The Florence tribune., 1898-10-08
BACKBONE OF ARMY.
Noncommissioned Officers the un-
 glorifed Sinews of War.
with Unlimited Ability Go "H They Bear the Brunt of Hat
 and shoot Their Way inso
 theCorridors of oblivion.
s,,a -la.,,,+ .. +he army no soner

The recruit of the army no So,nSE ssyears that he twill obey the ean-
 nands of all officers plaeedabove I'm" than he falls into the hands of asor- poral. This soldier, with the two can s.i.i+c chevrons on h1s sieeress fcoks biu over guides him to a baking place and begins to lick himinto slape- He begins by teaching him how to stand, how to turn arou9d, where to keep his eyes and all thesmall detsils of the soldier business He impresses on him the necessity of quick doing, and cautions that the officers are there 10 think. Then the recruit is shuf1ed on to sergeant, who places him in a Set of fours and teaches him how to find his place and what to do when he
 finds it. He finally fallsinto the hands of the first sergeant in company drill He may get an occasional sight Sf his captain, but he learns to know and em- ulate his sergeant.
 The ''noncom." is the teacher. His unlimited ability to work and his un- dying patience straighten up round shoulders, liyen up shuffling steps and make sturdy soldier of the raw re- cruit. He works always and forever, and executes the orders of his supe- riors quickly and accurately He serves as a model to be copied after by the private-he is the backbone of the army.
 Glory seldom comes to the "non- com" Along time ago certainSergt. Jasper won a permanent place in his tory, and more recently Sergt Ham, ilton Fish died bravely at the front. The "noncom-" works unnoticed, like the line player in the football team, because he doesn't run with the ball, but he is the backbone that holds the ribs together. When the batH e is hot and sweat mingles with blood on the sodden field, when bullets whizz and shells scream. when comrades sink to the ground and turn on their faces, the officer lifts his sword on high and steps forward into glory The "noncom. speaks the quiet -steady, boys!" and geoilrs iut0 stfc java Of death rhootiup bis way into the corridors Ur 11uFion. The captain knows be will be famous if he suryives-famous if be di as. Tho sergeant or tho corporal knows his vile and c---1xe1 .siA F.esp 1Fe1 theiI loss, his comrades that survive him will bury him in soldiers grave wrapped in his blanket He is too numerous for the historian to mention; he was simply doing his duty. Yet if the vic tory is won it is because he is in his place and doines this same duty.
 Under the new tactics in use by the United States army companies no longer fight with men shoulder to shoulder un6.er the direct command of the captain. Much stress is laid on the skirmisIl drill, in which sets of fours under corporals and squads un- der sergearnts fight in open order, firing at will after the captain has or dered "cornmence firing" The cor poral is responsible for his set of fours and the sergeant for his squad. The first sergeant is in a manner re- sponsible for the entire company and is ready to assume command when his officers are shot down. The new ar rangement gives opportunity to the "nonc0m." to show himself. Itremains to be se,enwhether or not he will break into fame.
 It is not in battle, however, that the nonccmmissioned officer earns the title of backbone" for in the fight the swea ting private is necessary per- son. In the camp the white-chevroned soldier makes his presence known and felt. The first sergeant, gruff, stern, severe, kind, man of all work and all intelligence, father of his company and mother, too, in camp, is in charge of his men. He looks after the com pany quarters, tents, bedding. cloth ing, knows aH about the kitchen and sees to. inc equipments. He calls the | roll, details the guard, knows the abil- ] fly and willingness of every, soldier of
 his command and is the disciplinarian