Enlisted  men were listed as "EM" on the official records.  They came all walks of life, they were farmers, laborers, clerks, the unemployed, immigrants, and adventurers.  Of the 26,000 enlisted me in the United States Army during this period 6,200 were white, 5000 were black, 4,200 were native born, and 2,500 were foreign born.

To enlist in the United States Army, a man had to meet the following requirements:  Five-feet-four inches and up in height; be between 120 and 180 pounds; able to see a three-foot diameter black center on a white background from 600 yards; and be between seventeen and thirty-five years of age.  The average age of an enlisted man was twenty-six.  An enlistment was for a five-year term.

A private was paid $13 per month, a corporal $15, a sergeant $17, and a first sergeant $22; all received free room and board and a clothing allowance.  They earned an extra $1 a month for the third, fourth and fifth year of the enlistment.  It was not a large salary but more than many could earn in civilian life.  The soldiers at Fort Abercrombie were paid in cash every two months by an army paymaster from Fort Snelling.  A detachment of soldiers from a nearby post escorted the paymaster and his wagon to the post.  After the paymaster paid the men, it was the duty of Fort Abercrombie's commanding officer to provide a mounted armed guard to escort him to the next post.

Our next stop will be at the Northeast Blockhouse.  You will notice as you approach the blockhouse, that it looks extremely genuine. It is however, a reconstruction of one, which once existed.  Farmer's in the surrounding area were asked by the Works Progress Administration to donate cottonwood and elm trees for the rebuilding of the fort in the period from 1938 to 1940.   They were sawed square and then axed to give them a hewn appearance.  The result, I think you will agree is very authentic appearing

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Copyright 2005

 James V. Acker, Pres.

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