Advantages of High Rank

Advantages of High Rank. . "Life was a constant routine of going to the same dinners, listening to the same stories, laughing at the same jokes; whist and euchre parties...now and then afforded relaxation; the inevitable quarrels of such a small society added a little spice, and a whiff of scandal came as an occasional godsend." , , Dr. William C. Gorgas, Fort Randall surgeon, 1884, The large duplex that once stood in front of you was home to two of the fort's officers. Pearl buttons, dress hooks, gilt-edged dinnerware, and part of a china doll were found here during archaeological excavations in the 1980s and 1990s. These artifacts attest to the wealthier lifestyle enjoyed by officers and their families., Captions: , When much of the fort was rebuilt in the early 1870s, officers lived in two-story frame buildings., The officers' quarters were originally log structures. This photo was taken at Fort Randall in 1866 by Charles L. Hamilton, post photographer and later post trader., Officers of the 15th Infantry at Fort Randall, early 1880s., Book page: , Officers and senior enlisted men enjoy more privileges than us privates, including better pay and housing. They are allowed to have their wives, children, and servants with them at their post and housed in their own quarters.