The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-03
TO SERVE THE COUNTRY
MOTIVE OF THE RECRUITS WHO GO
INTO THE REGULAR ARMY.
Nfne-Tenths of Them Give This Rea-
sOn-The Hospital Service-Few
COIored Recruits.

A perusal Of the applications for enlist
ment, made out by the regular army re-
cruits accepted in this city by Capt. Black.
OF the recruiting service is an interesting
study to those persons who are interested
in the motives that prompt the average
young man to bind himself to Uncle Sam S
service for three years. Men of all colors,
extractions and previous condition of servi-
tude apply for enlistment and each man
has some distinct and different idea or am
bition in view when he takes the first step.
Hardly any two men have the same concep-
ton of what army life really is, but when
it comes to a public statement as to the
direct reason that impelled them to assume
the livery of the Nation there is no discount
to be placed on the high motives felt by
all of the men.
Some come in rags hardened by contact
with an unappreciative world in which they
have been failures. Others have had the
advantage of a liberal education, absorbed
under the most favorable home influences,
while still others come to the Office direct
from farms with neither great educations or
knowledge of the world But between these
incongruous elements there is one common
bond Of sympathy and unanimity Of feeling
and it makes itself apparent in the replies
to the question as to the reason that leads
them to apply for enlistment There on the
printed form stands out tersely but eloquent
ly in nine cases out of ten, the words "to
serve my country" This universal express
sion of the best side of a mans nature is
all the more remarkable when 1t Is consid-
cred that no one Of the recruits sees the
application Of his fellow-recruit. An army
officer, in speaking of this feature, said:
THAT is the reason that our soldiers are
among the finest in the world. Their service
is voluntary and is prompted by the highest
emotion that man is capable of feeling
for anything outside of the love he bears
for his family" Some Of the men plainly
bear the stamp of life generally supposed
to sooner or later kill all of the higher
aspirations of manhood One man sent to
Tampa last night, the first one enlisted
yesterday, put himself on record as being
prompted to take the step because Of
desire to serve his country. This man has
been circus follower and from outward ap-
pearance looks it. But when confronted by
an emergency in which his country needed
him he was able to feel an emotion as high
as that felt by any man and with the she'd
ding Of his civilians clothes was dropped
the tough" and repellant swagger and
speech so characteristic of his class. The
question has been agitated that it is not
question of what American soldiers can ac-
complish but rather what cannot such men
as these overcome
The most conspicuous additions to the
regulars from the higher walks of life are
found in the new hospital corps. Recruiting
for this service has only been taken up q
few days since, but already there are a
number of college and medical school young
men who have asked that they be accepted.
None have as yet been sworn in, but a
squad will be some time this week. Among
the applicants for this service yesterday as
privates was the nephew and ward OF a
prominent state official. This young man,
nineteen years of age, is a graduate in
pharmacy, and is now employed as chem
ist in a local medical institution. With him
came another Indianapolis young man, who
will accompany his chum to Fort Sheridan,
where they will be sent as soon as they are
sworn in. Lou Mates, of South Bend,
strongly Endorsed by the best men in his
city, yesterday added his name to the hes
pital corps list, and will be sworn in to-
day. He is a medical graduate, and ex-
pressed himself as anxious to serve any
where. with no preference as to location
OF the instructions given to Captain Black
for the recruiting of the hospital corps, that
the major portion of the men will be sent
to the Philippines at an early date. A school
has been established at Fort Sheridan for
the instruction of this corps, along lines
that will make the men acquainted with
the best methods to fight the diseases pc
culiar to those islands. Fourteen men were
shipped away yesterday, all of them going
to the heavy artillery, at Tampa. Every
man was from this State while three were
from this city, Two colored men applied
for enlistment but were unable to pass the
medical examlnatio The roster of accept
ed men is as follows VIM. A. Foster, Mar
shall =. Smith Hospital corps and Frank
Alderman, all of this city; Robert L. Hamp-
| ton and Robert L. Johnson, of Terre Haute
Rufus r. Chaplin and Willie A. Sebastian.
August w. Kleine, of Lafayette; Clarence
| A: Murphy, of Bean Blossom; Lon Knose,
Of Of Morgantto3,wn; Frank J. Cavanaugh, OF
City, and Bert Hosea of Columbus.
IN Marshall ID. Smith. of this city, who en-
sional nurse, and was for a few years en-
| ployed at the State Insane Hospital in this
| city; He leaves with a squad of other men
| In this service tonight for Fort Sheridan.
The desire among colored men to enlist
| is not a marked popularity Very few of
them even apply for enlistment, and only a
small percentage of those who do are found
| by the surgeons to be physically sound men.
| out Of total of nearly seven hundred en-
| ISIOQ men at the local F6cFBtClnS station
| since the war began, there have been only
fifteen colored men up for examination, and
| Of these only nine were accepted.
The recruiting force at the office in Illi-
| nois street is practically entirely an Indiana
| one DR.. Charles e. Craft, of New Albany,
| is the medical examiner Captain Black is
a. Hoosier by adoption, while Privates H.
II. Tansy and Fred Weaver are from New
Albany and Kokomo, respectively. Sergeant
| Edwin G. Forbes of New York, is the only
| outsider in the Office. None of them have
l. served less than eight years in the army,
| and from their present intentions it is prob
able that they will only leave it when re-
| tired.