The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-13

as far as that is concerned, the old
soldier may be included. After break
fast he wanders back to the quarters
to prepare the place where he sleeps
for the usual daily inspection by the
company commander, and, in fact,
many a good housewife could take
pointers about cleanliness, by visiting
soldiers quarters when it is prepared
for inspection. At GAS sick call is
sounded, and those who are unwell,
have their names placed on the COM
Pany sick book, and are taken to the
surgeon, who marks them quarters or
hospital as their case may require.
ih1s medical examination is free and
! Is or the best, and man who is un-
fortunate enough to be sick gets the
| best of care and treatment. At
Iatlgue call goes, and, although / will
! say II is not a welcome call to most
soldiers, 1T is a duty and the soldier
| who is manly will simply look upon it
In that light. The fatigue details are
marcned and reported to the quarter
master, who, under the supervision Of
| the commanding officer, has charge of
| the Cleanliness of the post and the
many laborious duties In connection
With keeping a military post in the
condition required by regulations. The
details are divided up, and sent to diff
ferent parts Of the post, some cutting
grass. sweeping roadways, hauling and
| delivering wood and coal; in fact, any,
thing that may be necessary to keep
the post in good order. The work Is
| not hard, there is no taskmaster to
give him his discharge If he does not
work hard enough; in fact, the work
he performs is a promoter of good d.
geStlon, and keeps him in trim.
In every military post, cleanliness is
next to goodness, and it has to be so,
for therein lies the health Of the COM
mand.
AT 8:45 first call for guard mount
goes, and those men who have been
detailed for guard, assemble, are in
spected by the first sergeant, and then
marched to the immediate vicinity Of
the parade ground, where guard mount
is held, and at 9, when assembly is
sounded, they are marched. ON guard,
TO the inspiring notes Of a good band.
After the guard Is formed and the de-
tails verified by the sergeant major.
they are inspected by the adjutant
and officer of the guard, are marched
to the guardhouSe where they relieve
the old guard, and are ON duty until
next morning at the same hour when
| they are relieved by a new guard. A
man on guard has two hours on duty
and four hours off, but must remain
constantly with his guard until re-
lieved.
At 10 recall from fatigue is sound
ed, and those at work proceed to their
quarters, wash and get ready for drill,
which takes place every day from 1890
to 1:30, except Saturday and Sunday.
It is at drill that the recruit takes
his first real lesson in what is meant
by soldering. He is carefully instruct-
ed in the setting UP exercises and posi-
ton Of a soldier, marching, and every
thing in the school of the soldier to
make him skillful in the discharge OF
| the duties that will be required of him
when he takes his place in the ranks
VxTIn no
| found fit. A recruit is usually drilled
for three months, perhaps more, be-
fore he goes for regular duty, and gets
two hours daily devoted to that pur-
pose.
At 11:45 first sergeant's call Is sound
ed, and the first sergeant of each COM
pany goes to the adjutant's Office.
where he receives from the sergeant
major the details and orders for the
next day. He takes his details to the
company and prepares them for pub
| LEGATION to the men.
and here I will say the soldier is at
home and very seldom he fails to put
in an appearance. The fare is good,
and is improved by the profits Of the
| exchange, Ca store run for the benefit
of the mem which are divided from
time to time among the companies,
and which enable them to add to the
very generous fare furnished by Uncle
Sam.
Fatigue call is sounded again at 1
and recall at 5:45; parade at 6:45; re-
treat, when no parade, Z; tattoo, SAB.
At tattoo (bed time) the recruit and
| the old soldier as well, usually feel that
they have earned nights rest and
those on the outside of our military
circle who think that the American
soldier is lazy and has nothing to do,
would. If they followed his footsteps
from 5:A5 in the morning until 8:45 at
night, be satisfied they were mistaken.
In addition to what I have enumer-
ated, each company has plenty of work
to do to keep its quarters clean, cook
the meals, wait on the table, &c
Men are also taught first, aid to the
wounded. signal drill, pointing and
aiming drill, target practice in sum
mer, and those who are Tot proficient
IN reading and writing must go to
school during the school season.
There is a first-claSs reading room in
every pest supplied with the leading
papers and periodicals. also with books
Of reference and light literature, which
IS accessible to every man during tie
day.
The army of the United States is =
good place for the man who has no
fixed means of making a living it Of
| fers him a good home where he has
plenty of chance to improve himself
If he so desires, and three years serv-
iCS Will USuSIll dIy young man WHO "a
made of the right material who has
courage enough to keep away from the
pitfall of civilization, the saloon
All soldiers are not angels, in fact
most of them are good long way
from being So but there are good
soldiers as well as had, and all / ask
when you, kind reader, see a regular
soldier in uniform drunk and degrad-
ing the coat he wears. just pause and
think, that all his comrades are not
like him, and believe me when I say
that the American army of today Is
worthy Of your good opinion; and if
during your existence it should ever
be your lot to see il called into action.
to defend the flag that all true Amer
leans love, you will find that it will
give as good an account Of itself as the
army of the past.
Soldier OF the Present
Fort Smelling, Mimi. June ~
GREAT ANIEnTCAN SyUA1-rS