Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-05-02
FOOD FOR POWDER.
BNLIsraENTs IN THE ARMY.

There are three recruiting rem .zvous
in New York, where an able bodied man
between the ages Of II and 30 years, OF
good character, may contract to wear
government clothing and carry mus
ket or saber for five years, with privi
lege Of renewal il mutually satisfactory.
The number Of eligible men who pre-
sent themselves for enlistment. Is, at
present, not sufficient to fill the vacan.
cies in The ranks which have occurred
since last year This is said to be the
natural result Of establishing too high a
standard for applicants for enlistment.
The existing prosperity in business
likewise initiates against recruiting.
Good, moral young men, such as are
required by the recruiting officers, can
generally find more desirable employ
ment than five years enlistment in
either branch of the service. Col. Wood,
who is in charge o! the different rem
devious, said "The adjutant-genenls
latest orders were TO the effect that none
but the very best Young men who came
to the recruiting stations should be en-
listed. There is room for many more
men than are being enlisted, both in
the infantry and cavalry, but more are
needed for the latter branch Of the SER
vice. Less than % per cent OF appli-
cants for enlistment are accepted, while
about 5000 Mt least are needed to fill
the vacancies in the rank and file
caused by discharges, dismissals, deser.
tons and death, in order to bring the
number OF enlisted men up to the stan
dard OF $4,000 effective troops.
'Is there any preference indicated for
a particular branch Of the service ?
"Wsll, the majority OF the young men
who enlist want to 60 into the cavalry,
as they naturally suppose that riding
horse makes army life much easier; but
/ think it is the hardest branch OF the
business. Cavalrymen have to perform
all OF an infantryman's duties IN add
ton to taking care OF their horses and
equipments. 1t is, perhaps, the best
branch Of the service, as the greater re-
strictions are placed upon enlistments.
1t is matter OF surprise with me why
the young men unemployed in the cities
do not enlist in the cavalry more than
they do. There is every inducement
offered them. At most Of the garrisons
on the frontier, libraries and other com.
forts have been established for the men,
and every effort is made to help and i'm
prove the soldier. Since joined my
regiment at Corpus Christi in 1915 /
have never known the soldier to be him
dered if he wanted to push himself
ahead. and since then the service has
improved immensely. There is now
good chance for petty officers TO rise to
regular commissions. -Four sergeants
are before the board here now, who will
probably he promoted to lieutenancies.
81 remember after the close of the
Mexican war it was very difficult To
get troops, on account OF the Caliior-
mia gold fever which had just broken
out, and, mp TO the commencement OF
the rebellion the demand for men was
so great that but little trouble could be
taken outside Of ascertaining the physi
cal condition of recruit. Good bone
and sinew were all the moral character
required. II man was sound and sober
when he presented himself to the re-
cruiting officer, unmarried, and said
he was between 81 and 80 years of age,
his chances of becoming soldier was
pretty certain. Healthy Germans used
to be often enlisted, as we'll as other
foreigners, who at one time outnumbered
the native.born soldiers four to one, but
since 1864 the Americans are ten to one
over foreigners"
Newly enlisted recruits are sent from
the rendezvous to the military depots,
either at Dayid's Island, Long Island
sound, or at Columbus, Ohio. They
join their regiments in the West about
four months after signing the articles.