The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-05

the Work of Physical Examina-
ton of Recruits-Large Percent
age of Reflections, as the Exam
ination Is a Strict One--Men VIII
BE Mustered Today.
The first Minnesota man mustered
into the United States volunteer serV-
ice at Camp Ramsey was Col. Joseph
Bobleter, commander Of the Twelfth
regiment of infantry Minnesota volun-
teers, formerly the Second regiment
Minnesota national guard
The oath was administered to Col.
Bobleter by Capt Swigert, the United
States army mastering officer, at bril-
gade headquarters at p M. yesterday.
Col. Bobleter was Immediately congrat-
ulated by all the staff officers who We're
present at the ceremony.
The following Is the formula OF oath
taken by Col. Bobleter:
~ do solemnly swear Tor affirm) that
will bear true faith and allegiance to the
United States of America, and that l will
serve them honestly and faithfully against
all their enemies whomsoever; ana tnat
will obey the orders OF the president OF the
United States, and the orders of the OH
GERS appointed overtme, according TO the
Rules and Articles of War"
Immediately after Col. Bobleter had
been sworn in the same oath was taken
by Majs. Fitzgerald and Cole and
Capts. Game and Clark, of the medical
department, who had passed the eX-
animation for surgeons In the service.
The doctors were then directed to be-
gin the physical examinations of the
volunteers, and they entered upon
their duties without delay.
The doctors did as directed. They
We're no sooner ready for business than
Companies A, B, H and I, Of the
Twelfth regiment, composing the First
battalion Of that regiment, marched to
brigade headquarters and lined up for
inspection. Capt. Steinhauser, Of Com
pany A, was first examined Capt.
Clark looked him over carefully, and
after testing his Joints and sounding
his chest and back pronounced him
physically fit for service. Lieuts. John
BuscherS and Louis Mueller were next
subjected to inspection, and then the
men were called upon in turn to strip.
For this purpose the billiard room in
the headquarters building was placed
at the disposal of Dr., Clark. The VIM
dow shades were drawn, and a stove
was placed In the room to give the
apartment heat sufficient that the men
might not catch cold DR.. Clark Is an
experienced man and can detect at
glance a physical defect, and it did not
take him long to pass upon the merits
fifty at the rate of one every three min
utes. "a
While DR.. Clark was busy on the first
floor the other doctors We're examining
companies in the upper rooms Com
pany H had 81 men,; Company B, 1F
men. Company 1, which had Ill men,
was transferred to the hospital for
examination.
The result of the examinations was
startling to some of the officers OF
Company, AS ninety-five men, six were
peremptorily rejected, and nine were
taken under advisement. The percent
age Of men rejected in other companies
varied from 10 to 20 per cent
"A number were rejected because they
had fiat feet. Flat feet are disbarred
from the service because they are an
impeachment In marching. Others were
turned down because they were color
blind. All near-sighted men were also
rejected. Such men are not, qualified
for picket duty. Every man in the
service Is expected to be able to dis
tinguish objects at a distance in the
dark so as to be able to give the alarm
at the approach of an enemy. The
safety of an entire army may be imper-
lied by near-s1ghted or color blind
picket or sentinel's failure to perceive
hostile body Of troops. For similar
reasons deaf men are not eligible for
the army. ..,..u-.z..
When the captains learned how rig
IDLY the rules were applied, they be-
came alarmed, for there are some COM
panies in camp that cannot stand the
rejection Of too large a percentage of
their men,. Unless their captains find
men to fill the places OF the rejected,
there will be some officers without men
to command, and commissions will dis
appear. So last evening several cap
tadns came to the. city and went on a
recruiting expedition around town.
They found number of men who were
anxious to john the regiments and who
promised to appear at camp today.
The companies Of the First battalion
Who were examined yesterday will be
mustered In this morning by Capt.
Swigert. The ceremony will be per
formed in front of brigade headouar
ters, the men standing In line in the
race track, which Is adapted for that
purpose.
The Second battalion will be examin-
ed this morning and the Third this af-
ternoon. It Is intended to complete the
examination Of the Twelfth regiment
this evening. The Thirteenth regiment
Will be examined tomorrow and 1t is
hoped that the entire brigade may be
ready for muster by Monday. ass
The rejected men will be sent home
as rapidly as possible. The first lot
| pense Of the state this morning The
longer they remain the-amore raHions
| they eat.
The news of THE change IN the desig-
nations OF the regiments was received
by some with pleasure and by others
with regret. Some of the men I'm the
old First regiment thought the change
to the Thirteenth would-prove unllicky
but Col. Reeve said he was perfectly
satisfied. His father, Gen. Isaac Reeve.
commanded the Thirteenth. United
States regulars, number Of years ago,
and he was gratified by the coincidence
The change effaces the regimentaI
associations with the national guard
But the men feel now, that they are a
part OF the regular service, and as thew
expect to fight they are reconciled.
The camp is taking on q more mill
tary appearance now. AS the men are
| drilled they walk with a more military
carriage than at first. They are learn
Ing to salute their superior officers and
| to greet each other with military cour-
tesy. Every day at camp makes them
more familiar with the etiquette Of the
| service. Even the recruits, non-uni-
formed though they be, carry them
selves with a military air that dis
tingufshes them from civilians.
| Drilling was practiced all day yester-
day. Every company was out at some
time during the day. The rawness is
fa crf dsrarr> IL ~