Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-11-10
OUR STANDING ARMY.
LIFE AT THE VARIOUS FORTS AND
 MILITARY STATIONS.


 MILITARY STATIONS.
 How the Common Soldier Is Employed
 in Time of Peaee-From Reveille to
 Tsps-Guard Duty-DiscipIine-SOl
 at School.
 A detailed description of the duties of soldiers, even in peace times, would re- Quire too much time and space, but a gen. eral idea of the daily routine will correct the erroneous impression so generally en- tertained that a soldiers life is one of idleness Reveille is sounded at or near sunrise, the exact time varying somewhat st different posts. At the first note the garrison flag is hoisted. All soldiers on duty must turn out in ranks at this and other roll caRs. Drill for an hour or more follows soon after, at time fixed by the commanding officer. The ceremony of guard mounting takes place at o'clock; fatigue call comes next in order (the sick call which intervenes not being, of course, a call for duty, when such men consist ing of the old guard and others designated in turn perform the necessary fatigue and police duty of the post. At II o'clock first sergeants' call is sounded, when those functiOuaries repair to the adjutant's of flee for the perfecting of the rolls of the sergeant major, thus enabling him to keep his roster correctly, and also to TO ceive such information and instructions as may be necessary concerning then troops, batteries or companies.
 Dinner is at noon. At an hour desig. mated by the post commando, afternoon drill call Is sounded, when the troops ex ercise in such maneuvers as are pre- scribed. Dress parade usually takes place just before sunset, and is so timed that retreat is sounded just after the troop beats off during that ceremony. The flag is lowered at the last note of retreat. Supper soon follows dress parade. Tat too roll call is at Q o'clock and taps or lights out half an hour later. While attendance at religious ceremonies is not compulsory in the army, many of the men attend divine service at those posts, of which there are thirty-four, that have chaplains, and more observance is given to the day than was the case in former years.
 GUARD DUTY.
 Men are detailed for guard duty with such frequency as the strength of the force at the post where they are stationed renders necessary. There are three re- liefs of prescribed number of men, with one corporal to each relief and one ser geant of the guard. Two hours on one post and four hours of, during the tour of tweuty-four hours, is the anvarying routine. Each sentinel is instructed by the officer of the guard, who Is a leuten- ant, under authority of the officer of the day, ''tO take charge of this post and all government property in view; salute all officers according to rank; in case of fire alarm the guard, and such other or ders as are deemed necessary are given. The order is given to the sentry on No. ''to turn out the guard for all general officers, the commanding officer, the officer of the day, and for all armed Tarties." Any breach of discipline while on guard Is an agra 'atiOn of the offense, and it be- hOoves the soldier to have his wits about him and to attend strictly to duty during his tour. Guard duty is, like the reading of the Koran, an endless task.
 Our military posts are in many in- stances isolated communities in them selves, and in many respects es different from civilian settlements or villages as can well be imagined. There are post schools, at which enlisted soldiers can, If so disposed, pick up fair common school education during one term of enlistment. The subject of compulsory education in the army has been exhaustively discussed Of late, and so accomplished an officer as Drevet Maj. Gen. James B. Fry has given tt at his opinion that enlisted men should not be compelled against their wills to attend post schools.
 SCHOOL HOURS.
 School hours for soldiers are from half an hour after retreat until tattoo roll call. The post schools are not at present kept up to the standard of excellence intended by the provisions of the law, and at many i-o~ts che iStt0s If si-s law Alone k ob- served.
 The men of the army have various amusements, which, however, vary much at different posts. Amateur theatricalS and minstrel performances are of frequent occurrence at some during the winter months. The post and the company libraries are sources of comfort to soldiers, and gymnAstic exercises, field sports and athletic games serve to amuse them Craftsmanship may be said 10 have begun with the advent of the foreign team that came here fifteen years ago. Such devel- opment of sharp shooting as followed has rarely been known until now. Marksmen and sharpshooters predOminate in the ranks of the army. The practical life of soldier and the technical studies neces- sary to q thorough knowledge of his duties are far greater and more exhaust i've than is generally understood. The citizen soldier has little idea of these things as a rule, and the civilian, with ra e exception, none at all. How many can tell the thickness of ice necessary to bear cavalry, artillery or infantryi How many know of what a soldiers ration consists and the thousand and ono other things as pertinent as these in times of active sstvice;-New York Times