Hints and helps for national guardsmen. A hand-book for the militia

Front matter

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

HINTS AND HELPS

FOE

Preface

The purpose of the author, in undertaking this work, was to furnish to volunteers and miUtia a manual which should contain some information and instruction in regard to matters not fully comprehended in the tactics ; particularly such points as those who have not been regularly trained in military service are not very familiar with. The young officer of the National Guard is usually called into service from civil hfe, and he must meet with difficulties on every hand. He cannot ask his inferior officers for information, and does not wish to seem to be ignorant of his duties in the eyes of his superiors. Therefore, that which is comparatively simple to the experienced soldier is difficult for the officer of the National Guard, w^liose opportunities for the attainment of practical knowledge, by experience, may not have been extensive.

The object of this book can be stated in a few words. It is to aid the inexperienced to become familiar with the theories and details of military duty, which are absolutely necessary to those who wish to become competent officers in the line, field, or stafi^ In many of the States gentlemen frequently enter the service in staff positions who have had no opportunity to become familiar with the details of their dut}^, and who, therefore, may be called upon for the exercise of professional

Yl

knowledge, without having had any chance to acquire it. If this book can assist them, its author will feel that he has not written it in vain.

Besides the hst of books of reference and authorities used in the preparation of this work, the author wishes to express his thanks to officers of the army who have aided him with suggestions, and, in many cases, by practically assisting in its preparation. He desires to make special acknowledgment of the courtesy shown by Brevet Major-General E. D. Townsend, Adjutant-General, United States Army; Brig.-Gen. S. V. Benet, Chief of Ordnance, U. S. A. ; Brevet Brig.-Gen. E. C. Drum, Colonel and Asst. Adjt.-General, U. S. A. ; Brevet Maj.- Gen. Emory Upton, Lt.-Colonel 4th Artillery, U. S. A. ; Brevet Brig.-Gen. John C. Tidball, Major 2d Artillery, U. S. A. ; Brevet Lt.-Col. Eobt. N. Scott, Major 3rd Artillery, U. S. A. ; General Thomas G. Pitcher, U. S. A. (retired) ; Brevet Maj.-Gen. Nelson A. Miles, Colonel 5th Infantry, U. S. A. ; Brevet Brig.-Gen. Henry A. Morrow, Colonel 21st Infantry, U. S. A. ; Brevet Lt.-Col. S. N. Benjamin, Asst. Adjt.-General; Brevet Lt.-Col. Stephen G. Lyford, Major Ordnance Dept., U. S. A. ; Brevet Lieut.-Col. H. C. Corbin, 24th Infantry ; First Lieutenant Rogers Birnie, Jr., Ordnance Corps; Lieut. R. K. Evans, 12th Infantry ; Lieut. John Pitcher, 1st Cavalry ; V. McNally, Esq., Chief Clerk of Ordnance Department; and Dr. Irving W. Rosse, late Assistant Surgeon, United States Army. Besides these, the writer has to thank many other officers of the army for suggestions and hints which have been of great value. The author is also under obligations to the following named gentlemen, whose vu

practical experience as commanders in the field gives great weight to their suggestions : the Hon. John B. Gordon, United States Senator from Georgia ; Hon. M. C. Butler, United States Senator from South Carolina ; Hon. J. E. Chalmers, of Miss., M. C. ; Hon. Pierce M. B. Young, late member of CongTess from Georgia, and the Hon. J. Floyd King, Brigadier-General of the Louisiana National Guard and member of Congress from the fifth district of Louisiana ; besides others, who, in various ways, have rendered valuable assistance. To all the friends to whose kindly sympathy and courtesy the author is so much indebted, he desires to return his most respectful and appreciative thanks.

In conclusion, it is perhaps unnecessary to say that the matter embraced in this work has been drawn from the best possible sources, and with special reference to the object and purpose announced in the beginning o£ this preface.

W. H. E.

New Orleans, Jan. 1, 1880.

