The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-06
Life in Our Army.

lives, will ind lille 10 attract him in the
army"
This is the comment of General Henry
c Corbin, Assistant Adjutant General OF
the army II view OF the proposed in
crease in the artillery branch OF the ser
vice, the Adjutant General IS preparing
for the prompt organization of the TWO
additional regiments provided for IN the
Hawley bill which passed the senate on
Washington's birthday. II is the inten-
ton OF the department TO have these two
regiments enrolled, equipped and ready
for active service within sixty days
The life OF an enlisted man in the army
is what he him self makes IT. For IN
stance. a man thirty-one years old, OF
sound mind and good health. concludes
TO enter the army. he presents himself
at any Of the military posts and nleS ms
application for enlistment. He may De a
man of ordinary intelligence. but with
little or no education. Perhaps ne can
barely read and write. and in some IN
stances ne can do neither. II is the desire
in making enIstments to secure men who
can read and write. However, high grade
of education is not absolutely essential
10 a new recruit
When the recruit presents himself at the
military rendezvous he is put through
rigid physical examination, and II ne
comes up to the requirements OF the ser
vice he is enlisted for three years ar the
rate OF $13 q month. This does not seem
like a tempting compensation 10 strong.
able-bodied meu of average intelligence,
but, as General Corbin said, good citizen
should make a good soldier. and 4 SOL
dier's 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 comfortable
clothing. He is provided with a good warm
bed in comfortable barracks. If he is an
ignorant man ne is taught 10 read and
write at the post school, and mis- thirst for
additional knowledge may be quenched at
the post library If he is inclined 10 be
convival his thirst for some of the good
things of this life may be satisfied 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 dispensed, but no
whisky is allowed by the regulations TO
be sold. Precautions are taken 10 prevent
over Indulgence, but should the enlisted
man partake too freely of the good cheer
dispensed at the canteen he is obliged
70 suffer the penalty of several hours in
the guard house, with a little extra duty
on the side, in consequence of his breech
y
icated at a military post is better treated
than the average citizen who. after imbib-
ing too freely, falls into the clutches of
the metropolitan police.
The first duty to which raw recruit
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 general way, he is in
structed in infantry tactics. All this is for
physical development. so that while his
mind is being cultivated his physical de-
velopment goes steadily on.
Some idea of the routine Of a soldiers
life may be obtained from this daily dis
position of his time:
ReyeIle, winter, $50 a. M; summer, $50
a. IN.
Breakfast, winter, a. m; summer, E
a. m.
Fatigue, a. m.
Drill, a. m.
Dress parade, 9 a. m.
Guard mounting, 800 a. m.
Drill, 10 a. m.
Dinner, Il m.
School, Gunner's school, If in artillery.
l D. m.
Retreat, 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 va
rious drills, such as signalling. fnstr11c-
tlon IN first aid to wounded, &c, taken
py only a few men at a time On the
Whole' however, it may be said that a
soldiers time is pretty we'll filled rntr
two or three o'clock in the afternoon. a fer
which he is his own master until re-
treat
In fine weather the afternoon is oaro-
ally devoted TO sports. II the garrison he
near town many of the men visit II
on passes, but a pass is never given 10
soldier unless his record is good tho
stoppage of pass privileges resting win
the captain, and forming a powerful lever
IN favor Of discipline.
II In the artillery branch Of the service
the recruits advancement will proceed in
accordance with the ability be displays.
After learning how 10 handle a musket
he Is instructed in the art Of handling field
pieces. Then, by degrees, he is taught
how to manipulate mortar batteries siege
guns, the modern S, 70 and Pinch rifles
and magazines. In q few months a man
Of Urinary intelligence IS ready for active
service at any Of the great seacoast for
tifications
To become skillful artillerists men are
required TO possess some knowledge OF
arithmetic must know how to read ba-
rometers 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 hring Of
heavy ordnance.
There are today in the service many
very bright men who have enlisted ss pri-
Yates. but by industry and perseverance
have become experts IN the handling Of
the great modern guns. Many Of them
are still privates. but II is expected that
some OF them viii be promoted u non
commissioned officers in the two new reg
irnents 20 DC established.
Discipline in the army Is not ~ severe
as some persons imagine. although IN
some rare Instances army uar-ine-s have
been known 20 render miserable the lives
4 some II the enlisted men under them
The relations between ire officers and
enlisted men are, as rule, q the most
friendly nature
Athletic sports have been widely encour-
aged in recent years. - that today there
3 a football team or baseball nine made
ID Z officers and enlisted n-@a a. almost
every army post 80 ne United States
This reference 20 sports IS made % show
that The soldiers he Is Tot altogether
a. unhappy o1e IL tf-Le q peace.
Under re head u hsr5sh{7s IN army
lifa = is sometimes necessary 70 sepz-
-a-e & married man from he family To
that ems marriages among enlisted r1eu
sra rot encouraged. ard - making enlist
--err@ q * considered desirable % eslec.