I am satisfied, too, that the selected men were impressed by the proficiency of the men who are to command them.
I would like to have you assemble all the Training Camp men and read them this letter.
During the latter days of July, Lt.-Col. James A. Ryan and Maj. James S. Parker personally interviewed every member of their respective regiments. Certain hours were assigned to each company, battery and troop for these inspections. When the chief instructor arrived at a company at the appointed hour, the men were waiting in line outside the door, in a mysterious order, not alphabetical, having been placed there in accordance with a list in the hands of their instructor. Could it be that the position a man held in this file meant his order of rank in the company? Eyes glanced up and down the lengthy line. The men toward the head undoubtedly had made excellent records. Before the line commenced to move the men w^ere told to give certain information as soon as they had properly addressed the inspector, without w^aiting to be questioned. They should then replace their hat, about face, and walk out. The line commenced to move. The first man had gone in and out successfully. He had recited his "piece" without a hitch. All dow^n the line he w^as eagerly questioned. "Wasn't anything. They don't ask you a thing, ' was his smiling reply. Nervousness continued to grow^, how^ever. A speck of mud on a shoe, a scratch on a puttee, a bit of dust on a sleeve loomed alarmingly annoying as the momentous door w^as approached. No, it "w^asn't anything, " but some men's minds, nevertheless, became an utter void in the midst of a simple statement, and others awkw^ardly faced about to the left and bolted for the door, when their "speech " had been finished, only to have the humiliation of being recalled by the inspecting officer and told to about face properly to the right before leaving. Some believed themselves "queered" for good, but actually it is doubtful if this inspection counted for much, as the final lists of recommendations were already made up and ready to send in to Washington. It w^as merely a little act of checking up by the higher authorities on the recommendations of the company, battery and troop in- structors. And the speculation of many was right concerning the order of the
line awaiting inspection the men had been arranged to appear in order of
rank that the w^ork of checking recommendations might be facilitated.
On August 3rd the following bit of new^s was published, resulting in the creation of multitudes of rumors, speculations and moments of anxiety:
Sealed verdicts are ready in the cases of the 4,000 members of the Officers' Training Camp w^ho have survived the grueling w^ork of the last eleven weeks.
The company boards w^hich pass upon the recommendations of the instructor of a company, battery and troop completed their tw^o w^eeks* grind this evening. They have listened to the case of every candidate for a commission, have read his record, have looked him over, and have approved or modified the recommendation of his instructor.
An emphatic order from the War Department directs that no pub- licity whatever shall be given the recommendations until they have been acted upon at Washington.
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