The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-06-16
THE SOLDIERS SLANG
Army Vernacular as Odd as That
of the Navy.
MANY QUEER EXPRESSIONS.

A Man Just Enlisted 10 Called "a
Rocky" and Men Who Enlist at the
Beginning Of Winter and Desert In
the Spring Are Called "Snowbirds..
The army has just as odd vernae-
ular as the navy. To the uninitiated
some army expressions would convey
little or no sense, us. for example. II
soldier were heard to say, THE top
told me to report for kitchen police
and help skin the spuds for Stun for
supper" the hearer would have sew
eral guesses before he would come
anywhere near what this meant In the
patter Of the barracks.
In plain language, 1t means that the
first sergeant dhe ranking or orderly
sergeant had told him to report to the
cook to assist him In peeling the pota
toes to make the hash or stew for sup
per Hash or stew is always 'slum,"
and the first sergeant Is ''the top"
Kitchen police" man who assists the
NOoA AZ hhN PiSPohotAch va bASoiS "'u
the washing OF dishes. pans, etc.
A man who has Just enlisted or has
not yet been In the ranks long enough
to be considered II full fiedged soldier.
having learned all his duties, is called
"a rocky" and woe be unto the
''rooky" who gets fresh before an
old sergeant who has been In the
ranks since before the fresh 'rooky"
was born. He will be told In any but
gentle terms by the old timer: shut
up and go about your work Your
name Is not yet dry on your enlistment
paper!' meaning that when he was
sworn In and promised to serve for
three years and obey the orders of
the president and the officers appointed
over him. he had signed his name to
this paper and the signature had not
had time TO get dry.
When man says he Is going to
take on" or take to another blan-
ket." he means that he is going to re-
enlist. The government, in the cloth
ing allowance for each man, provides
a blanket; hence the term to take an
other blanket"
The euardhouse Is called "the mill"
Some III behaved soldier nwav hack In
the past Qhe term Is very old one)
no doubt thought his term In the
uuardhouse ground out toward its end
worry SLOWLY so he opnlied this now
much used name TO the prison of the
garrison.
When "the tom SAWS. "Get your
blanket and 90 to the mill" the sol
der knows no ia In for n tour OF duty
in the gunrdhouse, and his blanket
means one or more nights. for In that
much TO be avoided place nothing IA
supplied I'm the way Of comforts. and
eacb occupant carries with him his
blanket or more II he has them. to
make his rest more comfortable.
All meals are called "cbuck.r md
along toward mealtIme the expression.
"Ia n not time for chuck call 70 blow ?''
is heard very frequently.
"SnowbIrds" are men who enlist in
the winter rbout the time snow begins
to fall and the real snowbird puts In
its appearance and desert In the spring
when the robin appears. They take
on" only to tide over the winter with
] its discomforts.
The Oldest man In the company Is
dad" and the Youngest "the kid.
ANY deserter IL called skipper"
Two men who share the same small
tent or whose hunks are side by side
In the barrack room are called bunk
les" This ancient term originated In
the days of the very old army, when
the hunks were built for two" and
two men slept side by side on mat
tress filed with straw and one blan-
ket apiece, much different from today.
when each man has his hair mattress,
pillow. sheets and blankets. A. "bunky"
always has chew or filling for a pipe
for his mate, when he might tell an
other man that he has not enough
weed to put under your nail"
All fines received from court are
called blind" 80 that n man who re-
ceived ten days In the guardhouse and
a fine OF So would tell his comrades
that he got ten days In the mill and
five blind"
The commanding officer OF n com.
pany or the post is always the cold
man" II he Is not liked other terms.
not parlor talk. are used.
All field musicians are called "wind
tanners" on account of their tanning
OF wind into the trumpet that calls the
men to labor or rest.
Every man on the completion of HIS
term OF enlistment ia given dig
charge Al the bottom of bia naner In
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