north america-2-第30章
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ttention to the cleanliness of the men； but it is remarked that they rarely enforced the washing of the feet； and not always of the head and neck。〃 I wish Mr。 Olmstead had added that they never enforced the cutting of the hair。 No single trait has been so decidedly disadvantageous to the appearance of the American army as the long； uncombed； rough locks of hair which the men have appeared so loath to abandon。 In reading the above one cannot but think of the condition of those other twenty regiments！ According to Mr。 Olmstead two…thirds of the men were native born； and one…third was composed of foreigners。 These foreigners are either Irish or German。 Had a similar report been made of the armies in the West； I think it would have been seen that the proportion of foreigners was still greater。 The average age of the privates was something under twenty…five； and that of the officers thirty…four。 I may here add； from my own observation； that an officer's rank could in no degree be predicated from his age。 Generals； colonels； majors； captains； and lieutenants had been all appointed at the same time； and without reference to age or qualification。 Political influence； or the power of raising recruits； had been the standard by which military rank was distributed。 The old West Point officers had generally been chosen for high commands； but beyond this everything was necessarily new。 Young colonels and ancient captains abounded without any harsh feeling as to the matter on either side。 Indeed； in this respect； the practice of the country generally was simply carried out。 Fathers and mothers in America seem to obey their sons and daughters naturally； and as they grow old become the slaves of their grandchildren。 Mr。 Olmstead says that food was found to be universally good and abundant。 On this matter Mr。 Olmstead might have spoken in stronger language without exaggeration。 The food supplied to the American armies has been extravagantly good； and certainly has been wastefully abundant。 Very much has been said of the cost of the American army； and it has been made a matter of boasting that no army so costly has ever been put into the field by any other nation。 The assertion is； I believe； at any rate true。 I have found it impossible to ascertain what has hitherto been expended on the army。 I much doubt whether even Mr。 Chase； the Secretary of the Treasury； or Mr。 Stanton； the Secretary of War； know themselves； and I do not suppose that Mr。 Stanton's predecessor much cared。 Some approach； however； may be reached to the amount actually paid in wages and for clothes and diet； and I give below a statement which I have seen of the actual annual sum proposed to be expended on these heads； presuming the army to consist of 500；000 men。 The army is stated to contain 660；000 men； but the former numbers given would probably be found to be nearer the mark：
Wages of privates； including sergeants and corporals 86；640；000 Salaries of regimental officers 23；784；000 Extra wages of privates； extra pay to mounted officers； and salary to officers above the rank of colonel l7；000；000 127；424；000 or 25；484；000 pounds sterling。
To this must be added the cost of diet and clothing。 The food of the men； I was informed； was supplied at an average cost of l7 cents a day； which； for an army of 500；000 men； would amount to 6；200；000 pounds per annum。 The clothing of the men is shown by the printed statement of their War Department to amount to 3。00 a month for a period of five years。 That； at least； is the amount allowed to a private of infantry or artillery。 The cost of the cavalry uniforms and of the dress of the non…commissioned officers is something higher； but not sufficiently so to make it necessary to make special provision for the difference in a statement so rough as this。 At 3。00 a month the clothing of the army would amount to 3；600；000 pounds。 The actual annual cost would therefore be as follows：
Salaries and wages 25；484；400 pounds。 Diet of the soldiers 6；200；000 〃 Clothing for the soldiers 3；600；000 〃 35；280；400 〃
I believe that these figures may be trusted； unless it be with reference to that sum of l7；000；000； or 3；400；000 pounds； which is presumed to include the salaries of all general officers； with their staffs； and also the extra wages paid to soldiers in certain cases。 This is given as an estimate； and may be over or under the mark。 The sum named as the cost of clothing would be correct； or nearly so； if the army remained in its present force for five years。 If it so remained for only one year； the cost would be one…fifth higher。 It must of course be remembered that the sum above named includes simply the wages； clothes； and food of the men。 It does not comprise the purchase of arms； horses； ammunition； or wagons； the forage of horses； the transport of troops； or any of those incidental expenses of warfare which are always； I presume； heavier than the absolute cost of the men； and which； in this war； have been probably heavier than in any war ever waged on the face of God's earth。 Nor does it include that terrible item of peculation； as to which I will say a word or two before I finish this chapter。 The yearly total payment of the officers and soldiers of the army is as follows。 As regards the officers； it must be understood that this includes all the allowances made to them； except as regards those on the staff。 The sums named apply only to the infantry and artillery。 The pay of the cavalry is about ten per cent。 higher：
