er holds the rank of lieutenant general, the general
of division that of major general, and the commander of a brigade that
of a brigadier general. The regiment of sharpshooters was chosen from
the best rifle shots in the division and in war time received double
pay for they were always at the front of the division and the first to
engage the enemy. A one-pounder rapid-fire gun was attached to every
company and was operated by the lieutenant assisted by the company
clerk. In the artillery regiment there were twelve batteries, six
three-inch caliber guns and one one-pounder rapid-fire gun to each
battery, and as they were under the direct control of the general
commanding the division he could mass them to fire on any point of
attack. The privates were paid fifteen dollars a month, the corporals
twenty dollars, the sergeants twenty-five dollars, company clerks
thirty dollars, lieutenants forty dollars, captains sixty dollars,
majors eighty dollars, colonels one hundred dollars, brigadier generals
one hundred and fifty dollars, major generals two hundred dollars and
the lieutenant general three hundred dollars a month, and officers and
privates were allowed the same rations and the same amount of clothing.
No fixed ration was issued on account of climatic conditions-but plenty
and no waste was the rule and every captain and lieutenant had to sit
at meals with his men and eat the same food. No violation of this rule
was allowed and as a result of this common sense regulation the men
were well fed and provided, for every colonel was held to account for
the welfare of the men under his command and every officer up to the
rank of field marshal could be reduced to the ranks for violation of
the rules and regulations governing the army. As there was a mailbox
under the control of the Minister of Information in every military post
in which complaints were posted to be sent to the President it had a
very salutary effect in keeping the officers attentive to their duty,
as no officer wanted to lose his position and salary and be a private.
All trivial violations of the rules by non-commissioned officers and
privates, such as insolence, drunkenness, filthy habits and disorderly
conduct, could be punished by the captain with three days on bread and
water-but no pay could be forfeited for any offense, for no fines were
allowed in the republic. For serious offenses committed by either
officer or private in time of peace, such as sodomy,