B^y John Adams, President of the United States. Rules and Regulations respecting the *Recruiting Service.* I. No indirect methods are allowed to inveigle men into the service of the United States; and it is particularly forbidden, [strikethrough: to enlist any individual] while in a state of intoxication II. No individual is to be enlisted [undecipherable: Infantry] who is not [undecipherable] in eight [undecipherable] [undecipherable] who is [undecipherable] in [undecipherable] nor more than forty years old unless he shall have served before in the army of the United States nor of those who have served before shall there be more than eight in a Company a troop exceeding forty and none exceeding forty six years ( 4 ) *Each recruit must also be* healthy, robust, and without unsound or fore legs, Icuvy, fcald head, or other infirmity that may render him unfit for service. III. Natives, of good character, are always to be preferred for soldiers. Foreigners of good reputation, for sobriety and honesty, may be enlisted; but Negroes, Mulattoes, or Indians are not to be enlisted. IV. No recruit is to be enlisted or attested in any other capacity than as a private soldier. V. B[eing] recruit is to be enlisted *for and during [the existing] Differences between the United States and the French Republic* and to receive the bounty *of twelve Dollars and [the] payment of four Dollars [is not] to be [advanced] until after he shall have arrived at the Quarters of his regiment* — ( 5 ) but no part of the bounty to which a recruit is entitled, before joining his company or corps, is to be advanced until he shall have been sworn before a magistrate according to the form herein prescribed. The recruiting officer will be cautious to regulate the advance, agreeably to law. VI. Every recruit, at the time of his enlisting, or within fix days afterwards, is to be brought before the next justice of the peace, or the chief magistrate of any county, or corporation, not being an officer of the army, or where recourse cannot be had to the civil magistrate, before the Judge advocate to be sworn. In their attestations the day of enlistment, as well as, the day and place of attesting, must be distinctly certified, according to the form annexed. (No. 1.) The utmost care is to be taken, to fill up, the blanks in the attestations, agreeably to directions from the Inspector General, correctly and legibly. No recruit is to be sent to his regiment, corps, or general rendezvous, on any pretence whatsoever, whose enlistment, and attestation, have not been completely, and finally executed, and all the attestations of recruits, raised in every two weeks, unless otherwise ordered, by the Inspector General, are to be invariably transmitted to the officer commanding in the district. These attestations must always be taken in the presence of, and certified by a commissioned officer, and must be forwarded to the Inspector General (thro' the commanding officer of the regimental circle where there is one) and, must be sent by the Inspector General, to the department of War. The terms of any engagement, which may be subsisting recruits, must conform to the tenor, of these attestations. VII. The injunctions of section 3, article 1, of the articles of War, are to be observed towards each recruit. VIII. The recruiting parties will be distributed in districts, ( 6 ) a field officer, when one can be so employed without injury to the service, stationed in each district. The field or other officer appointed to this duty will have the command of all recruiting parties in his district. He will give a conditional approval of the recruits whom he may judge fit for service, except in cases where regiments are so quartered, as to render it in point of distance, equally convenient for the recruits to be sent to their respective head-quarters. Each district will be divided into sub-districts, or quarters, corresponding with the number of companies, to be raised therein. And whenever the Inspector General shall direct, the districts may be united into regimental circles, each circle to be under the superintendance of the commandant of the regiment. IX. The senior officer in each quarter shall report weekly to the officer of the district, the number and strength of the parties therein, specifying the names of the commissioned officers belonging to them, and whether they have been absent during the week, the number of recruits under his command, with the names of those enlisted since the last return, and a description of their persons, the bounty advanced, the arms, accoutrements and clothing delivered to them, and the incidents that have taken place during the week; the whole to be drawn up according to the form annexed, No. 2. At the foot of each return, which shall bear the name, or names of any foreigner, or foreigners by birth, there shall be a note specifying whether he is an alien, or how, when, and where, each such foreigner became a citizen, if he shall have become one. While the districts are united in circles, the returns shall be transmitted through the respective commandants of circles, and shall be open to their inspection. X. He shall also keep a recruiting book, in which he shall record, 1^st. The name, trade, place of birth, age, size, complexion and other particulars descriptive of each recruit. ( 7 ) . The money advanced every recruit whether on account of bounty or pay. l. The articles of cloathing, arms and accoutrements delivered to each recruit, and the day, on which each article shall have been delivered. XI. No party for the purpose of recruiting is ever to be detached from the head-quarters of the recruiting party without a commissioned officer or faithful non-commissioned officer; and no officer is to leave his station even for one day without reporting it to the officer of the district, or to be absent therefrom for more than one day without the previous permission of the said officer. XII. The officers of districts are to be responsible for the dress, regularity and good conduct of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and private men of the several recruiting parties under their respective commands. In promotion of the object of this article, it is enjoined upon all officers employed on the recruiting service, constantly to wear their