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Rules and Regulations Respecting the Recruiting Service: Page #1

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RULES
AND 
REGULATIONS RESPECTING THE RECRUITING SERVICE

''''ALL Officers, employed on the recruiting fervice, are hereby directed by the Prefident of the United States, to obferve, conform to, and be regulated by the following rules and regulations; and fuch others as may from time to time be iffued by the Secretary for the Department of War.''''

1. IT being effential that thofe who inlift fhould feel an inclination for the military life, no indirect methods are allowable to inveigle men into the fervice of the United States; it is forbidden therefore to inlift any individual whilft in a ftate of intoxication, or to have him fworn until twenty four hours after he fhall have figned the inliftment.
2. No individual is to be inlifted (muficians excepted) who is not five feet and fix inches in height, without fhoes, and above eighteen, and under forty-fix years of age. He muft alfo be healthy, robuft, and found in his limbs and body, and of a make to fupport the fatigues and acquire the honours of a foldier. He is, of courfe, to be carefully and thoroughly examined, previoufly to his inliftment, and his bodily power afcertained, by engaging him in running, wreftling, jumping and fuch like excerfices, at which the officer muft always be prefent, to form an opinion of his capacities; to regulate the matches; and prevent quarrels.
3. No negro, mulatto or Indian is to be inlifted, nor any defcription of men, except natives of fair conduct, or foreigners of unequivocal characters for fobriety and fidelity. Any recruiting officer inlifting a vagrant or tranfient perfon who fhall defert before marching from the place of rendezvous fhall reimburfe out of his pay the lofs fufftained by fuch defertion. 
4. The re ruits are to be inlifted to ferve the term of         years unlefs fooner difcharged. Each recruit is to receive the bounty mentioned in the act paffed the        day of

but no part of the fum to which he is entitled before joining his company or corps, is to be advanced until he fhall have been fworn before a magiftrate, according to the form herein prefcribed, and then only in fuch proportions as the judgement of the recruiting officer fhall dictate, until experience fhall have induced a belief in his fidelity. Any money advanced contrary to this direction will be at the rifque of the recruiting officer. Every recruiting officer will be allowed the fum of two dollars for the trouble and expense of inlifting each recruit.
5. Each recruit, before he is fworn, is to have diftinctly read to him, the rules arid articles of war againft mutiny and defertion, and relative to the adminiftration of juftice and of fuch acts of Congrefs as concern his pay, duties and the public engagements. 
The oath fhall be as follows, to wit.
"I,               do folently fwear (or affirm as the cafe may be) to bear true allegiance to the United States of America and to ferve them faithfully againft all their enemies and oppofers whomfoever: and to obey the orders of the Prefident of the United States of America and the orders of the officers appointed over me according to the articles of war."
6. No recruit is to be permitted to keep in his poffeffion, after being fworn, any of his clothing, except that which he may receive from the public. The officer is therefore to oblige him to difpofe of his private clothing immediately, or to take the keeping of it upon himfelf till an opportunity offers to fell it for account of the recruit.
7. No recruit is to be allowed to abfent himself from his quarters, till fuch time as he has proved himself faithful, without a Corporal or trufty private to attend him.
8. Each recruit after being fworn is to be attached to a fquad, each fquad to comfift of a number fufficient to form a mefs who muft live together, and be under the infpection and command of a Sergeant, or Corporal.