The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-15
Observation-Disclosures
~ ARHa1OAN sOLDHKDss ACCOUNT OF
HIS ExPERl1NCR

~ AaaHR1OAN sOLDlEess ACCOUNT OF
HIS ExrERlRNCk
Ths Fsaay swssssss, Ussssssaasy 1sA TaSs,
$50 AAsss shss Eater nass . Pvsvase's
Casesr-Ssns IaeiAsass asA AassAstss.
On entering the once ana mating his
wishes known. he rscrutt y taken 10 . side
room. stripped. and examined BY the Doctor.
after which an oatAt Of clothes. consisting Of
blouse. car. drawers. stockinee shirt shoes.
pants. and blanket. In issued to hin. He signs
blank form for the clothes no hes just drawn.
his SIGNATURE being witnessed By tho officer.
note at the bottom OF the form declares that
al Spaces not used 70 denote articles drawn
shall have red Ink line drawn through them.
to prevent any psrson hsving charge OF the
same from inserting other articles Of clothing
than those drawn after the blank has boon
signed This filling II never done. aud whom
the recruit reaches his company he IL apt to
nnd himself charged with clothes hs never
drew. and 10 truly fortunate II the company
commander docs not prefer charges against
him sos dlsposiRg OF clothes hs mover had. A.
thers are several grades Of clothing, he
often gets the poorest and 10 charged
for the best. while when any OF the re-
eruiting squad draw clothes they draw the
best and pay for the poorest. Aitsr
drawing his uniform no 10 informed that no
must dispose Of his citixen's clothing. ~ he
will not be allowed to keep It. Tho sergeant
or one OF his men accom- panies him ~ dsslor
In old clothes. who offers one-twentieth what
his suit Ia worth. He refuses TO part with them
at the price. but L. told by the sergeant that no
cannot be running around town with. him a. no
has other duties to perform. Not wishing 10
mako enemies at the start. he takes what IL
ofersd, knowing he n imposed upon. and 70.
turns to the offico. Had he kept his eyes opsn
he might have seen the old clothes man place q
bill In tho sorgeant's hand. which would plain
why he could got no moro for his clothes.
When. at last. no 10 shipped with number
OF others to the depot. he Ii again examineJ
and having passed. 10 put out to drill. His
drill master. nine times in ten. 10 . Swede. Ger
man. or foreigner Of some sort. Whose slight
fund OF English Is composed principally Of
oaths. Under such teacher he does not pro-
gress very rapidly. for which failing he re-
ceives an annie share OF abuse.
neglected to tell about the cleaning kit sold
to recruits at the depot By tho post sutler. It
consists Of ono clothes brush. ono blacking
brush. hair brush. brass brush two combs. one
towel. one cake Of soap. button stick and small
paper OF tripoii for cleaning buttons. and q box
Of backing. I did not ask tho cost Of the ar
ticles. but on reaching the company found %
charged for suffers kit. Now. emitting tho
brass brush. button stick. and tripolL have
soen the other articles sold In Chatham street
for so cents. and OF u better quality. After the
recruit has reached his company and learned
his drill he is assigned for duty with his COM
pRny and draws another outfit Of clothes. Az
the price Of those clothes Is taken out of his
pay. he usually serves six mon tbs or moro
before he draws any money.
The ration consists OF three. quarters OF q
pound OF pork or bacon or IA pounds Of beef.
when stationed where boei can be obtained.
The officers servants draw their meat first. So
lectlng. OF course. tho choicest parts. and not
until they have their meat eau tho companies
draw any. or course the officers don't take
bone. 30 It is all left for the companies. As no
vegetables are issued by the Government. the
only way to obtain them L. from the sale OF
whatever rations can DO saved such saving be-
Ing principally from pork. sugar. and coffee.
although the allowance Of those articles IL not
any more than sufficient After any rations are
sold tho money IL turned over to the
company commander. for what reason
am sure I don't know a. It docs
not belong to him in any way. and when
the Y wants to make
vs r. Gi s: 3;
the hosa
OF the company eommander's making such
Ss oS 81 ss
no account for them; The QuartermsstePs
Department supplies ink. pens. rulers, chairs.
soreeants oiiice. yet those Articles are re- Also
ARA Ara ih i, Way rom The arst ssrxosass otles @
That OF the company commander The foroGo-
funds arc expsnded, Porhaps, some onieor may
oice furniture. That is s SO. but We Sought n;
oiiice furniture with OUT company funds. and
hE I'm made ou. the blu ,oE
very cold stations It u sometimes twenty-five
ing twenty. only sixteen are issued. the four
ounces sayed being sold, and the money turned
into post funds this being the only wNy that
fund is got sntiroly from the sale Of lSo sa
listed mons rations: During my enlistment
Montana. Alter It was built we cut nop poles s and
den; After VIC MAJ worked the land and s Sfi It
I've Rssai the s aaa we s san
Which bS to fall WREN our CROP Se War
housed. the c?Inmisssnry off,cer put n lock on
tho door and sold us our own vegetables.
charging for potatoes one cent and u half
pound and thon limiting the amount to 40
much m, mmrnth, 80 q to save enough for the
began to rot. and whom the officers would buy
no more and the stuff had become unfit for use.
they issued 1t To the mon only to see 1t thrown
In the slop barrel. mover could find out how
much the officers paid for their vegetables.
The money collected for the sale Of those vegs-
fuel is Just the G same. As the Govsrs Cavern Sa
makes no provisions for army bands besides
paying them regular soldisrs nay. the post or
reRiment8l fund ID called in. and silver instru-
ments, fancy uniforms, and sheet music are
bought besides increasing the musiSians' pay
men, do thslr, duty. Another use Tor
the funds IL 70 buy carpets blinds cushioned
chairs. fancy desks. 6c.. Tor headauarter Offices.
50 as TO mako them pleasant for the officers.
One use know 70 have been made. Of It was
the purchase OF q billiard table Tor the benefit
OF tho enlisted men at Atlanta. The regiment
serving there Of the time being ordered to
Montana. they took the table with them, and
somowhere on the WAY the table must have got
? divorce. for on arrival at the new post It be-
longcd to the Qfiicers. and one OF tho bows
got eight days In the guard house. and had
to nay for having 1t repaired. for tearing tho
cloth. Rsgimentxl funds are collected and eK-
pended In the same ways-ior tho solo benefit
o. the ofIlesrs. sm aware that a donorai Of tho
army made the statement few years ago that
the Officers supported t4S bands. but they DO
for play Ing at their balls. Even the post traders