第 7 节
作者:希望之舟      更新:2021-04-30 16:13      字数:9322
  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