ARTICLES OF WAR. SECTION 1342.-The armies of the United States shall be governed by the following rules and articles. The word officer, as used therein, shall be understood to designate commissioned officers; the word soldier shall be understood to include non-commissioned officers, musicians, artificers and privates, and other enlisted men, and the convictions mentioned therein shall be understood to be convictions by court-martial. Articles of war. subscribe these articles. ARTICLE 1.-Every officer now in the Army of the Officers shall United States shall, within six months from the passing of this Act, and every officer hereafter appointed shall, before he enters upon the duties of his office, subscribe these rules and articles. ART. 2.-These rules and articles shall be read to Articles to be read to recruits. every enlisted man at the time of, or within six days after his enlistment, and he shall thereupon take an oath of affirmation, in the following form: “I, A. B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles of war." This oath may be taken before any commissioned officer of the army. unlawful en of listments. ART. 3.-Every officer who knowingly enlists or mus- Officers making ters into the military service any minor over the age sixteen years without the written consent of his parents or guardians, or any minor under the age of sixteen years, or any insane or intoxicated persons, or any deserter from the military or naval service of the United States, or any person who has been convicted of any infamous criminal offense, shall, upon conviction, be dismissed from the service, or suffer such other punishment as a court-martial may direct. Discharges. ART. 4.-No enlisted man, duly sworn, shall be discharged from the service without a discharge in writing, signed by a field-officer of the regiment to which he belongs, or by the commanding officer, when no field-officer is present; and no discharge shall be given to any enlisted man before his term of service. has expired, except by order of the President, the Secretary of War, the commanding officer of a department, or by sentence of a general court-martial. Mustering per sons not sol ART. 5.-Any officer who knowingly musters as a diers. soldier a person who is not a soldier, shall be deemed guilty of knowingly making a false muster, and punished accordingly.* Taking money on mustering. Returns of regiments, etc. False returns. ART. 6.-Any officer who takes money, or other thing, by way of gratification, on mustering any regiment, troop, battery, or company, or on signing muster rolls, shall be dismissed from the service, and shall thereby be disabled to hold any office or employment in the service of the United States. ART. 7.-Every officer commanding a regiment, an independent troop, battery or company, or a garrison, shall, in the beginning of every month, transmit through the proper channels, to the Department of War, an exact return of the same, specifying the names of the officers then absent from their posts, with the reasons for and the time of their absence. And any officer who, through neglect or design, omits to send such returns, shall, on conviction thereof, be punished as a court-martial may direct. ART. 8.-Every officer who knowingly makes a false * See Article 14. |