Scripto · Papers of the War Department

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Recruiting INSTRUCTIONS
For Captain Bezaleel Howe--
of the Infantry--
in the Service of the United States.

SIR,
[1st line crossed out]
     You are immediately to commence the
recruiting service in the State of --New York-- The principal
rendezvous will be at West Point--
[line crossed out]

Your recruits will be furnished by--the Contractor--
[long line] with rations, barracks, barrack utensils,
straw and fuel; and also with such necessary medicinal assistance as they may
require.

The recruiting service is sometimes abused, both as it respects the individuals
recruited and the public at large, --that is, recruits are unwarily and unwor-
thily entangled contrary to their intentions: Such men generally desert the
service, at some critical moment, or serve grudgingly, and set bad examples to
others; or, unsuitable persons are engaged, who are constitutionally defective
and unfit for the hardships incident to a military life.

Although a recruiting officer may require peculiar talents to obtain uncommon
success, yet it is in the power of every officer to conduct himself with
candor, integrity and industry.

In order therefore to avoid the errors of this business, the following instruc-
tions are to serve as the general rules and principles of your conduct:

1st. The recruits are to be inlisted for three years, unless sooner discharged.

2d. Each recruit is to receive a bounty of Eight Dollars;-- but no part of
this sum is to be advanced until the recruit shall have been fairly inlisted and 
sworn before a Magistrate, according to the form herein prescribed, and then
only the said sum is to be advanced in such proportions as the judgment of the

[stamp on left]
[Man]uscript Department
[The] New-York Historical Society
[illegible] 70 Central Park West

[stamp on right]
FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY

AEE25

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Recruiting INSTRUCTIONS For Captain Bezaleel Howe-- of the Infantry-- in the Service of the United States.

SIR, [1st line crossed out]

    You are immediately to commence the

recruiting service in the State of --New York-- The principal rendezvous will be at West Point-- [line crossed out]

    Your recruits will be furnished by--the Contractor--

[long line] with rations, barracks, barrack utensils, straw and fuel; and also with such necessary medicinal assistance as they may require.

    The recruiting service is sometimes abused, both as it respects the individuals

recruited and the public at large, --that is, recruits are unwarily and unwor- thily entangled contrary to their intentions: Such men generally desert the service, at some critical moment, or serve grudgingly, and set bad examples to others; or, unsuitable persons are engaged, who are constitutionally defective and unfit for the hardships incident to a military life.

    Although a recruiting officer may require peculiar talents to obtain uncommon

success, yet it is in the power of every officer to conduct himself with candor, integrity and industry.

    In order therefore to avoid the errors of this business, the following instruc-

tions are to serve as the general rules and principles of your conduct:

    1st. The recruits are to be inlisted for three years, unless sooner discharged.

    2d. Each recruit is to receive a bounty of Eight Dollars;-- but no part of

this sum is to be advanced until the recruit shall have been fairly inlisted and sworn before a Magistrate, according to the form herein prescribed, and then only the said sum is to be advanced in such proportions as the judgment of the

[stamp on left] [Man]uscript Department [The] New-York Historical Society [illegible] 70 Central Park West

[stamp on right] FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY

AEE25

Revision: 1792/AEE25_1.jpg

Revision as of 19:28:11, 29 March 2021 by Carneykid

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