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CHAPTER VIII。
THE WAR DEPARTMENT。
My next trip was to the War Department； where I was shown the Rules
and Regulations governing the army； and navy。
The army was organized in twenty…five corps of eighty thousand men
each； besides the ladies' army corps of an equal number； each corps
composed of three divisions of foot infantry and one division of mounted
infantry。 Each division was composed of three brigades of infantry； one
regiment of sharpshooters and one regiment of artillery； each brigade of
three regiments and each regiment of twelve companies； one hundred and
fifty men each。 The company was divided into three sergeants' commands
and those into three corporal squads。 Each company consisted of one
hundred and thirty…five privates； nine corporals； three sergeants； one
company clerk； one lieutenant and a captain。 Four companies composed a
battalion； commanded by a major； and the regiment by a colonel。 There
were no lieutenant colonels； the senior major taking charge of the
regiment in case of death or disability of the colonel until the regiment
elected an officer to fill the vacancy。 All vacancies above the rank of
colonel were filled by the corps commander； all vacancies up to and
including that of colonel by the votes of the men； but the colonel had to be
chosen from the majors； a major from the captains of his battalion。 The
lieutenant succeeded to the captaincy without a vote…but the lieutenant had
to be chosen from the sergeants and company clerk and the sergeant from
the corporals of his command。 The corporals were elected by the privates
of the squads； so that any soldier could rise from the ranks through merit
to high command。
The corps commander holds the rank of lieutenant general； the general
of division that of major general； and the commander of a brigade that of a
brigadier general。 The regiment of sharpshooters was chosen from the best
rifle shots in the division and in war time received double pay for they
were always at the front of the division and the first to engage the enemy。
A one…pounder rapid…fire gun was attached to every company and was
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operated by the lieutenant assisted by the company clerk。 In the artillery
regiment there were twelve batteries； six three…inch caliber guns and one
one…pounder rapid…fire gun to each battery； and as they were under the
direct control of the general commanding the division he could mass them
to fire on any point of attack。 The privates were paid fifteen dollars a
month； the corporals twenty dollars； the sergeants twenty…five dollars；
company clerks thirty dollars； lieutenants forty dollars； captains sixty
dollars； majors eighty dollars； colonels one hundred dollars； brigadier
generals one hundred and fifty dollars； major generals two hundred dollars
and the lieutenant general three hundred dollars a month； and officers and
privates were allowed the same rations and the same amount of clothing。
No fixed ration was issued on account of climatic conditions…but plenty
and no waste was the rule and every captain and lieutenant had to sit at
meals with his men and eat the same food。 No violation of this rule was
allowed and as a result of this common sense regulation the men were well
fed and provided； for every colonel was held to account for the welfare of
the men under his command and every officer up to the rank of field
marshal could be reduced to the ranks for violation of the rules and
regulations governing the army。 As there was a mailbox under the control
of the Minister of Information in every military post in which complaints
were posted to be sent to the President it had a very salutary effect in
keeping the officers attentive to their duty； as no officer wanted to lose his
position and salary and be a private。 All trivial violations of the rules by
non…commissioned officers and privates； such as insolence； drunkenness；
filthy habits and disorderly conduct； could be punished by the captain with
three days on bread and water…but no pay could be forfeited for any
offense； for no fines were allowed in the republic。 For serious offenses
committed by either officer or private in time of peace； such as sodomy；
crimes against nature； adultery； seduction； larceny； embezzlement or any
other felony； the accused was sent to the district court for trial and on
conviction was dismissed the service and committed to prison for the term
of years provided by the law for the crime he had been convicted of and
five years additional for perjury； he having violated his oath of office that
he would be honest and upright in all things so help him God； and any
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officer could be reduced to the ranks for conduct unbecoming a gentleman
as the result of a trial before a jury of twelve men drawn by ballot from
any other command than his own。 No sashes； jewelry or regalia of any
kind was permitted to be worn。
Officers and privates were dressed alike and the insignia of rank was
worn on the collar； and no revolvers； bayonets； sabres； swords； rapiers or
lances were allowed to be carried…but every officer was required to carry a
rifle so that he could not be marked out by the enemy's sharpshooters and
to set an example of good shooting to his men when under fire。 Every
soldier seriously injured in the service of his country in time of peace as
well as in war； received the same pay and care as if he was still in the
service and if he was killed or died from disease his father and mother or
either of them； as long as they lived。 The army was truly a great industrial
army； for every officer and man was required to work eight hours a day
and for six days in the week； at remunerative labor； and two hours on
Sundays at rifle practice。 The rules and regulations governing the army
applied equally to both sexes。 Both boys and girls； when drafted into the
army； were first sent to the headquarters of the army corps to which they
were assigned； the boys mostly afterward to the department of railways；
mines； commerce and agriculture and the girls to the department of
finance； manufactures； education and information； distributed all over the
republic so as to become acquainted with the people in general； by so
doing wiping out sectional feeling and realizing that God was their father
and that they all belonged to a common brother… and sisterhood united
together under a government for the people； of the people； and by the
people。 I paid a visit to the navy yard and inspected two battleships that
were undergoing some slight repairs to their machinery。
One was a second…class battleship and her dimensions and armament
were as follows： Length five hundred and twenty…five feet； breadth of
beam seventy…five feet； draught of water twenty feet and six inches； height
of gun deck from the water line twelve feet； armament： ten twelve…inch
caliber guns mounted in turrets on the center line of the ship。 The turrets
were bolted to the deck； five of them forward and five aft； and were
eighteen feet in diameter； eight feet high； with a slope from deck to
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parapet of thirty degrees and made of armor steel twelve inches thick。 One
gun in each turret and the guns could swing around on four…fifths of the
circle； so that every gun could be brought to bear on an enemy either to
port or starboard。 No other guns were carried in time of war and no
cruisers； torpedo boats； or torpedoes were used； for experience in war had
shown that they were useless waste of men and money。 The battleship was
propelled by rot