CONTENT8

PAGE

The Eecruit 9

Non-commissioned Officers 15

First or Orderly Sergeants 18

The Seroeant-Major 22

Company Officers 25

THE EEGIMENTAL STAFF :

The Adjutant 44

The Quartermaster and Quartermaster-Sergeant .... 57

The Surgeon 58

THE EEGIMENTAL FIELD OFFIOEES :

The Colonel 62

The Lieutenant-Colonel 72

The Major 74

THE GENEEAL STAFF :

The Adjutant-General 81

The Assistant Adjutant-Generals 86

Correspondence of the Adjutant- General's Department 91

Books to be kept at General Headquarters 93

Inspector General — Brigade and Division Inspectors ... 98

The Quartermaster-General. 118

The Chief of Ordnance 129

Forms for Ordnance Eeturns 135, 136, 137

Ordnance — Classification and Accountability 1 38

COUETS-MAETIAL :

General Courts-Martial 144

EEGIMENTAL CoURTS-MaRTIAL 171

Courts of Inquiry 173

PAGE

<3EEEM0NIES :

Honors paid by Troops 176

Escorts of Honor 178

ARTHiiiERY Salutes 1 79

Funeral Honors 180

Eeviews 181

Inspections . . 185

Review of a Battery 189

Escorting and Receiving Colors of a Regiment 193

Reception of one body of troops by another 195

Musters 196

Roster or Details for Service 196

Use of Militia in aid of Civil Power 199

Care and Preservation of Artillery 223

In the preparation of this work the author has consulted the following named standard American works on military subjects : Kautz's Customs of Service ; Wallen's Service Manned', Patten's Manual for Officers; The U,S, Army Begidations ; Benet's Military Lato ; Scott's Digest of the Military Laivs of the U. S. ; Craighill's Army Officers' Pocket Corapanion ; Gilham's Manual for Volunteers and Militia ; Duane's Manual for Engineer Troops ; Upton's Tactics, for the three arms of the service ; Regulations of the Ordnance De]jartment, TJ, S. A, ; Regulations for the Militia of the States of Massachusetts and Neio' York.

The foreign military pubhcations which have been used as books of reference are as follows : The Soldier s Pocket Book, by General Sir Garnet Wolseley ; The Young Officers Companion, by General Lord De Eos ; The Art of War, by Mac Dougall ; Jebb's Sy stern of Attack and Defence; Leslie's Light Troojos ; The British Officer; The Queen's Regulations (1873) ; Aide- Memoir e de V Etat Major de VArmee Francaise, d^ndi. Journal Militaire Officiel (from 1870 to 1879) ; General Count von Schellendorf's Duties of the General Staff ; The Administration of the German Army (Ver waltung desDeutschen Heeres), and Infantry Service and Affairs of the German Army (Heerwasen und Infantorie Dienst), Berlin, 1879.

HINTS AND HELPS

FOR

NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

THE EECKUIT.

A recruit is one who joins a military organization to be taught the practical duties of the soldier. Much care should be exercised by officers in recruiting. The recruit should not be enrolled until he perfectly understands the obligations he takes upon himself when he enters the National Guard.

In New York, and in some other States, the term of the first enlistment is for five years, and the recruit may reenlist after the expiration of that term of service for one or more years, but no rule can be laid down in regard to this, as it is regulated by law in each State. No person above the age of forty-five should be enlisted, and no person under the age of twenty-one years should be permitted to join a company, without the consent of his parents or guardian. As soon as possible after he has joined, the recruit should begin his education in the school of the soldier.

The object of this school is the personal discipline and instruction of the recruit. In it he is taught, in the first place, the position of a soldier without arms. This is an important part of his instruction, and the drill-master should never require a movement to be executed until he himself has given an exact explanation of it, and has executed it often enough for practical illustration. The drill-master should accustom the recruit to take the various positions by himself, and be sure that each movement is understood before another is attempted. The recruit should be allowed to rest at the conclusion of each part of the lesson.

