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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 180 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 180 pagesAbout this book
A lieutenant has rank—but how does he earn the trust of the men he must lead?
In H. Irving Hancock’s Uncle Sam’s Boys as Lieutenants, two young United States Army officers serve on the Mexican border. Heat, distance and uncertainty shape their days. Their rank gives them authority, but learning to lead means more than giving orders: they must earn the respect of the soldiers under them.
Military life brings watchful, tedious work, then sudden danger. Against that rhythm, Hancock explores honor, discipline and the loyalty between comrades. Young men with different homes and habits learn to trust one another in camp and in the field. The story moves briskly from challenge to challenge, keeping duty and friendship close to the action.
What you’ll discover
- Rank is only a beginning Follow young officers as they learn why authority alone cannot win their soldiers’ respect.
- Comrades worth trusting Discover the bonds that grow when men with different habits must serve together.
- A demanding border post Enter a setting of heat and distance, where watchful routine gives way to danger.
- Honor under pressure Explore what duty asks of young men still learning the weight of command.
- A brisk path through adventure Enjoy short chapters and direct storytelling that carry you from one challenge to the next.
Who will love it
You will love this book if you enjoy army life told from the inside, loyal friendships, quick-thinking young heroes, night chases on the river, and clear views of how officers earn rank.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A commission rewards years of preparation
- Hal answers insult with restraint
- A good name deserves open defense
- Hard work can remake a man
- Readiness begins before danger arrives
- Calm firmness holds back a crowd
- Clear thinking creates a chance
- Duty can test an officer's judgment
- Character gives rank its meaning
Who’s who
- Hal OvertonA cool-headed young sergeant who becomes a second lieutenant, he wants to serve the flag well and prove himself as an officer.
- Noll TerryHal's loyal friend and fellow lieutenant, quick to joke and to defend the honor of the officers' corps.
- Bunny HepburnA bitter waiter raised to despise soldiers, he wants revenge on the officer who got him fired.
- Captain FosterCommander of H Company at Fort Butler, he is fair and watchful, and he wants his young officers ready for real service.
- Algy FerrersA former idler who has become a hardworking officer after the Service Schools, now longing to see real fighting.
- Pedro GuarezA Mexican of some standing in Agua Dulce who wants to smuggle rifles across the river to the rebels.
- Major TiptonThe warm and courteous commander at Fort Butler, who welcomes the two new lieutenants and sends them to the border.
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Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants
Two sergeants wait in a New Jersey parlor for War Department news that will decide whether they become Army officers.
Medium level2–5 hours to read20 languages
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In short
What does it feel like to wait for one envelope that will decide your whole life? On a sweltering August afternoon in a New Jersey town, two sergeants sit in a parlor and listen for the postman's whistle.
Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants at a glance
- Reading time
- About 3 h 5 min2 h 30 min fast, 3 h 40 min slow
- Length
- 44,500 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A long envelope arrives from Washington
The story opens in a small New Jersey town in August. Sergeant Hal Overton and Sergeant Noll Terry sit in the Overton parlor, grumbling about the heat and waiting for news that will shape their lives.
Both men have passed their examinations at Fort Leavenworth, but the numbers are cruel. Fifty-nine soldiers passed, and only forty-two vacancies exist for men from the ranks. Seventeen will be turned away, however well they did. Rising from the ranks takes a spotless record, a name for coolness and years of study. That is why the waiting hurts so much.
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Two sergeants wait in a New Jersey parlor for War Department news that will decide whether they become Army officers.
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Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 3 h 40 min
- Level
- Medium level
- Paperback
- 180 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 180 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print paperback
- 280 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print hardcover
- 280 pages · 6 × 9 in
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For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
Hancock, H. Irving. Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/uncle-sams-boys-as-lieutenants.
Hancock, H. I. (2026). Uncle Sam's boys as lieutenants. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/uncle-sams-boys-as-lieutenants
Hancock, H. Irving. Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/uncle-sams-boys-as-lieutenants.
@book{hancock2026uncle,
author = {Hancock, H. Irving},
title = {Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/uncle-sams-boys-as-lieutenants}
}
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What is Uncle Sam's Boys as Lieutenants about?
It follows Hal Overton and Noll Terry as they win commissions from the ranks, clear their names before a court of inquiry, and join their regiment on the Texas border during a Mexican rebel crisis.
Do I need to read the earlier Uncle Sam's Boys books first?
No. This volume is a complete story, and the author explains each character and Army term as it comes up. Earlier books only add more background on Hal, Noll and their friends.
What does ad interim mean in the book?
It is Latin for in the time between. Hal explains that the President appoints officers while Congress is out of session, and the Senate confirms them later, so the commission is temporary until then.
The author
H. Irving Hancock
1868–1922 · American journalist and children's writer
H. Irving Hancock (1868–1922) was an American journalist and author who lived in the United States. He wrote books for young readers in the early twentieth century, including the Uncle Sam’s Boys series and the Grammar School Boys series. He also wrote instructional books about jiu-jitsu.
More by H. Irving Hancock
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