The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11
BUCKING FOR ORDERLY.
THE CEREMoST OF BETTING a SOFT
BERTH At az ARAY Posi-.
The Rivalry L. Connned to the spick ana Span
Wen who seek Light Duty In the rmme-
dinte service or tho Commanding Omcer,
but the whole Post IL Intensely Interested.

The Rivalry Il Confined TO tho spick and Span
Wen who seek Light Duty in the rmme-
dinte service or tho Commanding Omcer,
but the whoIe Post IL Intensely Interested.
WARRINGTON. April lO.-"Bucking for Or
derby" Is n struggle hat takes place at every
military post in America every day In the year
at guard mount. It is q struggle that inspires
the bosoms of the enlisted mon with ambition,
envy or rage, according to the contests out
come, and at the isolated posts 1t gives the
men something to live for between pay days.
There is not a company, troop or battery In tho
United States army that has not Its regular
complement OF regular, persistent orderly
buckers, and every man In every outfit nurses,
deep in his soul. the hope that he himself may at
some time reach the orderly bucking class.
Bucking for orderly Is tho strife among the
mon detailed for guard duty TO DO chosen order
1y for tho commanding officer by tho Adjutant
at guard mount. Out OF every guard mounted
a man Is selected by the Adiutant to report to
the "beak" or tho old man"-the commanding
officer OF the ~post-for messenger duty. 1t re-
quircs no knowledge Of army life to perceive
how comparatively joyous this assignment Is.
The commanding officers orderly does not have
to hump his post" for eight solid hours out Of
tho twenty-four during which the guard tour
lasts. Ho is not subjected TO the misery OF
bNlhs luh ~ - va -
wet or snowy morning by an unsympa-
thetic corporal Of the guard. to be escorted
TO u distant. s~hadowy, cherries guard
post. there to pack his rife or carbine for
two hours and 10 think inexpressible things.
until he In turn Is relieved by another equally
unfortunate sentry. The commanding officers
orderly does not get joltcd out OF n sound sleep
in the middle of the night to grab his gloves,
belt, and gun in order to turn out for the officer
of the day in front OF tho guardhouse. Tho
commanding officers orderly is never glowered
upon by the reproachful stars or the rcmorse-
arousing moon during his guard tour, unless he
elects to take the night air OF his own free will.
It is his privilege to pass the night OF his guard
tour in his comfortable bunk In his comfortable
quarters, in which respect he Is a heap better of
than the officer Of the guard or the officer of tho
day. neither OF whom has much sleep when no
is on guard duty.
At nearly all American posts guard mount
takes place at 0 o'clock in the morning. I'm
mediately after the guard has been mounted and
marched Off to the guardhouse, the fortunate
man who has been picked out for commanding
officers orderly reports at this officers office.
and embarks on his period OF heavy sitting
around. He Is perhaps sent on two or three
errands around tho garrison during the day.
When the commanding officer takes q walk the
orderly follows him at q distance of about
twenty feet. At about IL o'clock in tho morn
ing. when the before-luncheon office business
has been disposed Of. the commanding officer dis
misses his orderly to the barracks. There the
orderly Tolls around on his bunk for an hour or
DO before and after dinner, and at about Q o'clock
he reports ut the office again. By 4 o'clock he 10
again dismissed to the quarters. where he takes
off his belt, and his guard tour II over. Mean.
time the men who mounted guard with him arc
wearing out their shoes on their posts. and will
The Ighiness Of the duty is not tho only adj
eight hours after the guard to which the COM
manding officers orderly belongs Is relieved.
the orderly is absolutely his own master. His
time Is his own. He does not have to stand a
call, not even morning r~eyeillo. He can go any
where he chooses without a pass, as long as he
d d%!1s y Meantime lHfhn 'i tho aa other ss me men sn Of q bis .h guard sTg
tour undergo their "old guard fatigue which
t meSHS don anA their ehe brown aSs ai' canvas 'nsy f SSaS es su fiSso nt
round of such little chores as following around
the slop cart, chopping O cord or so of kindling
wood, ahovelling a few tons OF coal, moving the
parade ground grass. flushing the post sewers,
1t will thus be seen that it Is worth while for a
private soldier in the United States army to buck
for commanding officers orderly.
There is no favoritism shown In the Adjutant's
daily dishing out of this guard.mount goody.
Th th guard lard, regulation seg1aIa.,n hpreseri5es that the man
however, the Reputation has gradually beer,
R man for TG this d duty as: piNSo oWss ali q s sos S,ee ~ she
american Aims am, army TTcy are clean; they haye 70 be, willy
does not refer to the matter Of personal cleanii.
aeeoutESmepts, the 1T OF his uniform, his manner
at a close pinch, upon his drilling ability 'te
It is practically impossible for q recruit to
gain the orderly prize, for tho reason that the
recruit has to mount guard In his Government
straight uniform and requirements. He has no
mo m9ney to ;I buy ia taii toTcp az ! uniforms. and he has
ing for orderly at guard, mount with the old.
rarely makes an attempt to enter the orderly
bueking lists. He bides his time until he has
his skin. The skill comes in in WORKING np of "a q
kit. A soldiers kit is his gun and belt. When he
iSS 1 Sia hi sr ept fsrra shsse s are served 9pU dn out .t tS b him
with bayonet attachment, as thus issued to the
recruit, generally require a long course Of elabo-
at to be cIassed as orderly Kits or a eney ne
ments Of q sort to entitle the wearer to hope for
soldier with he orderly fever eeneraiIy bea dns
balls It until It e brighter than patent leather.
ing nns, process snd o all o SsIn again. n he i an
she''e old-t dna can in h fsin out it, w asoi'i fnSs s IF
Of the tricks. after a iew months OF
WUrh VI. tulS sOTC II y unally mas O Delt, cartridge
box, and bayonet scabbard with which he can
az least make a try for orderly. Then he goes at
heel;ball and gun polish and alcohol. until
finally he gets 1t so that he can SEQ his face In 1t. |
A gun thus worked up by a "doughboy" soldier
for several years. Barrel and stock
had an almost Incredible glitter. and the manu-
OF the gun declared that then
gould not understand how IT had been doey.
the soldier whose soul yearns for at least one
chance at orderly duty, feels that, ne far as his
Kit is CONCERNED, he IL ready for the effort.
When he has arrived at this stage he begins his |
conferences with the company tailor, and in time |
he has a tailor-made uniform that fits him as IL
he had been melted and poured into Il, He
Government straight brogans being
espeeeisslly for the orderly buekers, the contract,
wise comparable with them, Then, as he Stands
got up, all regardless, with his belt strapped over
his fatigue blouse and his gloves on, ready TO |
make Islis his # frs, orderly fight, i is, just as
Ing first call for guard mount, will append
three short blasts to- the regular call. which
mean that, instead of black belts and forage
Gaps, the Adjutant has given orders that lie
I'll mn LhhI 1A A.I Ia