New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-25

"lIERE is in the heart Of every American boy and
a great many American men the instructive dc-
sire to be a soldier. Vet great IS the general
lack of knowledge concerning the United states army
and so common the illusion that the only way TO enter
H. MS an officer is by securing, early IN HE, one Oh the
coveted amendments TO West Point that few lads ever
discover for themselves the means to Join what many
mon regard as the nobcst profession IN the world
Nevertheless every year there are open to American
Youths who have not been able TO reach the academy
dozens of chances to commission, and that the
vacancies often 90 begging is a surprising commentary
on the ignorance OF conditions.
\ few wears ago was told by officer that, in the
thirty regiments OF infantry then in the army there was
not one single First Lieutenant who had graduated from
West Point did not take the trouble to count up the
register to see whether or not this was so; butt from
knowledge of general conditions have no doubt that
If WAS Perhaps q brief sketch OF my own experience
NAV illustrate the chances the army has offered in the
last few wears and still offers to the ambitious young
man who has given up hope of entering this favored and
historic profession.
In the winter of 1898 was clerk in drygoods store
do not mention that fact from any particular pride IN
humble origin from any desire to equal the record OF
Sir Joseph Porter, X c. b.; for did not intend to be
clerk III nv life. In fact the store belonged to my
uncle and had sort of hay promise that might be-
partner bv the time was forty. So, indeed might
have been had not the Maine blown up in Havana
Harbor in the memorable February OF that year.
TIP TO that time my idea of the army had been about
~ that Of the average American. From the novels OF
CAPTAIN Charles King gathered in hazy sort Of way
that there was a handful of long-musachel men in the
Far West who spent their time fighting Indians and
garrison scandal and once quiet youth from our town
whose uncle was in Congress disappeared from view
and the rumor was that he had gone to West Point
Some wears aftcrward he reappcared for "a few days
with deep coat OF tan and suit of civilian clothes IN
thefshion Of four years back and after hanging around
in ostsoul OF way, again drlitc ont OF our KEN
That was al we knew about the army, except for the
G. A. R. until the war broke ont and We tumblcd head
over heels 10 enlist in local militia company known as
the ~Trumbul Guards which had been leading pre-
carous existence and was regarded in popular estna-
ton as sort Of rival of the Ells and the Knights Of
Pvthias We read about ourselves in the papers as
patriots and recalled with great guso the spirit of 16
but the truth OF it was that half Of in for the
pure fun Of the thing and the other half because they
were ashamed to stay behind In ten days we were
hunting with microscope for the fun and in twenty
we were not ashamed Of anything.
That part Of my military career was brief and I'M
cventful For the first week sort Of over
Jealous college gce club not the second officers
began to learn that they had certain privileges and in
cidcntay certain duties the third they began enforce
them; and the fourth the Trumbul Guards, q dis
trict organization was as dead as the great aux We
had started out with ffty-odd men. and were raised
a hundred by the simple process Of pouring in long
shorcmcn from the nearest seaport town, with the result