Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19

.S~HyJEaN3 in future will use re-
sTNWfN VAN volvers of 81 caliber.
ENE~x ~ ~ instead of the 45-cali-
&sAss@~-- Der pattern employed
~-k~~ hitherto. They will
exchange the old
fashioned heavy lay
onet for the smaller knife bayonet. These
and other improvements are chiefly for the
purpose of rendering the iightiag mans
equipment lighter, that he may be able
to carry the greatest possible quantity of
ammunition. In these days of rapi1-fring
weapons the most important object Ia that
the warrior shall be provided with the ut
most practicable number of CARTRIDGES.
With that end in view, even such trii!ing
accouterments as buckles and belt Plate
are being made of less weight than former
ly. One advantage of the new rifle is thar.
the bullets being SO much smaller the
cartridge belt will hold 120 rounds, instead
of the old time forty.
The War Department has recently com
piled most interesting volume showing
the evolution of military equipments in
this country since the beginning of the gov
eminent. People used frequently to apply
for Information as to what sort OF costumes
were worn by United States soldiers AT one
time or another. but knowledge the
subject had not been preserved or collected
This want has now been supplied by labor
ious study of all existing records, and plates
have been prepared in water-coio-s, repre-
senting all ranks of the army since Il first
came into existence. 1t seems odd to learn
Congress, sitting in Philadelphia, suggested
that each man enlsting should bring with
him a pair of leather lesgtngs and a hunt
ing shirt. These garments clothed many
companies of patriots. Congress also Of
fered 81 to every volunteer who would fetch
a good blanket, with the understanding that
he was to have the privilege of taking 1t
home with him at the termination of hos
tilities.
Uniforms From France.
1t is familiar historical fact that the
French king contributed, to aid the cause
of the struggling colonies, great quantities
of supplies, which were to be paid for with
cargoes of tobacco. OF these part was
in the shape of uniforms, which. being
made abroad, had .foreign picturesque
ness. Their cut was stylish and the hats
were cooked. In the early days Of the gov
eminent the expense Of clothing the SOL
diers was serious drain on the national
resources, and in 17S3, for the sake of econ
omy. Gen.. Washington ordered that the
t6a same n Order be savs 1T is expected
that scarlet cloth for cuffs and capes viii
be furnished" \ few years later special
order did away finally with the use of scar
let in American uniforms.
Red uniforms were first adopted by the
Emperor Valerius Maximus in order that
the Roman soldiers might not be fright
ened by the sight Of their own blood. To
this day children in England are told that
this is the reason why French troops wear
red trousers, and French children are
taught the same notion respecting the red
coats of the British The DICTIONARIES of
ancient Rome wore the skins of bears on
the field of battle to make them look fierce.
For the same reason they put figures Of
frightful beasts and birds on their shields
and helmets. From this odd custom spring
modern creSts and armorial bearings. The
idea of soaring the enemy by such devices
has been perpetuated up to quite recent
Zines. Tall bearskin hats were originally
adopted, to make them look taller by the
French cuirassiers, each of whom carried
a handful of hand grenades fog scattering
among the ranks of the foe
Queer Customs
Some of the military customs OF a CEN
fury ago seem quite absurd today. An or
der issued from headquarters at Greenville,
in July, 1893. says: THE garrison duty men
will parade for review tomorrow fresh
shaver and we'll powdered" At that time
men used to powder their hair, FOR the
greasing of which tallow was served out at
regular intervals. United States infantry
soldiers in 1900 wore a uniform Of dark
blue with white facings black cooked hats
and white worsted shoulder knots. In isis
the tar bucket hats of glazed lea ther
with pompons of different colors, were in
troduced. This style of hat. which resem-
bled tar bucket upside down. was retain
ed through the Mexican war. At the period
of that conflict the regulation coat was
dark blue swallow tail, with light blue
trousers. 1t was not until 1855 that round
Skirted frOck coats came in, all ranks be-
ing adorned with huge epaulettes.
EPaulettes and Coats.
The evolution of the epaulette is rather
curious. 1t is survival of the shoulder
piece of medieval armor. In the Mi,itlln
Ages armor was worn only by knights and
mobiles. and carried with ii the idea of rank
AS 1t was laid aside part by part the Shout
der piece was kept to the last as protec-
ton against sabre strokes 1t gradually
grew smaller until 1T dwindled to the pure
ly ornamental epaulette. Even in this
shape it is rapidly going out of use in Eu-
before long an
tirely. because it marks out officers in bat
tie. On that account, during the late civil
strap and the latter was commonly left
off on the field.
Together with the round skirted trock
coats in 1855, soft hats of black cloth came
in for use by the army This sort Of head
gear was looped up on the right side and
fastened with an eagle of metal while on
more feathers. Cork helmets were intro
duced in 1880 for use by the troops in hot
climates, such as that of Arizona. The he'll
met is survival of the medieval head az
NOR and the ordinary pattern worn by
United States soldiers is much the same
shape as that adopted by the Assyrians
that, instead of bronze. the material is now
felt or cork. The familiar horse hair plume
was originally intended to turn a sabre
stroke for which purpose it is eXcellently
adapted
The Sabre.
The United States cavalry sabre is copied
from the scmitar of the Saracens which
was the most effective sword for cutting
ever devised. 1t will be remembered how
according to the story told in Sir Walter
Scotts ''Talisman," the pagan Saladin
chopped soft cushion in two at one blow
with such a weapon, to the amazement of
Richard Occur de Lion. With a straight
sword one can make a hack thrust but
10 slice an adversary one must saw with
1t. The scimtar. being curved and wide
and heavy toward the end, slices by the
mere fact of striking.
The kind of bayonet chiefly used by the
federal troops during the late war was the
old triangular pattern. Sword -ba yonets
We're also employed on guns imported from
Europe. During the past ten years the
regulation bayonet has been of the ram
rod type-a hideous instrument, cylindri-
cal and of the thickness of ramrod with
sharp screw point like that of a carpe IL
ters bit 1t is now to be replaced with the
knife bayonet, which somewhat resembles
a butcher knife IL inches long, with one
edge. 1t is quite effective and much
lighter than the sword bayonet. The alter
is being dispensed with by most European
nations in favor of the knife bayonet The
bayonet was originally a French inven-
ton. In the early days of firearms sol
diers used to carry both guns and pixies
but the notion of attaching the pike to the
gun in such a manner that both could be
used at the same time was the beginning
of the idea of the bayonet.
The New Rifle.
The caliber of the new rifle with which