JOHN ARMSTRONG, THE SOLDIER; OR, BARRACK AND CAMP LIFE, WRITTEN BY
HIMSELF.
I do not think that any one will care to know why I turned soldier.
This much I may say, though; my native village was not far off some
barracks within twenty miles of London; I had often watched the soldiers
at drill, and had talked to a good many of them, till I fancied that I
knew something about a soldier's life. Now I wish to tell you what it
really is, not only in comfortable barracks at home, but in camp abroad,
in heat and cold, and before the enemy. I had my reasons for wishing
not to enlist near home, and so bidding my parents and brothers and
sisters good-bye, they not crying out, "Don't go," at break of day, one
fine October morning, in the year 1850, started off for London without a
penny in my pocket, or any other property than the clothes on my back,
good health, and a stout heart.
I had walked a fair bit of the way, when I felt very hungry. I had
taken nothing before I left home. Food I must have. Before me I saw a
public-house, The Rabbits. A number of people were in the bar-room.
"I'll tell them I'm going for a soldier, and ask for food. They'll not
refuse me," I thought. I stepped in, and told them my tale. They all
seemed much pleased. "You must have pluck in you, my lad, to do that,"
said one; "you deserve a breakfast."
"You'll have no want of masters," observed another. "Still somebody
must do the work." Most of them had some remark to make. In the end,
they ordered me a thorough good breakfast of eggs and ham, and hoped I
might never have a worse wherever I might go. This set me up till I
reached the Tower of London, near the Thames, where I had been advised
to go. The Guards were doing duty there. A sergeant I met asked me if
I wished to join them. I said, "Yes." So he at once placed me under a
mark to measure my height, but I was not tall enough for the Guards. He
then asked me if I would like to join any other regiment. I answered,
"Yes; I've no choice." He seemed pleased, and at once marched me off to
Westminster, at the other end of London, where a recruiting company was
stationed. He there took me to a sergeant of the 44th regiment of foot.
After I had wished my old friend good-bye, my new friend asked me
should I pass the doctor's examination if I wished to join them. Of
course I said "Yes." And after he had asked me whether I was "married"
or "a widower," to which I said "No;" with other questions, he put out
his hand, and offered me a shilling, in the name of Her Majesty the
Queen. I took it, and was from that moment a soldier, provided I passed
the usual examination. I felt very tired, and somewhat out of spirits
with so many strangers in different uniforms around me, and was very
glad when the sergeant told me that he had paid for a bed for me, and
that I might go to it whenever I liked. I was very thankful to put my
head on the pillow. Thus ended my first day in the army. I had time
next morning to think over some good advice given me by an old sergeant
at the barracks.
"Remember, my lad," said he, "when you get your pay, don't scatter it
about as if it would never come to an end. There's nothing you so soon
see the last of. When you find one of your new comrades particularly
civil, find out what sort of a man he really is before you treat him or
lend him cash. If a non-commissioned officer is very polite and
slackens the reins of discipline to favour you, stand clear of him.
He'll pluck you clean and then eat you up. Keep out of temptation, and
show that you are going to be a sober, steady man, by consorting only
with those who are sober and steady. Never lose your temper, even when
wronged by a superior. Be smart in learning the drills and all your
other duties. It is better to be thought well of by your officers and
by a few good men, than by all the wild chaps in the regiment. And
remember, Jack, my boy, what an old soldier says, that while you do your
duty to your Queen and your country, you do not forget your duty to your
God. A man may be a good soldier and a good Christian at the same time.
He'll be all the better soldier by being a good Christian. To know how
to be that, read your Bible, lad, say your prayers, and attend the house
of prayer whenever you can."
I wish that I had always followed my old friend's advice. I did often
remember it, and gained much advantage from having done so.
I was down by six o'clock; and in the common room I met a number of
young men just enlisted, like myself. There was plenty of talking--
questions asked and answered: "What regiment are you for?"
"Where do you come from?"
"Why did you enlist?"
"Do you think you'll pass the doctor?"
This talk was interrupted by the sergeant exclaiming, "Now then, you
youngsters, look out, and get ready for the doctor's inspection."
"We haven't had any breakfast; we want breakfast," cried several voices.
On this the sergeant ordered in breakfast for us, in the shape of a
half-quartern loaf and two ounces of butter for every four recruits.
That over, we were marched to the bath-rooms.
"Now then, young 'uns, strip; get into that bath; scrub and clean
yourselves," cried the sergeant; "for it's time that you were at the
inspection-room."
Having done as we were ordered, we marched off to the inspection-room,
where we waited till the doctor arrived, who was to say whether or not
we had bodily health and strength to serve Her Majesty. We had been
waiting, not a little anxious, when the sergeant cried out--
"Recruit Armstrong, pass at once into the inspection-room."
On hearing my name, I ran into the room. The doctor looked at me for a
moment, and then said--
"Stand on one leg." I did so. "Now on the other. Bend over until you
touch the ground."
I had seen the recruits at the barracks do that, and had tried it often;
so did it with ease.
"Rise again," said the doctor. "Hop on your right leg. Now on your
left. Put out your arms at right angles to your body. Cough. Can you
see well? Read those dots."
"Four, sir," said I.
"How many are there now?"
"Two."
"Pull that machine. Blow that machine. That will do; you can go," said
the doctor. "Sergeant-major, send in the next one."
There were thirteen of us sent in one after the other; but only two,
Dick Marshall, a Suffolk lad, and myself, were passed,--the rest having
some defect which made them unfit for soldiers.
On our return, the sergeant asked Marshall and me if we would mind being
transferred to the 90th regiment, stationed at Manchester.