The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1899-01-04
BACKBONE OF ARMY.
Noncommissioned officers the Un-
g1orified Sinews of War.
with Unlimited Ability to Work,
They Bear the Brunt of Battle
and Shoot Their Way Into
theCOrridOrs of Oblivion.


than he falls into the hands of a cor
poral. This soldier, with the two clean
white chevrons on his sleeves, looks
him over, guides him to a bathing
place and begins to lick him into shape.
He begins by teaching him how to
stand, how to turn around, where to
keep his eyes and all the small details
of the soldier business. He impresses
On him the necessity of quick doing,
and cautions that the officers are there
20 think. Then the recruit is shuffled
on to a sergeant, who places him in
set of fours and teaches him how to
find his place and what to do when he
finds it. He finally falls into the hands
of the first sergeant in company drill.
He may get an occasional sight of his
captain. but he learns to know and en-
ulate his sergeant.
The "noncom." is the teacher. His
unlimited ability to work and his un-
dying patience straighten up round
shoulders, liven up shutting steps and
make aNsturdy soldier of the raw re-
cruit. He works always and forever,
and executes the orders of his supe-
riors quickly and accurately. He
serves as a model to be copied after by
the private-he is the backbone of the
army.
Glory seldom comes to the "non-
CON-" Along time ago certain Sergt.
Jasper won permanent place in his
tory, and more recently Sergt. Ham
iiton Fish died brayely at the front
The "noncom.'' works unnoticed, like
the line player in the football team,
because he doesn't run with the ball,
but he is the backbone that holds the
ribs together. When the battle is hot
and sweat mingies with blood on the
Sodden field, when bullets wnizz and
shells scream, when comrades sink to
the ground and turn on their faces, the
officer lifts his sword on high and steps
forward into glory. The ''noncom." !"
speaks the quiet STEADY, boys!" and
walks into the jaws of death, shooting
his way into. the corridors of oblivion.
| The captain knows he will be. famous if
he survives-famous if he dies. The
! sergeant or the corporal knows his
wife and children will weep over their
loss, his comrades that survive him will
bury him in soldiers grave wrapped
in his blanket. He is too numerous
for the historian to mention; he was
| simply doing his duty. Yet if the vic
tory is won it is because he is in his
| place and doing this same duty.
Under the new tactics in use by the
! United States army companies no
| longer fight with men shoulder to
! shoulder under the direct command
| of the captain. Much stress is laid on
| the skirmish drill, in which sets of
fours under corporals and squads un-
! der sergeants fight in open order,
firing at will after the aptain has or
| dered Commence firing" The cor
poral is responsible for his set of
fours and the sergeant for his squad.
The first sergeant is in a manner re-
| sponsible for the entire company and
is ready to assume command when his
officers are shot down. The new ar
rangement gives opportunity to the
''noncom." to show himself. 1t remains
to be seen whether or not he will break
into fame.
It is not in battle, however, that the
noncommissioned officer earns the
title of Backbone" for in the fight the
sweating private is necessary per
son. In the camp the white-chevroned
soldier makes his presence known and
felt. The first sergeant, gruff, stern
severe, kind, man of all work and al
! intelligence, father of his company
} and mother, too, in camp, is in charge
of his men. He looks after the com
pany quarters, tents, bedding, cloth
ing, knows all about the kitchen ant
sees 70 the equipments. He calls the
J roll, details the guard, knows the abiI
| ity and willingness of every soldier q
: his command and is the CisciplinariaI
and mouthpiece of his company. HI
is the go-between for privates and Off
GERS, adjusts quarrels and disseminate
advice. The company books, though
not intricate, are tedious,and are KEEP
l by him, and he reports the dead t.
= his captain. He seems to he in ever!
place at the same time. He is the mode
i soldier.
The literature of the present wal
is yet unwritten. Glorious victorie
have. been won and admirals and gen
erals have been launched into ever
Testing fame. It is to be hoped, whe1
the war correspondents get back II
3 the quiet of their desks, they Will no
: have been blinded by the glare of up
lifted swords and glittering shoulde.
straps to the bravery and courage o
> the t'nonccnimissione man." Their
is room in history for the '.backbon.
of the army."--Kansas City Star.