and file "a most
depleted. General Hazen, Colonel Of the sixth
infantry, who recently published work on the
French war, estimates that it requires about four
thousand recruits yearly to maintain the United
States army up to the legal strength but In conse-
quence Of soldiers deserving their coors nearly az
many more are needed, and yet the regiments are
hardly ever full. There altogether forty regl-
ments-ten cavalry, six artillery and twenty five
infantry. or these four are colored-two infantry
and two cavalry. There are, besides, the engineer
corps and the ordnance department, numbering
when full 1926 enlisted men. regiment OF cavalry
consists OF twelve troops, having lob enlisted
men; q regiment Of artillery, two batteries and ton
companies, TAO men, and regiment Of infantry ten
companies, sos men.
RENDEZVOUS IN NEW YORK.
Recruiting Is a most important branch OF tho
service. 1t Is under the general SUPPLEMENTARY
Of Colonel Jefferson @. Davis whose Office is at the
headquarters Of the Department Of the East In this
city. As recruiting offices are open In all the prn-
opal cities and towns OF the country the sphere OF
his duties extends all over the Union. The colored
infantry regiments are full, and the mounted ones
require but few recruits. However, the Southern
States are preferred for raising negro troops, and
1t occurs but rarely that any OF that race offer
themselves In the North or West Bya recent
order from the Adjutant Generals ONCE, tho
standard height for all OF the service is fixed
at Ave feet four inches, but this does not apply to
musicians or recruits for cOOred regiments, the
former regulation concerning whom remains In
force. There are two principal recruiting rem
devious In New York-one for the artillery and In
fantry and one for cavalry Men are not taken for
any particular regiment. They have to enlist for
general service.
THE INFANTRY ARMY.
The infantry rendezvous In charge OF Captain
Charles A. Wickoff and one non-commissoned on
Ger and three privates, Is on Walker street. near
Elm. There are two sub-oflces at No. Q Centre,
street and 1874 Pearl street. Men who presens
themselves at the latter places are conveyed to
Walker street for examination. Here surgeon
is In attendance daily, and II the men desiring to
join the army are acceptable they are at once con-
veyed to Governors Island to receive their uni
forms and learn their duties before being assigned
to regiments. Their stay at the Island depends q
good deal upon circumstances, but it generally ex-
tends to six weeks or two months. The examina-
ton Of recruits is very rigid, and a good deal IL
left to the discretion Of the officers In acceptIn
even II their physical condition is satisfactory,
The government has lost so much by desertons
that only persons Of presumably fair character viii
be taken. General Hazen, before mentioned. be-
leves tina recruits should be required to prove
good reputation, give their true names, residence
and the names OF parents or relatives obtained
The fear of the disgrace that would follow the pub
licaton Of the names Of soldiers abandoning their
colors would, in his opinion, have good eject.
PEOPLE WHO WISH TO ENLIST
In large city like New York great variety Of
persons offer themselves for enlistment. Men OF
various natiOnalites, divers occupations and from
many motives desire to enter the army. The pay ia
fair and each years service increases the amount.
The government allow good clothing, ratons and
medical attendance, though 1t has to be stated that
In letter lately published, written by General
Custer that officer gives a reason for discomfort
among his men and consequent assertions that the
that the contrsctors s' were alone to bIame. The
Germans prepOnderate In the recruits that pass,
the Irish come next and then natives OF the United
States. The latter, 1t Is noticed, join the
army in greater numbers than before tho
war: Frenchmen do not appear to relish
are outnumbered by Italians and Scandinavian
1t ia very rare to find Spaniard or Russian In tho
army, but they not scarce in the navy. English
and Scotch not at all numerous, but has been
found that natives OF the British islands VINO had
without obtaining permission and were then re-
captured, are not unwilling to take service In the
United States b But they carry brand on their
have gone so lar as to cut the piece of marked flesh
clean out Of their bodies, but the surgeons nyari
men offer monthly Of whom seventy-fve per cent
are rejected. The number who find their way from
this city to Governors Island, therefore, averages
ten or twelve weekly. The recruits from the In
terror Of the State and from New Jersey increase
this figure considerably.
The principal recruiting rendezvous for tho
mounted service Is at ia Hudson street. 1t is in
charge OF Captain II. v. Sumner, who has with him
three n0n-cOmmissiOned officers and six privates.
There is sub-oice at 100 Chatham street and anO-
Their at the corner OF Canal street aud the Bowery.
The recruits as fast as enlisted are uniformed, fed
and lodged In the building on Hudson street. the
II is more or less OF Sarrack. for sentinel waIks
past at the entrance, and the men While there are
taught portion OF their duties. Up TO about q
for cavalry men raised in the North and East but
at that time 1t was transferred to this city, where 1t
has remained since. The chief depot in the United
States for this arm is at the arsenal St. Louis Mo-
to which place the recruits are sent from New
thirty. At st. Louis they are assigned to regiments
In the same way as recruits are allotted TO artillery
and Infantry regiments at Governors Island,
Within few weeks 100 men were sent to the head
quarters OF the Fifth Infantry at Fort Leavcnworth,
Kansas, and loo to the Fifteenth infantry in Color-
ado. Lieutenant J. II. Mahnken performs the duty
OF Assistant Quartermaster and ComInissary ut the
cavalry rendezvous.
The mounted service Is somewhat more success
full in obtaining men than the infantry. though the
pay is the same in both arms. knowledge OF the
English language IL requisite and the medical ex-
animal Is fully as strict. Recruiting In the SUM-
mer is generally dull but goodly number OF suit
able men keep continually Offering themselves.
Three months ago there were 100 men In the build
ing on Hudson street awaiting transportation to
st. Louis, and a party of thirty left on Wednesday
last for the same point. The average number who
enlist In this city monthly is sixty, and as the re-
cruiting parties In Boston and Albany send their
men to New York the total reaches one hundred
o much higher figure than what the infantry and
artillery rendezvous can show. knowledge Of
Is not essential but men oil light and
active physique are preferred. The recruits are
made up Of Germans Irish and Americans In the
same proportions as In the other arms, but some
French who served In the late war have enlisted in
the cavalry during the past lew weeks. The ord
nance Department has recruiting ONCE in the
city, but only men with some mechanical knowi
edge are accepted.
STATIONS OF REGIMENTS