Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1894)
THE BATTALION. 3 is given .you to rest but you must attend all roll call, drill, etc. Next day is what is called old guard fatigue. • You may be sent in a detail to police around the garrison or do some work ordered by the quartermaster. This is where the orderly figures again ; his reputation .still follows him. Instead of having to work the same as the rest he is put in charge of a detail and carries out the in structions given him by the officer in charge of the fatigue party. Fatigue .call is generally sounded at 7:30 a. m. and recall from fatigue 4:30 or such hours as the commanding officer may direct ; each day there is a drill at a specified hour and no one is excused ex- .cept ihe sick and one cook and usually the non-commissioned officer in charge of quarters. The daily routine is much the same, each day of the week except Saturday .and Sunday. On Saturday each bar rack is scrubbed out clea.n, floors, spit- fioons, bath tubs, etc., everything made ready for inspection on Sunday morn ing. The inspection of rifles and cloth ing is held on Saturdays and that of quarters Sunday morning. You will be required to have clean sheets and pillow slips on your bed, your shoes polished and your bed made up in regular mili tary style. When ah officer comes through for inspection each man takes his place at the foot of his bed, standing at attention. Your time for guard comes according to the strength of the com pany. You may have ten or twelve nights in or perhaps only four, seldom so low, except when part of the company may be on the range, at target practice ■or some other duty. After a week or so you will be exam ined again physically much the same as at first ; if any defects are found you are liable to be discharged for disability. It often happens that a recruit may be detailed on special duty as clerk in the many departments, library, etc. If so, he can stay one year, and at the end of that time, if he has served faithfully, he may apply to be assigned to any reg iment in the U. S. army, with the ap- proval of the adjutant general through your commanding officer. Should you be sent away to a, regiment in a batch of recruits, a commissioned officer as a rule takes charge of them, and with the as sistance of a few of the brightest men in the batch to act as non-commissioned officers, he has an easy time. When he reaches his destination he reports to the commanding officer with so many men. The senior officer takes first draw of the men, the names of the men being previously put in a hat. Should you be especially assigned to a company or regiment and sent by your self you will get commutations of rations and a ticket by rail or water, or both as the case may be, to your destination. Upon your arrival you will report to the commanding officer who will send you to your company, and introduce you to your captain and first sergeant, if he deems fit to do so. As a rule a young man having first-class recommendations is treated by all very courtly. [to be continued in our next.] Ouf piineteenthi Century Soeiety. The nineteenth century will soon be numbered as a thing of the past. Onlv a few more years to roll by and a . new century will be ushered in to take its place. Those of us who were born in this