14 THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. could not be, in consequence of the primary organization of the regiment, and of the composition of its corps of officers. And here we come to the essential vice of an American army. How is a regiment of volunteers actually formed ? As soon as Congress has voted the number of men, they calculate at A ishington the quota which each State must furnish, according to its resources and population. This calculation being made, each Governor announces that there are to be so many regiments raised within the limits of his jurisdiction. The regiment of one battalion only, is the American military unit Affairs arc managed in this way : Persons present themselves offering to raise a regiment. Each sets forth his claims, his intinence in the State, or amone a certain portion of the population, which will enable him to procure easily the necessary number of men, his devotion to the party in power, etc. From among the persons thus presented the Governor makes his choice. Generally the person upon whom the choice falls lias laid it down as a condition precedent that he shall have the command of the regiment; and thus Mr. So-and-So, a lawyer or a doctor, never having handled a sword, but feeling within himself an improvised vocation, becomes a colonel at the start, and puts himself in connection with all the recruiting agencies and with all the furnishers of equipment and clothing supplies for the future reghnent. The next thing is to find the soldiers; this is not so easy, for there is a great deal of rivalry. They apply to all Hnir comrades, traverse the country, mid resort to various plan.-. 'fliis is done quickly and well in America, for the Americans have an inventive mind. Most frequently they iind friends who, seized with (he same martial ardor, promise to bring so many recruits if they be made—the one captain, tin- other lieutenant, another sergeant, and so forth. The IraincAork is formed and is partly filled up ; it only remains to complete it. ft h then that recourse is had to extraor
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