Year: 1879

HOW THEY ARE RECRUITED AND DISPOSED Of


There is popular fallacy that anyone who


is possessed of body of average proportion,


who has good health, and who is willing to


comply with army regulations and live on


army fare, can become a soldier-but like


all such notions it has no basis in fact Fif-


teen years ago, while the war was in progress


aud simply food for powder was sought for,


nearly everybody who could be found to carry


a musket was sworn in as defender Of his
country; but since the return of peace all
that has been changed. Every year the stand
ard of admission to the ranks has been rising


and although many scamps still find refuge


under blue coat, they are much fewer in
number than is generally supposed, and the


rank and file of the regular army will stand


the closest comparison with the same number


of men in any calling. The dssolute, who


manage to become enrolled, find the restraints
under which they are put almost unbearable,


and from this class come the deserters, few


but steady men serving willingly more than
year, especially if the regiment or company


in which they are is on the border. The Gov


eminent does not require that its common


soldiers shall be intellectual men, but that


they shall be physically sound, perfect ami


mails in fact, and although this standard may
seem low, followed out as it is, TO its logical


conclusion, it produces q result far better


than would at first be supposed possible.


The work of recruiting for the regular army
is thoroughly systemized. In the engineer
ing, ordnance and artillery branches of the
service each commander enlists at the post at
which he is stationed, the men who are need
ed to fill vacancies caused by DEATH desertion
or discharge. With the infantry and cavalry
the method is different From each regiment
of these forces there is detailed once in two
years q captain or lieutenant, who becomes for
the ensuing two years q recruiting officer. This
service is considered a reward for mertorious
conduct, and if there is any choice of posts to
be made, he who has been longest in COM
mission is allowed to make the first selection.
These posts are scattered throughout the Un-
ion in the principal cities, and at each of
them there are, besides the commissioned
officer, sergeant and a file of men. The
central depots are at New York and Co.
lumbus, Ohio for the infantry, and at st.
Louis for the cavalry, and to these all newly


enlisted men sooner or later find their way.


Of those who desire to enlist not more than


one-third ever reach the point of being ply
scally examined. At least two out of three
applicants are rejected at sight, no one who
is particularly dirty in person, who is appar-
emily habitually intemperate, or who at a
glance shows physical defects or weakness,
being listened to beyond a simple statement
of his wishes When a man comes in who is
of requisite age-not less than 81 nor more
than 81 years old-and who is apparently
sound in body and of temperate habits, he is
put to a test from which even he frequently
shrinks. First of all he takes a thorough
bath then he is weighed and measured and
his body is carefully inspected. If he is fat
footed, and therefore poor walker, if he has
grOXgipU nailg IL ha is trOuhla6 with nj
cose veins, if one of his joints is stiff if her
MIA has claimed him for a victim; if his lungs
Hre weak: if his chest is smaller than it should
be to correspond with the other parts of his
body, lie is sent away as unfit for military du-
ty, and these are only few of the causes
which may lead to such a result. That upon
which most men fail to come up to the re-
quired standard is the power of vision, which
is rigidly tested In border warfare it is of
the greatest importance that soldiers should
see clearly, and only those are enrolled for
service who have proved that their sight is of
the best, OF those who are tested physi-
cally, not more than one-half meet the neoes-
sary requirements. These picked few are
generally from the country, cities furnishing
but few of the men who fight the Indians or
do guard duty at the military posts through
out the land.


After the man has been sworn into the ser
NASb NC INlAhlhh NJ Nht pOhb III hhlGh nc uhh
enlisted until there are five others, who arc
like him nOVices in the art of war. The par
ty, in charge of sergeant or corporal, is
then sent to the nearest depot, where those
who compose it are with others like them
drilled and instructed in the duties upon
which they have entered. They are kept al
these central points until requisitiOn is made
from n regiment in active service and then
they are sent wherever they are needed.
n.
each recruit is clothed in the United States uni
form, and from the moment of his taking the
oath he is subject to the command of the Off
GER in charge. He enlists for a term of five
years. For the first two years his pay is Sl5
per month, for the third year $l4, and for
the fourth $l2, and for the fifth SIG Should
he re-enlst he receives $lS a month for
his second term of service, and upon each
term his pay is advanced 81
month over that of the term preceding ii.
He is lodged and fed at the expense of the
Government, and all his travelling costs him
nothing He also is allowed a certain amount
with which to clothe himself. The Govern
nent furnishes the apparel at very moderate
rates, and frequently a man who is careful of
his garb saves from this allowance quite
handsome sum. By recent enactment no
married man can become a soldier, unless he
Is willing TO abandon his wife 1t was for
many years the custom to allow four laun-
dresses to each company, and these women
were almost invariably wives of some Of the
men. A few years ago, however, 1t was de-
sided by Congress that no women, except
wives and other relatives of officers, should
be allowed in barracks or camp after the en-


stments of the husbands of those who are
now there as laundresses shall have expired
hus inaugurating movement that will speed
ly sever nearly all of the few remaining home
les of the common soldier. -BOstOR Journal


A dentist's sipn-DraWing music and dane