The record-union., 1898-03-11
LIFE Of ENLISTED men.
1T HAS BOTH ITS PLEASURES
AND ITS HARDSHIPS.
Plenty of Time for Recreation and
Sp0rts-How a Soldiers
Day is Filled Up.

cially in time of peace. Instruction is
provided for those who care 70 learn,
and plenty Of time is allowed for rec
reatioa and athletic sports Discipline
is not as severe AS many suppose, and
martinets among officers are the excep-
ton rather than the rule.
"A good citizen makes a good soldier.
and, on the other hand. a man who, as
a citizen, is constantly in trouble and
a burden to the community in which he
lives will find little to attract him in
the army"
This is the comment Of General Hen
ry c. Corbin, Assistant Adjutant-Gen-
erla of the army. In view of the pro-
posed increase in the artillery branch
of the service. the Adjutant General IS
preparing for the prompt ganization
of the two additional regiments pro-
vided for i'll the Hawley bill, which
passed the Senate on Washingtons
Birthday. Il is the intention of the
department 10 have these two regi-
ments enrolled. equipped and ready for
active service within sixty days.
The life of an enlisted man in the
army IS what he himself makes it. For
instance, a man p years DID, of sound
iiiAiiS anu ooVi liCetitii, tOIclQQGS ~ tii-
ter the army. He presents himself at
any Of the military posts and files his
appli cation for enlistment He may
be man of ordinary intelligence, but
with little or no education. Perhaps
he can barely read and write, and in
some instances he can do neither. 1t
is the desire in making enlistments to
secure men who can read and write.
However, high grade of education is
not absolutely essential for new re-
cruit
NOT ALL HARDSHIP
When the recruit presents himself at
the military rendezvous he is put
through a rigid physical examination,
and If he comes up to the requirements
of the service he is enlisted for three
years at the rate of $13 a month. This
does not Seem like tempting compen-
sation to strong, able-bodied men of
average intelligence, but, as General
Corbin says, a good citizen should make
a good soldier, and soldiers life in
time Of peace is not one of hardshipS,
as is sometimes imagined
After being duly enrolled, the recruit
is equipped with plenty of comforta-
bic clothing. He is provided with
good warm bed in comfortable bar
racks. If he is an ignorant man he is
taught to read and write at the post
school, and his thirst for additional
knowledge may be quenched at the
post library. If he is inclined to be
conVivial his thirst for some of the
good things of this life may be salts
fled at the canteen-the enlisted mans
club.
Any one who has visited an army
post knows what is obtainable at a
canteen. Beer and light wines are dis
pensed, but no whisky is allowed by the
regulations to be sold. Precautions are
taken to prevent over-indulgence, but
should the enlisted man partake too
freely of the good cheer dispensed at
the canteen he Is obliged to suffer the
penalty of several hours in the guard
house, with little extra duty on the
side, in consequence of his breach of
discipline. The soldier who gets intox-
icated at military post is better treat
ed than the average citizen who, after
imbibing too freely, falls into the
clutches of the metropolitan police.
SETTING UP DRILL"
The first duty to which a raw re-
cruit is assigned is that known in the
service as the setting up drill" He is
taught to stand erect, how to march,
how to fall in, and in a general way,
he IS instructed in infantry tactics. All
this re gular exercise tends to his phys
zeal development, SO that while his
mind is being cultivated his physical
development goes steadily on.
Some idea of the routine of a SOL
diers life may be- obtained from this
daily disposition of his time:
Reveile, winter, $50 a. M; summer, $50
Breakfast, winter, a. M; summer.
Fatigue, Z a. m.
Drill a. m.
Dress parade, a. m.
Guard mounting, 800 a. m.
Drill 10 a. m.
Dinner, II m.
School-Gunners' school, If in artillery,
R E m sunset
Supper, Immediately after retreat.
Tattoo, p. m.
Taps, II p. m.
OF course, this schedule is only a
rough Indication of the disposition of
the day, since this necessarily varies,
not only with the arm Of the service.
but also with the latitude and the post.
There are also various drills, such as
signaling, instruction in first aid to
wounded, ETC., taken by only few
men q. a time. On the whole, however,
it may be said that soldiers time is
pretty well filled until or 3 o'clock
in the afternoon, after which he is his
own master until retreat.
TIME FOR SPORTS.
In fine weather the afternoon is gen.
10 he on ri-
son be near a town many of the men
visit it on passes. but pass is never
given to a soldier unless his record is
good. the stoppage of pass privileges
resting with the Captain, and forming
a powerful lever in favor II discipline.
If in the artillery branch of the serv-
ice the recruits advancement will pro-
coed in accordance with the ability he
displays. After learning how to handle |
a musket he is instructed in the art |
of handling field pieces. Then. by de- |
grees, he is taught how to manipulate |
mortar batteries, siege guns, the mod |
ern eight, ten and twelve-inch rifles |
and magazines. In a few months man |
of ordinary intelligence is ready for |
active service at any of the great sea-
coast Notifications.
To become skillful artillerists men |
are required to possess some knowledge |
of arithmetic, must know how to read |
barometers and thermometers, and |
must also have some knowledge of the |
force and effect of the velocity of the |
wind. This enters into the sighting |
and firing of heavy ordnance.
There are to-day in the service many /
very bright men who have enlisted as