The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-08
NOW READY TO RECRUIT
INDIANAPOLIS TO FURNISH PART OF
NEW ARTILLERY REGIMENTS.
Capt. Black Expects to Enlist Several
Hundred Here-His Telegram
from Washington.

Indianapolis expects 10 contribute a fair
quota to the two new artillery regiments
to be recruited for the United States army,
the bill creating these regiments having
been passed by Congress yesterday. Cap
tain Black, the local recruiting officer, re-
ceived telegram yesterday from the War
Department, and the telegram was received
almost simultaneously with the news an
nouncing the passage of the BILL instructing
him to enlist all acceptable men who Of
fered themselves for this branch of the
service and to transfer them to Eastern
points. Heretofore most of the enlistments
for artillery have been made in the East.
Captain Black expects to furnish about two
hundred of the men required, and he esti-
mates that 1t win require about six weeks
to obtain the entire complement for these
two new regiments. In case hostilities
should break out these regiments, of course,
would be filed much sooner, for under such
circumstances the recruiting Office would
probably be crowded with volunteers. After
the required number is obtained for these
regiments the enlistment in this city will
be limited to actual vacancies.
The artillery is regarded as the best
branch of the service, says Captain Black.
The tedium of garrison and camp life and
the discipline is not so marked in the ar
tillery. The men have to do with big guns
principally, and there is considerable ele-
ment of judgment in their duties. They
enlist for three years. From this city the
men will be sent to Columbus, O., where
they will be assiged to companies and prop
erly transferred. They are paid $1S month,
and each additional year of continuous
service finds their monthly stipend adj
vanced 81. Uncle Sam clothes and feeds his
soldiers in addition to this pay. Only men
between the ages of twenty-one and thirty
are accepted, and they must be American
citizens, in good health and able to read
and write. DIR. Hodges makes the examina-
tons of the men enlisted in this city.
The two new artillery regiments will
make total of seven. In time of peace
time of war this number to a regiment is
doubled. Five hundred men make an in
fantry regiment when the white dove how
erS over the country, but the regimental
line to battle is supposed to number a
thousand. The bill passed by Congress yes
terday will add 1850 men to the army, be-
GERS. Some of the first Iieutenants who
have held that grade for fifteen years will
nave an opportunity now TO wear double
bars on their red shoulder straps.
The Indianapolis recruiting Office has been
an unusually quiet place in the last few
months. Captain Black has three regi-
mentS which draw on him for recruits.
When there are vacancies among the
listed men he is notified. Only two men
have been enlisted here this month. A year
ago he had orders to enlist fifty men. These
were soon obtained and sent to jefferson
barracks, in Missouri, and after that time
the officers duties here were comparatively
come from the country, chiefly from among
farmer boys. After they take the oath of
enlistment here they are allowed $3.50 for
meals while they are on the Way to their
station.