The personal instruction of the soldier should be divided into three separate parts. In the first, the recruit should be taught the particular drill in which the use of arms is dispensed with. In the second, the lessons of the first should be continued, and the young soldier carefully instructed in the manual of arms, and in loading and firing. In the third, he should be taught the principles of ahgnment and of the march, the steps and the principles of marching by the front and flank, and of wheeling. The thorough understanding of the different steps is indispensable to the recruit, and they should be taught him at the earliest opportunity, and, for this reason, it is proper to briefly explain the steps. The direct step in common time is used in marching directly forward. It is twenty-eight inches in length, and ninety steps are taken in a minute. The direct step, in quick time, is twenty-eight inches in length, and one hundred and ten are taken in a minute. The double-quick step is thirty-three inches in length, and one hundred and sixty-five steps are taken in a minute. There are different degrees of swiftness in the double-quick step. It may be increased from one hundred and sixty-five to one hundred and eighty steps per minute ; for example, in marching in double-quick time, if a subdivision in column has to change direction, by turning or to form into line. This movement does not occur very often, :and therefore the habitual exercise of the recruit will be in the double-quick of one hundred and sixty-five steps per minute. The cadence, or uniform time and pace in marching, is an indispensable requisite to the recruit.

There are a few technical terms which are in common use, the meaning of which should be taught to the recruit as early as possible, as, for example, that rank and file means the non-commissioned officers and privates of the command ; that a rank of soldiers is a line of soldiers standing side by side, and a file of soldiers is a line of soldiers drawn up one behind the other, although a file means literally two soldiers, a front and a rear rank man ; that the flanks of a company are its ends ; that the right flank is the right hand side when standing in the line, and the left flank the left hand side when standing in line ; that marching by the front means moving directly forward in column or in line ; that marching by the flank means moving when faced to the right or left by successive files ; and that changing direction means turning to the right or left when marching in column or by the flank. He is also to be taught, very early, that the company is divided in the centre, and these two divisions are called platoons ; that the first platoon is the right half of the company and the second platoon is the left half of the company ; that the guide is a non-commissioned officer whose duty it is to keep the flanks or ends of the company steady, and there is one to each platoon ; that, in the wheelings and marchings, the marching flank is the end which moves most, and that dressing means moving the men so they may establish a true line, and that columns are divisions, platoons, or sections marching one after the other. The instructor should be careful to answer all such questions, as this knowledge is very important, and greatly facilitates the progress of the recruit and his subsequent instruction.

The recruit should be taught that the credit and good reputation of the command can be enhanced or impaired by the conduct of any of its members, and he should be particularly careful to do all he can to maintain it, by the correctness of his own deportment. The disciplining of the recruit is a most important matter, and he should know that prompt, cheerful and intelligent obedience to orders is as indispensable to a good soldier as proficiency in drill. If the recruit thinks he has a cause for complaint he should report it to the non-commissioned officer of the squad, and then to the orderly sergent of the company. If the latter officer cannot redress it he should take the person making the complaint to the officer commanding the company, but the recruit should also know that he must never go directly to the commanding officer, nor should any number of men go in a body to the commanding officer with any petition or complaint. It is the duty of the commanding officer to listen to and right the wrong of any man in his company, but he should hear both sides, if there are two sides to the controversy, before he makes up his mind :as to the justice of the complaint. If the recruit thinks he has been ill used by any private in the command, he should report the matter, with the nature of the ill-usage, as above stated ; but, on no account, except in actual self-defense, should he use personal force. Improper or profane language should never be permitted. In case of any call to engage in active service, the recruit should know that there must be prompt obedience to the demand of the state ; that perfect order and quietness should be maintained, and that no man has a right to move without the order of his commanding officer. The militia of the states can be called into active service by the governor, in case of war, insurrection, invasion, or any imminent danger to the state or any of its cities. The failure of any man to promptly respond to such a call renders him liable to a fine and such other punishment as the military code of each state prescribes.

