Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-30
wHATsoLDIERs, CLoTHEso COST.
Less Than Two Hundred Dollars Al
lowed for Five Years.


lowed for Five Years.
A private soldier in the United States
Army, says the New York Times, receives
$l3 month, rations, medical attendance,
full pay when sick, pension if disabled,
and a certain allowance of clothing. The
pay is the same in all branches of the
service, but the allowance of clothing
materially differs. The soldier enlists for
five years. At the start he is furnished
with a complete outfit, which is renewed,
with the exception of a great-cOat, at
least once during the time he has to serve.
His helmet has to last him until the third
year, when he gets another one. He is
given a forage cap annually, uniform
coat the first. second, and fourth years,
three pairs of trousers the first and third,
and two pairs the second, fourth, and
fifth, making u pairs in all. Eleven
dark blue flannel shirts, 10 undershirts,
and 10 pairs of drawers are expected to
last the five years. He has pair OF boots,
two pairs of shoes, and Gve pairs of
stockings each year. Each year he has a
blouse, and, if he is an engineer or
mounted man, pair of oyeralls. He has
to content himself with a wooden blanket
the first year, and another the third, and
with two rubber blankets, or, if he is a
mounted man, rubber ponchOs, during the
five years. Fifteen white Berlin gloves
are deemed necessary to cover his hands
each year, rights or lefts, whichever he
may need. II he is on duty in extremely
hot climates he may have a cork helmet
instead OF a campaign hat, in his first and
third years, or if he is where be needs
arctic OyershOes or mittens, he is given
one pair of the former in his first and
third years and two pairs of the latter
every II months.
The value OF the clothing allowed each
man varies each year, and depends upon
the rank and duty of the man. A Ser
geant in the Signal Corps gets sos II worth
the first year, $40 80 the second. SAB 10 the
third, $40 80 the fourth, and $50 80 the
fifth, making total of 1928 26. This is
the largest amount allowed to any enlisted
man. chief trumpeter receives $2lS 43
worth for the five years, and private in
the artillery or infantry $l94 80. Wind
apparently is held to be worth more than
muscle.
If man does not draw all the clothing
allowed him, the value of the remaining
is credited to him, and he can get the
money the next year or at the expiration
of his term. Recruiting officers tell can
didates that a careful man should save
from $50 to $75 in this way during his
term. Sometimes the soldier falls among
thieves and pawnsOr sells his clothes, or
he may wear them out or lose them before
he can draw new ones. In that case he
must buy of the Quartermaster. Regular
prices tor each article are therefore fixed
and these the soldier must pay. The pre-
sent price-llst took effect July l. 1888. A
cork helmet costs 81 "A and a fatigue or
campaign hat 90 cents. The hat cord
and tassel for the latter are valued at
cents. For $1l So the warrior can buy
tirst-class gTeat-cOat, and for $40 20
great-cOat canvas-lined. A lined blouse
will draw from his purse SO AZ, and a pair
Of the best kersey trousers, ready made,
81 II; the same kind of trousers cut out
but not made up are 80 cents less. FIan-
mel shirts come at 81 each; undershirts,
sc cents; drawers, 60 cents; wooden stock
ings, 20 cents; cotton stockings, 10 cents:
Berlin gloves, 6 cents each; and wooden
mittens IS cents a pair. His BRASS
screwed boots are appraised at 81 81 II
pair, and his brass-screwed shoes at 81 rs. \
Arctic OvershOes cost SO 40 a pair, and
wooden blankets So "A each. II he in
dulges in the luxury of a handkerchief he
is at liberty to buy it when he chooses, and
of such style as suits his pOcketbook
and fancy. An officer can get dark blue
flannel, IS inches wide, for 81 Is yard:
sky blue kersey for 81 As to 81 30 a ward,
and dark blue cloth for 81 Ga yard.
Camp and garrison equipage is fur
nished by the government, but if lost or
uduldgBu Dy Tue SOlulef ne mas TO pay Tor
it. An iron bunk. without Stats, is worth
81 30, bed-sack 70 cents, and pillow
sack Is cents. The piece of mOsquitO-bar
netting with which he Keeps off insects at
night is priced at 40 cents. He cooks his
food in camp in thirty -eight-cent Kettle
and eats it out of a mess-pan worth a
quarter. His AK costs him 81 cents, and
his Ratchet 40 cents. IT he runs or loses
a drum it will debit him So 3d. The
batter-head he can replace with 81 cents,
and the snare-head with So cents. The
sticks are worth IL cents pair, and a set
of snares the same. fhe is a trumpeter,
the government holds his instrument at
81 u. Tents cost all the way from $45 20
to So 30. A garrison flag is valued at
$67 81 and post flag at $12 90. Scrubbing
brushes may be had for II cents, and corn
brOOms for % cents. A barrack chair,
with a rawhide seat, brings 81 10, and one
with poplar seat is IA cents less. The
buffalo OVercOat, which the government
loans the soldier, is appraised at $12 80;
the fur cap at 81 10, and fur gauntlets are
marked at 81 - a pair.
general officer in camp or garI isOn is
allowed three wall-tents, an AK, and a
Ratchet. An allowance of one Sibley or
cOnical wall-tent is made to every 30 foot
or II mounted men, and a common tent to
every laundress. Each company is given
three corn brOOms and two scrubbing
brushes a month. In barracks, every
non-cOmmssiOned officer above the rank
of Corporal may have a chair. One chair
is provided for every two enlisted men of
all OF hpr grades