Year: 1863

How the COnscripIs are Treated


by the Volunteer Soldiers.


The Republican papers with crue
irony, occasionally expatiate upon the
excellent spirits with which The
poor conscript marches, on is marched
off to join the army. 1t would bt
worth while to ascertain, whether those
spirits rise or fall, after joining the
army, and receiving such treatment
as the following, vouched for by 9
Herald correspondent writing from
Gen, Meade's army:


The old soldiers, (says this writer,
seem to consider the new comers legit
innate prey, and the way they enlight~
en- the conscripts upon the matter Of
the appearance, size and domestic
habits of the war elephant is vastly
more exciting than agreeable to tie
victims, and considerably more enter
tanning to the old than the new sol.
diers. The conscripts of course come
into their new service very much as
our new militia regiments used to GO
into the feld-provided with immacu-
late clothing and new outfit complete,
to which they have added the pin
cushions, needle cases, and innumera-
bic etceteras, which their anxious
wives and sisters and sweathearts had
bestowed with loving hands upon
them. They do, indeed, look nice in
their new toggery, when compared
with the seedy looking veterans all
around and about them, and are the
objects of undoubted Jealousy on the
part of their new found con rades.-
But somehow they do not long retain
their new clothes, and blankets and
haversacks, and havelocks, and dear
home mementoes; for after the first
two or three days marching and drill,
ing, hungry because they cannon
crunen the "hard tack" and thirsty
because their stomachs will not bear
the vapid, insipid, stagnant, mud
sweetened element here called water,
they soundly sleep away not only the
dark hours of the night but long into
the morning after their experienced
tent mates have arisen. Then they
find to their sorrow that they are mi
nus the beautiful blue uniforms of
which they were the undoubted pos
SCISSORS the night before, whose places
have been supplied with tattered gar
ments bearing the umimpeachable
marks of many tedious march, and
Iindubitable proof that soap is scarce
in the army. Complaint would be
useless; but the expletives used by the
conscripts when they discover the
fraud betoken that the remembrance
of their youthful Sabbath school pre-
cepts has passed with their losses, and
they take their revenge in highly un-
christian comments upon the morality
and honesty of the Army of the Po-
| tomac. n"


INSPECTION OF C0NsCRIPTs.
But this exchanging of clothing is
only one way the old soldiers have OF
extracting amusement from the new
corners. After the duties of the morn,
ing are over an enterprising observer
might discover crowd of veterans es.
corting party of recruits to some Sc.
cluded place near camp where ''inspec.
ton is to take place. Now it must
not be supposed that this inspection
is that inspection referred to in the
army regulations, but is q sort of rude
ritual improvised for the occasi on.
The party, as they pass out Of camp,
are generally under charge of a non,
commissioned officer, selected for his
humor and ability to create the most
profound impression upon those who
are to be inspected Arriving at a
point in some field near where perhaps
are ensconced the commissioned Off
GERS of the regiment, within the thick
foliage Of the hazel and blackberry
the candidates are ordered to divest
themselves of their clothing and t(
form into line. If the day be one o.
those intensely hot ones, such as have
afflicted us for, q few days past, the de-
nuded patriots are not kept facing the
sun over half an hour at time, wher
they are allowed to "about face ant
go through the manual of arms unit
cooked upon each side alike. Wher
this culinary process, is completed


"the inspected are allowed to dor
their habiliments, when they are tolt
that such must be gone through witt
lin order to harden them to the service
If rain comes up during the day
some high private who does not minc
getting wet parades the green soldiers
Lfor squad drill until the shower ii
over, to the no small annoyance of al
concerned. Ofcourse none of the of
ffcers know anything of the joculal
indignities practised by their subordi
mates, or Of course none of them woule
allow "such things to be carried on;e