The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-08-04
UNCLE SANS SOLDIERS.
Process of EnIisting Recruits for the
Army.
lt[dntG Journal.

TG0CeSS Ul cnllSliHg heCTultS lUF ine
Army.
Atlanta journal.
In times of peace the life Of a pri.
vate soldier in the United States army
is as soft a snap as any young man not
fond of work could fancy.
There is so little to be done and
such comparatively good pay to be
had for doing it, hat it is no wonder
when Uncle Sam advertises for re-
cruits that tall men, short men, stout
men, thin men, countrymen, townmen
all flock to the nearest Office to make
known their willingness to join the
army. The recruiting officer picks out
the ones with the best physiques, ia
ces and general characteristics, lets
them stand the physical examination,
and sends the others back to their
farms, counters and tool kits.
The pay is not so very large, but
by prudent management every man
can save his $40 a month and get to-
gether a neat little sum by the time
his three years enlistment expires.
In the meanwhile, if the govern
ment goes to war with Spain, Japan
or England, all the recruit will have
to do is to take his chance with the
thousands Of other volunteers that
will be called for and 60 to the
front to win fame by dying for his
country.
In most instances the desire, not
for death, but for $13 a month, board
and clothes, prompts the average citi-
zen to enlist. The first year he gets
an allowance of $50 for his clothes,
and afterwards a somewhat smaller
sum, but he need not spend all of it
for that purpose, unless he wants to
dress exceptionally we'll.
The expenses are very small. There
is 123 cents for the Soldiers Home
each month, 81 for laundry, and per-
haps a small amount extra to the tail
or that makes the uniforms. All the
soldiers a v may be deposited with
the government and draw interest at
the rate of 4 per cent per annum. The
third year of his service he gets SD a
month, the fourth SIS, the fifth S16.
From the sixth to tenth years he re-
ceives $18 a month; from eleventh to
fifteenth, $40; sixteenth to twentieth,
$40, and an increase Of s1for each ad-
ditional five years. A corporal gets
81 more than a private, a sergeant
IS more, and a first sergeant s. more.
Occasionally a man rises from the
ranks to a lie~utenancy, but in time Of
peace this is not common. The mill
tary academy at West Point now fur
nishes more than enough lieutenants
for the army. In fact, there were no
| places for the members Of the gradua:
ting class this year and every man of
the sixty-seven had to be commission
ed as Traditional lieutenants" until
vacancies arise. This year there
were nineteen men raised from the
ranks to commissioned officers, but
the chances are that this course will
not be continued in future.
All large military posts in the
country have their recruiting officers.
Lieutenant W. H. Chatfeld, the able
adjutant Of the Fifth Infantry, fills
that position at Fort Mcpherson.
Every day Of the year Lieutenant
Chatieid receives applications in per.
son or by mail from men who want tc
be soldiers. All Of the applicants arc
furnished with blanks upon which tc
write their age, birth, nativity, height.
weight and chest measurement. They
are also requested to send testimon:
ials from two well-known citizens. Il
the blank is satisfactorily filled out
and the recruiting officer thinks the
candidate would make a good man, he
notifies him to call in person, when a
physical examination is undergone.
Lieutenant Chat6eld, from his years
of experience, can tell at a glance
whether a man is too tall, too short
too light or too heavy for his height
If there is anything wrong with the
figure the applicant is at once inform
ed that he cannot enlist.
Five feet four inches is the mini
mum height and 100 pounds the mini
mum weight for a soldier. A caval
ryman may not be taller than 5 feet
| 10 inches, but a foot soldier is accept
ed sometimes as high as 6 feet ! inch,
There have been men in the army tall
er than this, but they are not consid'
cred desirable.
The most acceptable recruits are
those of medium height: good phys
ique and good muscular development
The muscles of tall men are said to be
likely to be fabby and fat men are
equally Objectionable.
The recruits enlisted at Fort Nc
Pherson are as rule very good men,
and make GOO 'oldiers. There would
be no trouble to enlist a much larger
number if they were wanted.
Most of the applicants are laborlnG
men, and a majority are farmers. Re'
Gently, men from the city who are out
of employment have been endeavorine
to enlist. There are only four or fyt
vacancies in the regiment at Nc
Pherson, and these will not be filled al
once.
The duties of the soldier are not ex
cessive, He must keep the barracks
in good order, cook and serve food
and in keeping the post clean. Then
there is guard duty and a few hours
of drilling. There is no reason why 6
man should not get along we'll if he i:
obedicnt and has good habits.
If the recruiting officer is satisfied
with the references and appearance:
of a candidate he sends him to tht
post surgeon for a rigid examination
He is then asked if he has ever hac
any diseases. If anything is covered
up or concealed, the man may b'
charged with fraudulent enlistmenI
and punished as prescribed by the ar
ticles Of war.
The applicant is compelled to sigr
a statement to the effect that he is
unmarried, has no minor children and
is a citizen of the United States OF
has declared his intention to become