uniforms. This order is to be enforced by the officers commanding districts, and no non-commissioned or private man is to be allowed to deviate in the smallest degree from the established rules, in regard to their uniform and dress. XIII. Courts Martial to consist of three commissioned officers, may be ordered at the discretion of the officer commanding a regimental circle or a district, for the trial of such offences as shall be committed by the non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the recruiting parties under his command, and which would be cognizable by a regimental court-martial, the said officer to decide upon the sentences of such court-martial and direct the punishments awarded, to be executed, or remitted as he shall think expedient. ( 8 ) XIV. All orders will pass through and from, the Inspector General, to the Commandants of Circles, where there are such; and if not, to the Commandants of Districts, specifying the returns (other than those mentioned) they are to send, and to whom. All returns and reports are to come from the officers commanding Circles, where there are such, and if not, from the Officers commanding Districts, and nothing direct from the recruiting officers. XV. To indemnify Officers commanding regimental circles, and districts, for the travelling expences to which they are liable, in visiting the recruiting quarters, under their respective commands, there will be allowed one dollar and fifty cents for each day, that they shall be obliged to travel, between quarter and quarter, every twenty miles travel to be considered a days journey. This allowance will be made them, in addition to their pay, and without subtracting the value of their rations or forage. XVI. All Officers on the recruiting service, will be allowed the actual expence, they are at for stationery, and postage of letters, to be certified on oath or affirmation. XVII. All recruiting officers and parties are to be subject to the controul of the officers appointed to superintend the regimental circles and districts, to which they belong. XVIII. Whenever the Officer commanding a district, shall send any recruits, to the general recruiting rendezvous of the circle, to which he is attached, he must transmit an account ( 9 ) riting to the proper officer, stating, what bounty has been paid, and to what period such recruits have received their pay, and subsistence, and also the clothing, arms, and accoutrements, that have been delivered to them respectively, at what times. Like returns must be transmitted by the officer appointed to recruit for a regiment, or corps, on the orders, or at a distance to the proper officer when he sends his recruits, to their respective regiments, corps, or companies, XIX. When recruits abscond or refuse to go before a magistrate to be attested within the time prescribed, an attested certificate of that fact is to be immediately sent to the officer commanding in the district, in order to its being transmitted to the Inspector-General and also to the Head-Quarters of the regiment or corps, and the Paymaster of the regiment. No allowance will be made to the recruiting officer for recruits so absconding or refusing to go before a magistrate, and afterwards returned as deserters, although they should be sent under an escort to their regiments, corps, or general rendezvous, unless such certificate shall have been previously received. XX. The officer that enlists a recruit who, on joining his regiment or corps, or upon inspection by the proper officer, is found to labor under any disability which existed, and might have been known before his enlistment, and incapacitates him from performing the duties of a soldier, shall reimburse to the United States all bounty-money or advance he may have paid to the recruit. And the proof that the disability accrued after the enlistment, shall lie upon the officer. XXI. No recruit is to be permitted to keep in his possession, after being sworn, any other clothing, but that which he may receive from the public, except shirts, stockings, and shoes. The officer is therefore, to oblige him, to dispose of all his ( 10 ) private cloathing, not excepted by this section, immediately, or to take the keeping of it upon himself, until an opportunity offers, to sell it for account of the recruit. XXII. No recruit is to be allowed to absent himself from his quarters 'till such time as he has proved himself faithful, without a corporal or trusty private to attend him. XXIII. Each recruit, after being sworn, is to be attached to a squad; each squad is to consist of a number sufficient to form a mess, who must live together and be under the inspection and command of a serjeant or corporal. [undecipherable] XXIV. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] This officer will regulate the hours of eating, and will not suffer the corporal or any of the squad to be absent from meals, and [undecipherable] XXV. Every recruiting officer shall cause the roll of his recruits to be called three times every day, to wit; at nine o'clock in the morning, at noon and at sun-setting. XXVI. The trades to which recruits apply their money, ought to be attended to, as it will give indications to the officers of their dispositions. XXVII. No recruiting officer is to promise a recruit that he shall be a non-commissioned officer, but he is permitted to empower any recruit to act as a non-commissioned officer to a squad, be it the first or second class herein after mentioned, until the recruits shall join the companies or regiments to which they are destined, for the purpose of giving such re- ( 11 ) -cruit an opportunity to shew by his conduct, whether he is qualified for promotion when it can take place in the course of service. XXVIII. The artificers to be enlisted must be of the following trades, viz: *for the Cavalry one Sadler one Blacksmith and one Boot maker for each troop for the Corps of [strikethrough: Artillerist]* *to each Company* No person to be enlisted for an artificer who has not served a regular apprenticeship to his trade, and who cannot produce a good character from two reputable citizens for sobriety and industry, and who will not agree that he may, on his arrival at the corps for which he is destined, be reduced to the rank and pay of a private, if it shall appear