Essays vol 1 | Page 5

these important objects, to establish a
respectable standing military force, which should do the least possible
harm to the population, morals, manufactures, and agriculture of the
country, it was necessary to make soldiers citizens, and citizens soldiers.
To this end the situation of the soldier was made as easy, comfortable,
and eligible as possible; his pay was increased, he was comfortably,
and even elegantly clothed, and he was allowed every kind of liberty
not inconsistent with good order and due subordination; his military
exercises were simplified, his instruction rendered short and easy, and
all obsolete and useless customs and usages were banished from the
service. Great attention was paid to the external appearance of the

buildings; and nothing was left undone, that could tend to make the
men comfortable in their dwellings. Schools were established in all the
regiments, for arithmetic; and into these schools, not only the soldiers
and their children, but also the children of the neighbouring citizens
and peasants, were admitted gratis, and even school-books, paper[1],
pens, and ink, were furnished for them, at the expense of the Sovereign.
Besides these schools of instruction, others, called schools of industry,
were established in the regiments, where the soldiers and their children
were taught various kinds of work, and from whence they were
supplied with raw materials, to work for their own emolument.
As nothing is so certain fatal to morals, and particularly to the morals
of the lower class of mankind, as habitual idleness, every possible
measure was adopted, that could be devised, to introduce a spirit of
industry among the troops. Every encouragement was given to the
soldiers to employ their leisure time, when they were off duty, in
working for their own emolument; and among other encouragements,
the most efficacious of all, that of allowing them full liberty to dispose
of the money acquired by their labour in any way they should think
proper, without being obliged to give any account of it to any body.
They were even furnished with working dresses, (a canvas frock and
trousers,) gratis, at their enlisting, and were afterwards permitted to
retain their old uniforms for the same purpose; and care was taken, in
all cases where they were employed, that they should be well paid.
They commonly received from sixteen to eighteen creutzers[2] a-day
for their labour; and with this they had the advantage of being clothed
and lodged, and, in many cases, of receiving their full pay of five
creutzers, and a pound and a half (1 lb. 13 1/2; oz. Avoirdupois) of
bread per day from the Sovereign. When they did their duty in their
regiments, by mounting guard regularly according to their tour (which
commonly was every fourth day,) and only worked those days they
happened to be off guard, in that case, they received their full pay; but
when they were excused from regimental duty, and permitted to work
every day for their own emolument, their pay (at five creutzers per day,)
was stopped, but they were still permitted to receive their bread, and to
lodge in the barracks.
In all public works, such as making and repairing highways, --draining
marshes,--repairing the banks of rivers, etc. soldiers were employed as

labourers; and in all such cases, the greatest care was taken to provide
for their comfortable subsistence, and even for their amusement. Good
lodgings were prepared for them, and good and wholesome food, at a
reasonable price; and the greatest care was taken of them when they
happened to fall sick.
Frequently, when considerable numbers of them were at work together,
a band of music was ordered to play to them while at work; and on
holidays they were permitted, and even encouraged, to make merry,
with dancing and other innocent sports and amusements.
To preserve good order and harmony among those who were detached
upon these working parties, a certain proportion of officers and
non-commissioned officers were always sent with them, and those
commonly served as overseers of the works, and as such were paid.
Besides this permission to work for hire in the garrison towns, and
upon detached working parties, which was readily granted to all those
who desired it, or at least to as many as could possibly be spared from
the necessary service of the garrison; every facility and encouragement
was given to the soldier who was a native of the country, and who had
a family of friends to go to, or private concerns to take care of, to go
home on furlough, and to remain absent from his regiment from one
annual exercise to the other, that is to say, ten months and a half each
year. This arrangement was very advantageous to the agriculture and
manufactures, and even to the population of the country, (for the
soldiers were allowed to