The sun., 1883-12-16
WHY SOLDIERS DESERT.
Rad Rnt,ops and Tr~rtmuot-Au EaIisted
Mans Experience In Our Army.


To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: Your
editorial in THE Sun OF Dec 8. entitled Tho
Army Drained by Dcsertion." prompts me to
say few words concerning tho causes that led
TO desertion Mt one army post, namely Fort
McHenry. Baltimore. ] speak from n personal
knowledge of the facts. for l was stationed
there from 1867 to 1870. There are many
reasons that cause soldiers OF the United States
Army to desert but shall confine myself to q
few Of them,
The principal cause. think, is the insufl-
cheney OF and lack of variety In the soldiers ra-
ton II was q common thing. during my three
years term OF enlistment, to hear men COM
planning daily and continually OF hunger.which
seemed never obe appeascd. except at Christ
mas. when the Christian officers and gentle
men" permitted them to have q feast. provided
with their own money! | suppose you are
aware that In the ration issued by q liberal
Government not single vegetable Ia allowed
TO mar the Infinite variety of bean soup ono
end Of the soldiers enlistment. u he does not
desert before his term expires. It.is true there
receiyed from tho auartermaster FOR rSiions not
drawn by tho company, -, for the Gov
e is or shc in soldiers aS few srss
but this fund is in. the hands OF the Captain Of
he comrnny, and. unfortunately, he consults
should be, expended. My company had Two
G,nntans ,nl during ny three years, service. The
tho upper hand OF him, and when he died it
was rnmored that he had converted the com
OF his stomach for stimulants. and allowed the
stomnehs OF his men to 40 empty, Our ncM
icved that cSmrany " ~ fund md was va u"%s aocumnaed
TO buy vnrnish Tor knapsacks hayersacks. DC.
iset@een l1;nn the dude and the drunkard the SOL
Another cause for desertions is the fact that
soldiers are re1uired to perform menial ser
Fnr ..Nl wn IN l.x.
tailed with handcarts and barrels to visit the
garbage from their kitchens. although they
had co!!ored household help. whose duty it
eS ss se
than they had for their hired menials. At
guard mounting every morning the cleancst
man in tho guard. rs he was called, was de-
tailed as orderly for the officer of the day. His
principal duty was to wait on the officers wife.
to 1T him shust like the baper on the vail"
5 and his e4uinments nolished like mirror.
eommissary's or n loaf of bread under his arm
Another cause for desertion is the brutality
of the GERS who seem to think that because
2 man enlisls in the army he must necessarily
belong to a lower order Of creation than them
selves. Yet there were enlisted men at Fort
McHenry during the years mentioned who
were the peers in intel ligence of any. officer at
The claim of Gen. Sheridan that men enlist
to procure transportation TO the West may have
some truth in IT; but That claim Will not ac-
count for tho desertions in the East. During
two months Of 1868 witnessed the drumming
out Of twenty men from Fort McEIenry. but
that did not prevent others from deserting.
donot think tho present pay is enough to
attract good emn to the army. If the army were
reduced to about 1J.0uO or 10000 men. and the
soldiers pay increased to $50 n month. with
good. substantial ration. ! think it would be
more efficient than an army OF twice the num-
Der under the system that now obtains.
hone. in justice to the enlisted men of the
| army. that you NAV think this letter of suf-
n pfnrN tn iriy n fhn nS
| Of your valuable journal. 1t is n few answers,
| from the, enlisted mans standpoint. to the
the army?" You have given the officers an
| swors to the question. Let both sides hc heard
BROOKLYN. Dee. IL. 1888 FoRT MCHENnY.
MiRfNE INTELLIGENCE.