The Saint Pauls Magazine Volume 6 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SOLDIERS' WIVES. BY A PRIVATE DRAGOON. In our regimental library I am unable to find any information as to whether the wives of Roman soldiers dwelt in the Preetorium, the Castrum, or the Vallum. Nor have I been more successful in gathering any details as to the early history of the wife of the British soldier,? when she first became a recognised institution in the service, and what was the nature of the first privileges accorded to her. I requested a friend in London to make some inquiry on the subject at head-quarters, but the result was by no means encouraging. He went first to the War Office, whence they sent him to the Horse Guards. But the Horse Guards " did not know,?you know," and so he came empty away. So I leave to some one else, with better opportunities, the task of dealing with the historical part of the subject, and with no affectation of regret because of the narrowing of my bounds, I will confine myself to narrating what has come under my own observation since I joined her Majesty's service, with respect to the condition, habits, morality, and manner of life generally of the private soldier's wife. When I first became a unit in the muster-roll of Britain's defenders, the women of the regiment who were married with leave,?technically, " on the strength,"?lived, without exception, in the barrack-room among the men. There were commonly a married couple in each room. To them, through long consuetude, was assigned the corner farthest from the door. No matter what their number in family might be, they were allowed but two single bedsteads, and two men's room. No privacy of any kind was afforded them, save what they could contrive for themselves ; and the married soldier was wont to rig up aronnd his matrimonial bower an environment of canvas screening,' somethin...