10. That hereafter there shall be ordered before examining
boards for examination for commissions as second lieutenants in
the Regular Army, a number of enlisted men then having served
at least two years (if there be so many applicants), equal to
one-half the vacancies created in the Army during the preceding
year, and if they pass the required physical, mental, and moral
qualifications, they shall be commissioned; the other half of
the annual vacancies to be filled from the graduates of the
Military Academy.
11. That in each Congressional District where a Militia
regiment may be organized, the cadet to the Military Academy
from that District shall be selected from the members of the
regiment including the Regular company, within the prescribed
age, who have served in it at least one year, at a competitive
examination, of all who choose to enter, by a board of officers
of the regiment, convened for that purpose by the Governor.
12. That hereafter each alternate vacancy in each grade of each
Regular regiment shall be filled by competitive examinations of
such officers in the next grade below as may choose to enter the
lists; the examinations to be made annually during the months of
June and July at such places as it may be practicable to convene
summer encampments of at least a brigade, embracing all arms of
the service, and that (in addition to the present methods) each
candidate be required to handle tactically company, battalion,
and brigade in presence of the board, and, if a foot officer,
to march with his proper command (using for a reasonable part
of the distance each of the prescribed gaits) a distance of
fifteen miles in six hours, each day, for three consecutive
days; if a mounted officer, the distance to be twenty miles;
the examination to include field officers. The judgment of such
boards to be final and determinate in each case.
13. That the monthly pay of the enlisted men of the Line of the
Regular Army shall hereafter be as follows:
Regimental Sergeant Major and Quartermaster Sergeant, $90, less
the actual cost of his subsistence and clothing.
First Sergeant, $75, less the actual cost of subsistence and
clothing.
Sergeant, $50, less the actual cost of subsistence and clothing.
Corporal, $40, less the actual cost of subsistence and clothing.
Private, $30, less the actual cost of subsistence and clothing.
Wagoner, Artificer, Blacksmith, and Saddler, the pay of Corporal.