Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-03-31
Advertising ta'e-
OFFICERS IN UNIFORM.
Volunteers More Anxious to Display
Themselves Than the Regulars.

Volunteers More AnNiOus 10 Dtspfay
Themselves Than the Regulars.
In the unwritten code Of army and
navy officers sartorial ethics play an i'm
portant part. The regulations Of both
branches of the service define the uni
forms to be worn with so much exact
ness that any tailor may make them,
and custom has defined the occasions on
which officers should wear citizens
clothes. 1t is customary, for instance,
for naval officers who go ashore when
not on official business to don their
plain clothes. Much the same code OF
dress prevails in the army, and no regu-
lar army officer under normal conditions
would appear in the streets in uniform.
When an order was issued at Washing
ton during the war commanding all
staff officers TO wear their uniforms
while on duty, there was great shak-
ing out Of moth balls and lot Of grum-
bling on the part Of such Of them as
have offices in the Army building in
this city. This order meant the pur-
chase Of new uniforms by many Of them,
and while they complied with the letter
Of the command they took every oppor-
tunity to exchange their uniforms for
their plain clothes.
1t was noticeable during the summer
and fall, however, that the volunteer
officers were just as anxious 10 wear
their uniforms as the regulars were to
get out Of them One Of the sights
down town morning, noon and night
was the appearance Of young man.
| hitherto unknown TO fame, in his uni
I form Of a volunteer officer Of the sig
nal corps. He wore the whole OUTFIT
boots. spurs and all, Notwithstanding
the heat. He was the official censor at
the down town cable Offices for few
| glorious weeks. and as soon as he was
commissioned an officer in the signal
corps, that be might have some military
authority, be got into his uniform and
staid in it apparently until he was
mustered ont. During the fall one Of
the coast line boats which left this port
/ for the south carried among its passen-
gers very imposing looking family. 1t
consisted Of papa, mamma and several
half grown children. All of them were
more or less military in their dress
Papa's uniform was concealed under n
military coat as be came aboard, but 1t
was very evident that he was no slouch
Of fighting man.
Mamma wore blue military cape
and patriotic buttons and flags, and the
children were all blue and gilt lace.
The boys wore uniforms much like
their fathers, and the girls wore dresses
that might have served a daughter Of the
regiment in a Bowery melodrama. Il
was a surprise to the other passengers
when at dinner they discovered that
papa was a staff officer with ~. S. "
on the collar Of his coat and, moreover,
that he belonged TO state regiment
which was not in service at that time.
He and his family were off on two
weeks vacation, and he elected to wear
his uniform.
One night last week an officer in uni
form appeared in the balcony Of a
Broadway theater. His seat was well
around to the end Of the balcony, and
as he stirred around a good deal he at;
tracted no little attention from the peo-
pie in the orchestra chairs.
"Ill bet supper for the crowd
said man who had seen service and
who was annoyed by the sight OF the
man in uniform at the theater-"IH
bet supper for the crowd that that
fellow up there is volunteer. II he
were a regular, he wouldn't be in uni
form.
Several people around him heard this
offer to bet, and when at the end OF the
next act the officer descended from the
balcony to look up a friend IN the or
chestra circle they craned their necks
TO see what his uniform was. When
the wise ones saw that be was surgeon
and that he was ~. S. w." they
passed the word along, and the man
who had seen service said, II told you
so. New York Sun.