Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-01-03
Army Life.

airy is sufficient to procure for him all
the books he wants, or to buy for him
the reputation at headquarters IN
Washington of being worthless
young vagabond. Drinking and gam
bling are, however, practically I'M
known at various posts, and so with
hardly an exception most OF the young
lieutenants are building up for them
selves good name and putting some
thing worth knowing into their heads.
The experience is hard at first.
There is no society worth calling that
name, except the society of the post
no young woman to speak of except
the few visitors in search of health,
and nothing to see or do in the town.
The duties are not combining, and in
week the young man has about five
days to himself Every fourth day he
goes on as officer of the day the rest
of the time is practically at his own
disposal, to do with it about as he
chooses. The only thing he has to do
to enjoy himself is to loaf around town
or in the hills, reading, writing, and
smoking. The life seems worthless,
but there is any amount of time In
which he can devote himself to study.
Strangely under such conditions the
army has turned out but few books OF
any sort. Captain King is about the
only well-known officer who has de-
voted himself to writing.
1t seems as if the bugle was going
all day long and all night long as well.
1t is the first thing you hear in the
morning and the last thing You hear
before you fall off to sleep at night.
After little experience the bugle
takes the place Of a clock. By the
various strains the buglers play one
can tell whether it's dinner time or
supper time, guard mount or sun
down.
Once heard the bugle is never for
got. Its tones haunt the memory for
ever. 1t is the most doleful and the
most inspiriting music. The horses in
a cavalry regiment catch the spirit Of
its music and will charge or retreat at
its word of command without the
guiding influence of the riders. Cow
ards have been carried into the front
rank by their horses; many a terror
and panic-stricken cavalryman has
been saved from disgrace by his ami
nal.
The first duty of the day is guard
mount at 9 o'clock. 1t is one of the
prettiest sights on a fine day to see
the men allin dress uniform undergo
inspection and go through the evolu-
tons; and daily crowds Of natives
watch it, year in and year out. There
are two companies of the Tenth In
fantry stationed here, in all about 100
men. They make quite showing
and are well drilled, well disciplined
lot of men.
The band, in all its lace and f1ings,
plays throughout the whole ceremony,
which lasts about half an hour, and
the music is well worth hearing. The
band attached to Fort Marcy is one of
the best in the army. It's quite large
and the members of it are all well
trained musicians. After inspection
comes the guard mount the flag Is
saluted and the men not on duty 90
marching back to their quarters.
The duties of the men are extremely
light, and the most Of them have alb
solutely nothing to do but attend the
| few drills and take their time at do
ing patrol work. The men grow fat
and healthy, and consider their lot
quite fortunate. They receive $l3
month, a large part of which is held
back until at the end of five years
they get their discharge and the pay
which the Government has been saw
ing for them
A great many Of the privates are
well educated and studious men, who
in the world went to wreck and ruin,
but who, since they entered the army,
have become decent men. Induce
ments are offered to all the men to
make them steady. A man who shows
that he has ambition and who studies
is raised from the ranks and made
petty officer. 1t seems to an ordinary
observer as if among the 100 men at
Fort Marcy most of them have corpo-
rails and sergeant's stripes. And
when they get their chevrons they
have to work to keep them. The least
evidence of falling from grace, and
back they are apt to go into the rear
ranks again.