Any officer or soldier who is thus called out and does not use his utmost endeavors to suppress the riot, insurrection or invasion, or fails to do his duty when in the field, is liable to very serious punishment under the articles of war. It will be well for the recruit to know, that any officer or soldier who uses contemptuous or insulting language towards the President of the United States, or the Congress as a body, or the Governor of his own state, is liable to be put under arrest, and may receive such punishment as the court-martial, in its judgment, shall inflict. One of the first things the recruit should learn is the proper manner of approaching and saluting an officer. When on duty he should salute officers of other regiments as readily as he does those of his own, and also all officers of the regular army and the navy. By doing so he shows a proper respect to the officer saluted, and creates a favorable impression of the soldier-like appearance and discipline of his command. In passing an officer the salute should be made with the hand farthest from the person saluted. Whenever a recruit is in ignorance touching any part of his duty he should apply to the non-commissioned officer of his squad, who should see that the person so inquiring is correctly instructed. Officers and instructors ought never to show impatience on account of the seeming stupidity of the recruit, but should explain, as simply and as accurately as possible, any point concerning which information may be required. The recruit will never wear his uniform or equipments when not on duty without permission of the commanding officer. If this rule be violated the offender should be punished, in such way as the military code of the state prescribes. In the State of New York, this offence is liable to be punished by a fine of not more than $10. A severe penalty attaches to the sale, pawning, or pledging in any way, of arms, uniforms, or equipments which have been issued under the provisions of the military code, the offender being liable to a fine of not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars, and imprisonment in the county jail for not less than one nor more than two months. Similar laws, varying in stringency, prevail in all the states of the Union.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

A non-commissioned officer is a soldier who serves in the ranks, with the authority to command given by virtue of a warrant issued by the Colonel. There are nine in the company, five sergeants and four corporals. The sergeants are first or orderly, and second, third, fourth and fifth duty sergeants ; and the corporals are the first,^ second, third and fourth. The duties of the sergeants are those of instructors to the men, and as guides in the manoeuvres of the company. The corporals act as a base to the front rank. The position of the orderly sergeant, when the company is formed alone, is on the right of the rank. He is also right guide of the company and the guide of the first platoon. The position of the second sergeant is two paces in the rear of the rear rank, opposite the second file from the left of the company. He is the left guide of the company. The third sergeant's place is two paces in the rear of the rear rank, opposite the second file from the right of the first platoon. The position of the fourth sergeant is two paces in the rear of the rear rank, on the left of the first lieutenant. The position of the fifth sergeant is in the line of file closers, on the right of the second lieutenant.

The 7norale of the regiment depends so much upon the intelligence and activity of the non-commissioned officers that great care should be observed in their selection. Intelligence, sobriety, industry and rigid obedience are indispensables in non-commissioned officers ; without these quaUties it is impossible for a man to be useful in this position. Non-commissioned officers should always treat the soldiers with kindness. In cases of small infractions of discipline, which they have the right to correct, they should take especial care to explain very thoroughly in what the infraction consists, that it may not occur again through ignorance. The reproof should be given in a positive, kindly but firm manner, and in all cases where the authority of the sergeant to reprove is not clear, he should report the infraction or ojBfence, and the circumstances attending it, to the commanding officer of the company. The correct instruction of the comj)any in tactics and military discipline depends very much upon the efforts of the non-commissioned officers. To this end they should be carefully instructed in their duty by the company officers, so that they may be qualified to properly drill and discipline the squads under their special charge. The commanding officer of the company should always maintain the authority of his non-commissioned officers whenever they are right. Nothing is more subversive of discipline than to have the commanding officer take sides with the men against the non-commissioned officer.

