Upon returning to Barracks we were ordered to our rooms, and then to the shoeblacks, at that time in the basement of B Company quarters, to have our shoes cleaned and polished, and told to go there, at certain hours, as often as necessary to keep our shoes in proper order. Candidates whose hair was considered too long by Cadet H⸺d were sent to the barber’s, at that time in the basement of C Company quarters. Candidates who had to shave were directed to shave themselves, as the barber was not permitted to do anything but cut hair. At 4:15 p. m. we were turned out for “Squad Drill.” We “fell in” promptly and were corrected in the manner indicated when we fell in for dinner. Even now I seem to hear Cadets A⸺n, H⸺d and M⸺n shouting themselves hoarse at us poor, stupid candidates. There were about twenty “yearlings,” classmates of Cadets A⸺n and H⸺d, standing around our line, waiting to get a chance at the candidates, so as to compete with them and with one another for “Corporal’s chevrons.” We were separated into squads of four or five to the squad, and a cadet instructor assigned to drill each squad. Cadet H⸺d had the squad I was in. After all details were adjusted, the command, “March off your Squads” was given, and then Babylon was let loose; the candidates could hear the commands of all of the instructors, and they did not know the voice of their own, hence there was much confusion. Some of the instructors acted as if they wanted to terrorize the candidates in their squads, and shouted: “Eyes to the front. Pay attention to me. What do you mean by listening to others? Palms to the front,” and so on, for ten or fifteen minutes, and then we were given a brief “rest.” Then we were taught how to march and the instructor began thus: “At the word ‘forward’ throw the weight of the body upon the right leg, the left knee straight. At the word ‘march’ move the left leg smartly, without jerk, carry the left foot forward thirty inches from the right, the sole near the ground, the toe a little depressed, knee straight and slightly turned out. At the same time throw the weight of the body forward (eyes to the front), and plant the foot without shock, weight of the body resting upon it; next, in like manner, advance the right foot and plant it as above. Continue to advance without crossing the legs or striking one against the other, keeping the face direct to the front. Now, ‘forward, common time, march.’ Depress the toe, so that it strikes the ground at the same time as the heel. (Palms of the hands squarely to the front. Head up.) When I count ‘one,’ plant the left foot, ‘two,’ plant the right, ‘three,’ plant the left again, ‘four,’ plant the right again, and so on. Now, ‘One,’ ‘two,’ ‘three,’ ‘four,’” etc. “Bring your feet down together. Depress your toes,” and so on.