The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-12-12
Desertion from the Hrnv.

In reading the papers nowadays one
is snre to see articles which deplore
the large number of desertions from
the army a. d navy. l do not know
the conditions that exist in the navy,
but l was soldier from 1901 to 1904
and will try to depict soldiers life as
it is in the army. First, I will describe
my personal experience for the first
few weeks after enlisted.
enlisted at D., Minn., and was
sent to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis,
Mo. On the way the train jumped the
track at Clinton, ILL.,, and in the gen.
eral mixup that followed my blankets
and hat were scorched by fire. When |
l landed at the post that night looked
more like had been thru dozen cam
psigns and few riots thrown in than
raw recruit. Well, was assigned to
the recruit detachment and shown my
bunk, and it was no feather bed either,
a common, iron bedstead with spring
and mattress. There were no pillow,
no sheets, and no blankets; and when
asked an old sergeant for these things,
he just glared at me and wanted to
know if didn't want nurse.
There were thirty recruits in that
room and the majority of us didn't
have any blankets for sometime, SO we
curled up like snakes and made believe
we were sleeping. Later on we got
blankets. No toilet articles were fur
nished, not even towels. Those who
had money bought their own supplies,
and those who didn't have any money
borrowed from the lucky ones.
stayed there two weeks, and then with
eleven other recruits WAS assigned to
the -th battery of field artillery, altho
I had enlisted for the cavalry. The re-
cruiting sergeant promised me that i
would surely go to the cavalry, but
they viii promise anything in order to
get recruits. 1t is those kind of prom
ises which cause a man to desert, as he
soon finds out what those promises are
worth. He considers himself inveigled
into the service, and accordingly does
: not feel bound to keep his oatt, and
serve Uncle Sam for three years. /
don't wish to convey the impression
that all recruiting agents are untruth-
full, but there are some, and those are
, the men who ought to be kicked out
of the service.
Here is an instance: At the same
time that enlisted, another man had
joined the service. He emphatically
r told them that he wouldn't enlist un-
3 less he was sent to some regiment
, which was bound for the Philippines
3 as he wanted to have active service.
1t was promised to him, but after he
8 was sworn in he was sent to company
post out in Arizona to fight rattle.
: snakes and horned t0ads. Was that
4 soldier bound to keep his contract
. Such things happen every day and still
: the officers wonder why they can't keeI
9 men in the army.
Another thing, and which / think il
t one of the main causes of desertion, il
}, bad food. All military men seem te
0 agree that all army travels on it's belly
d Well, why doesn't Uncle Sam act OF
d that belief and feed his men decently
j All soldiers will agree with me when
: say that man can get better food il
y ten-cent eating house than in many
Q of the outfits in the army. If the fooe
J. is good, then it is spoiled by bad cook
It ing, for the majority of army cooks
/ don't know any more about cooking
, than I know about being crook.
o Iii reprint little story that l reae
n the other day which hits the nail OF
j. the head. In a certain company th'
II men were complaining about the. food
d The captain heard of it, SO one nool
II when the men were at dinner lie wen
,r there to investigate and see for him
y self. Well, he had no sooner got ther,
n when q private grabbed his cup and
3 handing it to the captain, he said
s: aJust taste this, sir"
y The captain tasted it and, handing i
's back, said: sWhy, that Is excellen
le SOUP"
le Eyes, sir," replied the private, abu
p they sFe trying to persuade Us that !
srsnro q. seo,a. fvuts,s IN th3. s<nys