I am not positive about the dates of the examination.
I know it occurred in the immediate vicinity of
those named.

Not many days after this the result of the examination
was made known to us. The familiar cry, "Candidates,
turn out promptly," made at about noon, informed us
that something unusual was about to occur. It was a
fearful moment, and yet I was sure I had "passed."
The only questions I failed on were in geography. I
stood motionless while the order was being read until
I heard my name among the accepted ones. I felt as if
a great burden had been removed from my mind. It was
a beginning, and if not a good one, certainly not a
bad one. What has been the ending? Let the sequel
show.

Now that the examination was over and the deficient
ones gone, we were turned out for drill every morning
at half--past five o'clock and at four in the afternoon.
We were divided into squads of one each, and drilled
twice a day in the "settings up" until about June
20th. After a few drills, however, the squads were
consolidated into others of four, six, and eight each.
The surplus drill-masters were "turned in." Their
hopes were withered, for it was almost a certainty
that those who were "turned in" would not be "made."
They expected to be "made" on their proficiency in
drilling, and when it was shown by being "turned in"
that others had been thought better drill-masters,