The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-20
ADVICE TO RECRUITS.
An Old Army Oificer's Recommen =
atiOns Regarding Discipline.

\ retired army officer, resident of
Washington, who has seen many years
of active service, gives through the
Post the following advice to recruits:
In spite of all that has been said bv
uniformed and unmilitary persons, the
fact remains that the nearer the meth
DDS of the regular army are adopted
| by troops Of all classes the better will
be the results obtained. "Martinetism"
to coin a worlds obsolete The same
results are now attained by the adop-
tion of mild but firm measures as were
formerly reached by the use of severe
ones which would now not he suitable
or necessary in their application to the
men now in ranks. The enlisted man
of this day is of a superior class. and
speaking generally-aVOids and escapes
the guardhouse because he is more self
respecting and has a higher moral
sense than the average old-fashioned
soldier.
The value of the professional soldier
is due to the fact-allowing, of course,
for the usual inevitable eXCeption-that
he is a perfectly disciplined and drilled
man. is good marksman, is Ohedent,
and knows how to take care of himself
in the field. The first three consdera-
tions or desiderata are looked after by
his superiors, the last depends upon
himself.
The value of the American volunteer
soldier has never been questioned The
late war and that with Mexico have
proved that with the superior qualities
possessed by him-patriotism, intelli-
gence, enthusiasm-he makes an excel
leat soldier when he has obtained the
necessary seasoning and experience in
the field. But it should be a truism to
state that the most efficient regiments,
other things being equal, We're those
that were the best disciplined. The
celebrated Fifth New York Infantry
(Zouaves), Gen. Warren's old regiment.
was a marked illustration of this. This
magnificent organization belonged TO
Sykes division, which was composed of
two brigades of regulars and one Of
volunteers, and it had many Of the best
points of both arms of the service.
Recognizing, therefore, the extreme
value of discipline, the first thought
Of the recruit-be he regular or volun-
teer-should be: What shall my line of
conduct be in order to become a per-
fectly disciplined man?
Answer-First, to give an instant
and willing obedience to the comamnds
OF my superiors; second, to perform all
my military duties with scrupulous
eXactness; third, to comply with all
camp regulations and those relating to
sanitary measures; fourth, never to
permit myself to indulge in criticism
of my military superiors. Finally,
there are some considerations that,
though the unprofessional may regard
them as scarcely pertinent, are yet inn
portant, as having a direct influence
upon discipline:
The recruit should keep his mouth
clean" and indulge neither i'm profane
nor vulgar language Let him be as
clean in his person as circumstances
will permit of, and never leave camp
without being neatly dressed i'm the
prescribed uniform. Remember, that
a clean, shabby is better and more
soldierly than a dirty new one. A
dirty soldier is an abomination, and
there are few circumstances, indeed,
under which personal untidiness be-
comes unavoidable for more than a
brief period. 1t is not expected, of
course, that the soldier can be imma-
culate under all circumstances. But