“We bid farewell to cadet gray and don the army blue”

There was much drinking in the army and in the social circles Charles Summerall frequented. Throughout his life, he made it a rule not to drink any kind of alcohol or use tobacco in any form. Initially, he considered the cavalry but later requested the First, Sixteenth, and Fifteenth Infantry because the First was in San Francisco, where he wanted to go. On joining his regiment, he soon found a bitter prejudice among the branches. Later, he transferred to the Fifth Artillery. He was assigned by General Graham to Lieutenant Reilly's battery. Later, he was appointed as post exchange officer,...

There was much drinking in the army and in the social circles Charles Summerall frequented. Throughout his life, he made it a rule not to drink any kind of alcohol or use tobacco in any form. Initially, he considered the cavalry but later requested the First, Sixteenth, and Fifteenth Infantry because the First was in San Francisco, where he wanted to go. On joining his regiment, he soon found a bitter prejudice among the branches. Later, he transferred to the Fifth Artillery. He was assigned by General Graham to Lieutenant Reilly's battery. Later, he was appointed as post exchange officer, the principal business of whom was the sale of beer. In August 1896, his father died of malarial fever. In the early part of 1898, the Spanish cruiser Viscaya visited New York and anchored near Fort Hamilton. Charles was officer of the day and fired the return salute from the old fort.