The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-22
SOLDERING IN THE WEST
THE YOUNG WEST POINTERS En-
PERIENCES AT ARMY POSTS.
He Finds Plenty to Do, and Time Ser
dom Hangs Heavily on His Hands
How the Youth Is Broken In.
Fort Logan (Col) Letter in Chicago Post.


West Point last June are reporting for duty.
They have had four-months leave of alb
sence which some of them have spent at
their homes and others at summer resorts.
Now they are ready to begin their military
careers in the piping times of peace. There
is as great a difference between their posi-
lions here and at the Military Academy as
there is in the salaries they receive. They
left West Point first-class men, looked up
to by every one; here they are the lowest IN
rank in the official grade. At West Point
they got the pay of cadets $40 year.
while now as second lieutenants they draw
s., 400 and receive an allowance of quarters
besides.
At this post there are stationed both cav
airy and infantry. and it is the headquar-
tiers of the Seventh Infantry. Being only
few miles from the city of Denver 1t mas
advantages not to be denied. Many ofncers'
however, will find their first tour or duty
amid very different surroundings. Ihere
are a number of one-company posts scat
tered over the broad Western country where
two or three officers and nifty or sixty men
make up the entire garrison.
The unfortunate young man who is or
dered to one of these outposts leads lonely
life, indeed. The number of these stations,
the need for them is lessening. In times
past it has been necessary to have small
force in the immediate vicinity of Indian
reseryati lions. but the danger of an uprising
is about past. Little by little transfers OF
companies and troops are being mace WIN
a view Of concentrating the military
strength of the Nation nearer the centerS OF
transportation and Industrial activity.
THEORY VERSUS PRACTICE.
The second lieutenant just Joined finds, to
his surprise. that he has learned many
things that are not practiced in garrison.
He discovers that he knows next to nothing
about the actual manner of managing ms
men. His captain very likely considers his
first sergeant a veteran OF many enhSt-
ments, much more important indivldual
than this dapper lieutenant. AS In every
thing else, experience in garrison ana the
field is a better teacher than the theory OF
books, yet when allied to practice TINS theo-
retical foundation will make the officer an
efficient soldier and servant OF the Nauon.
The lieutenant does not allow himself to
he discouraged by his discoveries but II ne
be a. sensible fellow soon makes hlInSeI Iel'
as a modest, reliable support 10 ms super
iors. He is generally given rev Gays
in which to select his quarters move IN
his furniture and get settled. Inc questlon
of quarters is an important one IN every
post Quarters are assigned ACCORDING 10
rank. If, after every one is housed Tor the
winter an ocer Of ngne pp pan he 'hh has the
choice of any one of the residences ana the
inhabitants have to move out ana go 70 an
other and very likely less desirable dWeL-
ing 1t might happen that the ones nrSt dis.
lodged may take the house OF the man neXL
in rank below them and he the next ana
so on causing grand upheaVal all
through In this case the lot OF the unhap-
py post quartermaster is not pleasant one
Once settled, the new subaltern makes
call on his commanding officer, then on his
captain. He is asked to dinner, and Is very
surely sized up, especially by the women OF
the family. He must try to make a good
impression on them, for a great deal or MS
happiness lies in their hands, if he only
knew it, In fact, he must realize that he
is the junior of every one there, and VIII be
for a year. at least At trst al the unoe-
him. He certainly will have to take re-
veilie' for a week, which means that ne
turns out each morning a little after and
receives the reports of his f1rst sergeant
and the result of sick calls He will be ex-
pected to inspect the mems quarters In the
morning and go on officer of the guard
with great frequency. If there are any re-
cruts at the post to him will be given the
duty Of supervising their instruction. When
any cases arise Of enlisted men taking
French leave in some neighboring town
after pay day he will be given the glorious
duty Of commanding a few files and making
the round of the saloons to bring them
back to the guardhouse. sometimes In this
kind of duty more excitement is found
than in the routine line of the garrison. The
proprietors of saloons in small towns on the
plains are not always as laW-abiding citi-
Zens as they should be- and If they believe
the drunken soldiers who fill their back
rooms after pay day have any more money
about them it is likely they will conceal
their victims from the patrol.
Out at a little town in Nebraska a few
years ago circumstance of this kind oc-
Cured. An officer and eight or nine men
were in the town, making the rounds of the
saloons and gathering together the way
ward members of the regiment The patrol
had divided into two parties, one in charge
of young lieutenant, who had just joined
and the other commanded by noncommis-
stoned officer. A crowd of hard citizens and
cowboys surrounded every saloon, as usual
The lieutenant saw the blue cap of his
regiment in side window of one of these
places. and started to enter. He was met
at the door by the proprietor.
CIVILIAN OPPOSITION.
There amt none of your men in here
lootenant," said he, abruptly closing the
door and stepping outside.
y know there's one at any rate. I saw
the uniform" said the officer, laying his
hand on the door. land propose he shall
come with u.s." he added, attempting to
open the door.
you had better go back to the fort loo
tenant" said the man, motionlng to a few
cowboys, who promptly stepped up. You
amt ben out in this ere country long
enough 10 KNOW It's KIM or risky trying TO
walk in where yer amt wanted" he con-
tinued, loosening big revolver in his belt.
Il enter here in the name of the United
States" the officer replied, shortly, and,
putting his foot to the door, he drove 1t in
and strobe coolly into the bar followed by
two Of his soldiers; the others, knowing
perhaps better than he did the danger in
volved, had hung back. Surprised by the
nerve Of the young officer. the proprietor
suffered the soldiers to remove three drunk
en- members of their company without a
murmur.
There is just as much business transacted
in the quartermaster's and adjutant's Of
found in the offices of big corporation.
The ordering and caring for the supplies
necessary for seven or eight hundred men
the accounting for the clothing and the
disbursements of government moneys for
these and similar needs outside of the pay
amount of labor. Then there is the great
mass of what may be called red tape of the
service consisting of orders, regimental
orders, special orders, memorandum orders,
in fact, every direction to the troops be-
comes an order of some class to be pub
lished copied. and filed away.
Then the delnquencies of the men, fire.
quently of small character, have to be no
ticed. fines charged up and reports made to
the proper authorities. If the delinquencies
are at all serious a summary court martial
or a garrison court-martial settles the case,
Thus the headquarters building generally is
a busy place all day long, and those people
who imagine Uncle Sans officers lead a
lazy life are greatly mistaken.
With the clerical part of military life the
newly-joined lieutenant has little to do at
to the peculiar and involved system of
bookkeeping in the army, which, by the