If the sergeant does wrong he should be punished, as any other man in the company would be. Where the matter of offense is only an error in judgment, the officer committing it should be reproved or corrected in a kindly way, but this should never be done in the presence of the men, who should be taught to recognize the authority of the non-commissioned officer to its fullest extent. Non-commissioned officers may be reduced to the ranks by the sentence of a court-martial, or by order of the commander of the regiment on application of the company commander. Every non-commissioned officer should be furnislied with a certificate of rank, signed by the colonel and countersigned by the adjutant of his regiment. Non-commissioned officers, in charge of squads, should be held to a rigid responsibiUty for the discipline and drill of the men under them. They should never allow replies from the men whom they may have had occasion to reprove or correct, and, under no circumstance, should they permit any soldier to hold their authority in contempt. The soldier, whether he be in the right or in the wrong, should first obey, and, if he feels that he is aggrieved, he may make his complaint, in a respectful manner, to the company commander, whose decision should be final. They should be particularly careful to enter into no controversy with the men in their charge, touching their authority. They must demand imphcit obedience, and, if they are unable to enforce it, they should report the matter, with as little delay as possible, to the commanding officer of the company.

Sergeants and corporals should be held to a rigid responsibility by company commanders for their deportment and attention to duty. Each non-commissioned officer should have complete and exclusive control of his own squad, and orders and instructions should be issued to him by the commissioned officers of the company alone. Whenever it is necessary there should be no delay in administering a proper reprimand or punishment, but this should be done only with a perfect understanding of the case and the strictest regard for justice and discipUne. Non-commissioned officers can be reduced to the ranks only in two ways : — the first, as has been stated, by order of the regimental commander on 2 application of the company commander; the second is by sentence of court-martial. If the commanding officer of the regiment and of the company do not concur as to the propriety of reducing a non-commissioned officer, then the course to be pursued is to prefer charges and have the case tried by a court-martial. A regimental order should always be made to announce the appointment of non-commissioned officers, in which the grade and date of their appointments shall be distinctly stated. The non-commissioned staff of the regiment are selected by the colonel alone. The discipline and well-being of the company depends, to a great extent, upon the intelligence and care used in the selection of its non-commissioned officers. When this has been well done, the company will be well drilled and thoroughly disciplined, for the sergeants and corporals are of very great assistance in governing the men. As the commanding officers of companies are the persons most interested, and have the best opportunities for judging of the qualifications and fitness of the men, the colonel should confirm their recommendations, unless there are strong and urgent reasons why he should not do so. Company commanders, when their commands are not on duty with their regiment, may make such temporary appointments as are needed, subject, of course, to the approval of the colonel.

OEDEELY SEEGEANTS.

Commanding officers of companies will select their orderly sergeants from the company sergeants. In some of the states the orderly sergeant is elected by the men, but, for obvious reasons, this practice should be abandoned. The orderly sergeant is the executive officer of the company, and on him, to a great extent, the captain depends for the general drill, discipline and conduct of the company, and, in active service, he has direct charge of the rations and company mess. His duties are many and varied. He should take care that the men are correctly and regularly instructed in their drills. He should see that the other sergeants exercise that patience and kindness toward the men so necessary to their advancement in drill and discipline, and which always secure their willing obedience. The orderly sergeant parades the men of his company for drill and for their other duties. He should be at the orderly room promptly at the appointed hours for official business, and he should always be ready to obey the orders of the company commander with alacrity, celerity and promptness. He should never permit unmilitary conduct in the other non-commissioned officers, or the men, without taking prompt notice of it, and he should instantly correct breaches of military discipline to the limit of his authority. He should, at all times, demand the closest attention, the most rigid fulfillment of duty from the other non-commissioned officers and men. He should, at once, report to the commanding officer anything he has seen which is unbecoming the character of the soldier and subversive of military disciphne.

He receives the orders issued by the commanding officer of the regiment from the sergeant-major, and immediately enters them in the company order book. He should show the order book to the captain and the other commissioned officers of the company as soon as practicable after the orders have been entered. The orderly sergeant calls the roll of his company whenever it is formed, and it is his duty to report all absentees to the commissioned officer superintending the roll call, and he, in turn, should report them to the adjutant. He should also be present at the adjutant's office at orderly call to receive orders. He should be present at all parades and turn out the company as quickly as possible, notify men detailed for any special duty, and then take his position on the right of the company and report his roll call to the captain, before that officer inspects the company. He should pay special attention to keeping the company's roster in correct form. He should make out all the details for the company and post them in the designated place, in order that the men may know who are detailed. When on active duty, the orderly sergeant should call upon the captain at the hour designated with the morning report, which, when signed, should be taken to the adjutant, in order that he may make the consolidated regimental or post report. He should always be present at guardmounting and parade, and should carefully inspect the detail at the sounding of the first call. He should see that every article of clothing issued to his men is carefully marked with the company letter and the number of the regiment.

