CORRESPONDENCE. 
469 
cavalry regiments organized, and it was found that the law did 
not provide for the appointment of a vet; consequently one was 
hired for each regiment by the Quartermaster’s Department and 
sent there under the orders of the regimental quartermaster, and 
in one case I know of he (the vet) was treated in the most hu¬ 
miliating manner. These fellows receive $100 a month. There 
were also hired by the same department several so-called vets to 
take charge of vet hospitals, but it is just as well to let this 
slide. They, however, received $100 a month. 
His Nibs packed his saddle-bags, and, like the infernal idiot ' 
he is, started with his outfit for Cuba or any old place where the 
air was heavy with lead, leaving behind him in many cases a wife 
and children, for whom he couldn’t have saved much out of $900 
a year, knowing that if he got killed, and sometimes the fools are 
hit, his family might go to the devil for all the country cared, 
for in this case he would be considered as a citizen employee. 
If he had a leg, an arm, or a section of his anatomy blown 
away, his name would be Dennis, as he still was a citizen em¬ 
ployee, and pension would be out of the question. On the con¬ 
trary, if he got tired of his job while at the front, and simply 
quit, he could be tried for desertion and have blazes raised 
with him. He is subject to the same military discipline that 
the soldier is, and has to come to the scratch with as much 
promptness. . He is part of the camp and is carried on the regi¬ 
mental return, and makes out his own pay account, the same 
as an officer, but still he is like the Irishman’s watermelon after 
boiling, “ a big nothin’.” 
Here are a few things about His Nibs in garrison : 
He doesn’t count on the strength of the regiment. He lives 
with the soldier on the laundry row. He cannot buy stores 
from the quartermaster unless he gets the signature of an of¬ 
ficer. He has the privilege of buying groceries from the United 
States. He is never acquainted with the family of an officer 
except by pure accident. He is considered as an inferior by 
the officer and as an equal by the enlisted man. He is seldom 
or never introduced to a new officer joining, no more than is the 
private soldier. He is frequently dictated to in his professional 
duties by “ shavetail ” lieutenants. He never inspects the 
horses for his regimental remount except on rare occasions. 
He is never consulted when an animal is about to be con¬ 
demned ; his opinion cuts no ice. He has no authority to check 
cruelties to animals coming under his observation ; if he tries 
it he may get insulted. He cannot associate with the commis- 