that he is disqualified for the purpose for which he enlisted. XXIX. Every recruiting officer will cause his recruits to be separated into two classes, and will begin to instruct them immediately after being sworn. The first class to consist of those recruits who have learned the step and the management of their arms. The new recruits to form the second class and be instructed in their positions, to march, and in the manual exercise, at least once every day (Sundays excepted) by a skilful sergeant, corporal or soldier. Instructions may be given to the recruits of the second class in quarters, on parade, or under cover in bad weather, first one by one, then two by two, and lastly in parties. But they are not to be taught ( 12 ) the management of their arms till after they have been habituated to the different positions and steps, commencing by the simplest and progressively advancing to the most complex. When the officer shall judge a recruit qualified to pass to the first class he will give orders accordingly. The exercise of the first class will be directed and superintended by the recruiting officer, and be the same as is usual for the perfecting of a company for actual service. XXX. Each recruiting officer, shall transmit monthly, to the paymaster for the circle or district, regiment or corps, a duplicate receipt signed by each recruit, for the bounty he shall have received within that period. This regulation is to be strictly observed 'till the recruits have joined their respective corps, after which it is not allowable for the officer to make them any payment on account of their bounty. It is to be understood also, that no credit will be allowed to a recruiting officer in the settlement of his accounts, which is not substantiated by such receipts, thus transmitted, and that whatever part of the bounty remains due to a recruit on his union with his corps, or company, shall not be paid by the recruiting officer, but be stated in the first pay-roll after his arrival, and paid to him at the same time as his pay. XXXI. The regimental, or other paymaster, for each regimental circle, or district, will receive, and be charged in the first instance, with all the monies, which shall be required within his circle, or district, for the recruiting service. He will distribute such portions of the same, from time to time, to the recruiting officers, as he shall be required, by the officer commanding in his circle or district, exacting from such recruiting officers, a punctual settlement at proper periods. XXXII. The regimental, or other paymaster for each circle, or ( 13 ) district, will settle with the paymaster general, by forwarding all necessary accounts, and vouchers for that purpose, every three months, viz. on the 31st day of March, the 30th of June, 30th of September, and 31st of December, and oftener if so required. Every failure of punctuality in submitting proper accounts and vouchers, to be forthwith represented with the name of the officer delinquent, to the Inspector General. XXXIII. The commanding officer at each rendezvous will sign returns for the issues of all rations and other necessary supplies for the troops, and on the Saturday of each week, the returns made in the week are to be taken up, and one general return made out and signed for the rations received in the course of the week, noticing the daily issues. XXXIV. On the desertion of a recruit, besides the usual exertions and means to be employed on such occasions, the recruiting officer will transmit, as soon as possible, a description of the deserter to the field officer of the district, and will cause all descriptions of deserters that may be sent to him, to be entered in a book kept for that purpose, and will use his endeavors to discover and apprehend all deserters. The commandant of the district will immediately report the same to the commander of the circle; and he to the Inspector General at his quarters, and to the commanders of all the circles, who shall be nearest to his post, than the quarters of the Inspector General, to the end, that measures may every where be taken, for the apprehension of deserters, and the prevention of impositions by them. XXXV. The officers commanding circles or districts, will on the first Monday of each month, make a return, according to a form to be prescribed by the Inspector General, to the said Inspector General, of the recruits enlisted within the preceding month. ( 14 ) XXXVI. Commandants of regiments, corps, or companies, cannot appoint cadets. They may be recommended through the commander in chief, the inspector general, or general commanding a separate army, to the Secretary of War, and if approved of, warrants of appointment will issue in due form. [underline: XXXVII.] All officers engaged in raising men for the service of the United States, are to conform themselves to the foregoing regulations in all points not otherwise directed by special order from the President of the United States, through the Secretary of War. Given *at the War Office of the United States, in the City of Philadelphia, this day of* James McHenry Secy. of war --- (No. 1.) I *John Wilson* born in *Connecticut* aged *twenty* [undecipherable] *kept* inches high, *fair* complexion *blue* eyes, *Brown* hair, having been enlisted on the [undecipherable] day of *April* do hereby agree to accept the present bounty and pay conformably to the act of Congress and such ration as is or shall be established by law. And I do solemnly (fwear or affirm as the cafe may be) to bear true allegiance to the United States of America, and to ferve them honeftly and faithfully in the [strikethrough: *Infantry or in the Cavalry*] or corps of Artillery for and during the Differences between the United States and the French [undecipherable] unless fooner difcharged, against their Enemies or opposers whomsoever, and to observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the Officers appointed over me according to the Rules and Articles of War. *John Wilson* Sworn and Subscribed to at the *City of* [undecipherable] *the fifth day of April 1799* *In presence of* *William Cox* *Lieutenant* [undecipherable signature] \* *Uning the denomination of the one the father of these three classes of Troops without specifying any particular Battalion or Company* —