The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-10-24
ARMY RECRUITS.
How a Boy Can Become CommissIone d
Officer.

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Troops are being moved from western
to eastern forts, the rendezvous for
recruits from the New York Office is
about to be changed, and temporary
regulations are going out from Wash
ington in regard to enlistment.
It is an apt time, therefore, to
glance at the paths by which the men
who comprise this army arrived at
their destination. Some went by the
good old way of West Point, others by
enlistment-for it is not necessary to
be a West Point graduate to gain the
title of brigadier general of the
United States army, although many
are under that impression.
The enlisted ranks, as some sup
pose, are not altogether made up from
the file of the idle and unwashed.
Many young men who have failed at
West Point, either from misbehavior
or lack of study; many who are una
BILE to take advantage Of this prepara-
tory school from financial reasons, feel
within them too strongly the desire
for army life to let these conditions
be an obstacle, SO they apply for en-
listment.
This movement sounds and appears
quite simple, but the way is hard, and
there are few who enter. Some fail,
and these form large majority, be-
cause the deficiencies in the laws gov
erning the physical requirements !;
others by their discharge after short
trial Of the hard duties.
Both the West Pointer and the
recruit have equally difficult tasks,
but the former has to serve four years
for, his commission, while the latter
needs only work for two. That is the
advantage of enlistment. It goes
without saying that it is more agreea-
BILE to serve ones privateship on the
Hudson in good quarters than in the
barracks of some western fort, but the
latter also make good soldiers and off
GERS.
When West Pointer is graduated,
passing both physical and mental ex-
aminations, he is assigned to his regi-
ment as commissioned oAicer-a
second lieutenant. The messroom,
the cooking and the cleaning are not
his to contend with; he has served
what goes for that period at his train
ing school.
The enlisted man goes into his regi-
ment as a recruit-worse than pri-
vate-serves for two years, then, if
his examination goes merrily, he is
made a second lieutenant.
An army officer told me of case
where boy failed on his first exami-
nation at West Point, left school in
despair and enlisted. He was made a
corporal, then sergeant, and when
the two years were out, made his ap-
plication for a commission. He had
studied diligently while in training,
passed his examination splendidly,
was given his commission second
lieutenancy-and was exactly one year
ahead for his class at West Point. A
classmate Joined the same regiment at
his graduation, but the fellow who
had failed at college antedated him
twelve months in line for first lieu
tenancy.
Ever if the enlisted man gets his
commission two weeks before the COL
lege man, he is higher in line for pro-
motion.
The routine is this: A young man
or boy wishing to be enlisted goes to
a recruiting Office, and must be FIVE
feet four inches in height, 120 pounds
in weight, thirty-two inches in chest,
not fat-footed, and with perfect teeth,
eyes, heart and lungs. The examina-
tion is strict, and hundreds of men
are found faulty who were not consci-
Gus themselves of defect. Another
minor requirement is that they must
not be muscle-bound. That is, legs
and arms must move freely in rotation,
otherwise their drilling would be i'm
perfect. Many boys cannot move
their limbs in quick circles.
If these requirements are met he
returns next day and is examined by
the surgeon. Any organic trouble, Of
course, qualities him and functional
one retires him until it is remedied.
Then a sheet is filled out as to age,
birth and character, references given,
and if satisfactory the applicant is
sworn in by the chief of the Office.
He is then sent to the nearest rem
devious. There are four of these in
the United States-at David's island,
near New York; atJefferson Barracks,
Miss. Columbia Barracks, O., and
Fort Sheridan, Ill. Ten days are
spent there. The time is occupied in
getting birds eye view Of what bar
rack life for the private is like. Dur
ing this time orders are constantly
coming in from various regiments for
recruits. Detachments are made up
and sent out to the regiments under
non-commissioned officers and the