Lieutenant…General* 1850 pounds。 Major…general 1150 〃 Brigadier…General 800 〃 Colonel 530 〃 Lieutenant…Colonel** 475 〃 Major 430 〃 Captain 300 〃 First Lieutenant 265 〃 Second Lieutenant 245 〃 First Sergeant 48 〃 Sergeant 40 〃 Corporal 34 〃 Private 31 〃
* General Scott alone holds that rank in the United States Army。 ** A colonel and lieutenant…colonel are attached to each regiment。
In every grade named the pay is； I believe； higher than that given by us； or； as I imagine； by any other nation。 It is； however； probable that the extra allowances paid to some of our higher officers when on duty may give to their positions for a time a higher pecuniary remuneration。 It will of course be understood that there is nothing in the American army answering to our colonel of a regiment。 With us the officer so designated holds a nominal command of high dignity and emolument as a reward for past services。 I have already spoken of my visits to the camps of the other armies in the field； that of General Halleck； who held his headquarters at St。 Louis； in Missouri； and that of General Buell； who was at Louisville； in Kentucky。 There was also a fourth army under General Hunter； in Kansas； but I did not make my way as far west as that。 I do not pretend to any military knowledge； and should be foolish to attempt military criticism； but as far as I could judge by appearance； I should say that the men in Buell's army were； of the three； in the best order。 They seemed to me to be cleaner than the others； and； as far as I could learn； were in better health。 Want of discipline and dirt have； no doubt； been the great faults of the regiments generally； and the latter drawback may probably be included in the former。 These men have not been accustomed to act under the orders of superiors； and when they entered on the service hardly recognized the fact that they would have to do so in aught else than in their actual drill and fighting。 It is impossible to conceive any class of men to whom the necessary discipline of a soldier would come with more difficulty than to an American citizen。 The whole training of his life has been against it。 He has never known respect for a master； or reverence for men of a higher rank than himself。 He has probably been made to work hard for his wages harder than an Englishman worksbut he has been his employer's equal。 The language between them has been the language of equals； and their arrangement as to labor and wages has been a contract between equals。 If he did not work he would not get his moneyand perhaps not if he did。 Under these circumstances he has made his fight with the world； but those circumstances have never taught him that special deference to a superior； which is the first essential of a soldier's duty。 But probably in no respect would that difficulty be so severely felt as in all matters appertaining to personal habits。 Here at any rate the man would expect to be still his own master； acting for himself and independent of all outer control。 Our English Hodge； when taken from the plow to the camp； would； probably； submit without a murmur to soap and water and a barber's shears； he would have received none of that education which would prompt him to rebel against such ordinances； but the American citizen； who for awhile expects to shake hands with his captain whenever he sees him； and is astonished when he learns that he must not offer him drinks； cannot at once be brought to understand that he is to be treated like a child in the nursery； that he must change his shirt so often； wash himself at such and such intervals； and go through a certain process of cleansing his outward garments daily。 I met while traveling a sergeant of a regiment of the American regulars； and he spoke of the want of discipline among the volunteers as hopeless。 But even he instanced it chiefly by their want of cleanliness。 〃They wear their shirts till they drop off their backs；〃 said he； 〃and what can you expect from such men as that？〃 I liked that sergeant for his zeal and intelligence； and also for his courtesy when he found that I was an Englishman； for previous to his so finding he had begun to abuse the English roundlybut I did not quite agree with him about the volunteers。 It is very bad that soldiers should be dirty； bad also that they should treat their captains with familiarity； and desire to exchange drinks with the majors。 But even discipline is not everything； and discipline will come at last even to the American soldiers； distasteful as it may be； when the necessity for it is made apparent。 But these volunteers have great military virtues。 They are intelligent； zealous in their cause； handy with arms； willing enough to work at all military duties； and personally brave。 On the other hand； they are sickly； and there has been a considerable amount of drunkenness among them。 No man who has looked to the subject can； I think； doubt that a native American has a lower physical development than an Irishman； a German； or an Englishman。 They become old sooner； and die at an earlier age。 As to that matter of drink； I do not think that much need be said against them。 English soldiers get drunk when they have the means of doing so； and American soldiers would not get drunk if the means