When the command is in active service the orderly sergeant sees to it that all passes for his men are properly made out, signed by the commanding officer of the company, and laid before the proper officer at the hour designated for the transaction of regimental business. He will also march all men reported sick to the hospital, at the hour which may be appointed, taking with him the sick book, and when the surgeon has decided who shall be retained in hospital, reported sick in quarters and exempt from duty, he will march the men who are fit for duty back to the company, and deposit the sick book in the orderly room. The orderly sergeant should, in his own person, present a model of military disicipline and bearing to the men under him. He should cheerfully and promptly obey the orders of his superior officers, thereby setting a proper example to the men. Petty tyranny toward the men by their non-commissioned officers should be strictly prohibited. They should not be permitted to confine a soldier without first reporting the case and its attendant circumstances to the orderly sergeants, who decides what degree of punishment the offense merits. The proper discharge of this duty mast be rigidly exacted. All violence and abusive language toward the men must be prohibited, and the orderly sergeant shall demand the strictest observance of good order and military discipline from his subordinates. As non-commissioned officers are supposed to know their duty, they should be held to a rigid accountability for any violation of orders. The orderly sergeant should promptly take notice of any improper or unsoldierly conduct among his men when off duty, in order that the good reputation of the command may be maintained. If a soldier should refuse to obey orders, or resists the authority of any non-commissioned officer, he should be arrested at once and the case reported to the commanding officer of the company. The orderly sergeant shoald give the most particular attention to the neatness in dress and general appearance of his men. In fact the discipline and good order of the company can only be upheld by the activity, intelligence, and thorough knowledge of his duty, which the orderly sergeant should have.

The moment the non-commissioned otBcer becomes careless — shows a lack of interest in the discharge of his duty — he should be promptly reprimanded, and, if the fault continues, he should be reduced, so that the discipline of the company may not be weakened. The orderly sergeant should see that the sergeants and corporals in charge of squads properly instruct their men in regard to cleaning their arms and their use and preservation. He should never permit the non-commissioned officers under him to presume upon the inexperience of young commissioned officers, and all discussions touching the qualifications of superior officers, either in praise or censure of them, should be rigidly prohibited. He should see that no non-commissioned officer, or soldier under him, sends any communication to the superior officer without having it pass through the proper mihtary channel. Any deviation from this course is destructive to discipline. A soldier-like appearance, activity, readiness for and attention to duty, promptitude and obedience to orders, are absolute requisites to the orderly sergeant, and are as necessary to the position as a thorough knowledge of the tactics.

SEEGEANT-MAJOR.

The sergeant-major is the first non-commissioned officer of the regiment. He is under the immediate

•direction of tlie adjutant, and all reports will be made to that officer and through him the sergeant-major will receive the necessary orders and instructions in regard to the discipline, routine duty and well-being of the rank and file of the regiment. The sergeant-major should keep the regimental books. The rosters for guard and fatigue duty will be kept separate ; having before him the morning reports of the different companies, he will select the proper complement of non-commissioned officers and men for the duty from each company by number only, giving these, with other orders, to the orderly sergeants at orderly call. He should see that all calls are promptly sounded by the orderly on duty, except when the officer of the guard is especially charged to see to it, and will thoroughly acquaint himself with the duties pertaining to the alignment and formation of the guard, turning it over to the adjutant, and the alignment and formation of the battalion for drills, parades, inspections and reviews. In these latter he has to judge the distance of a company front, and to align the guides writh promptness and accuracy, performing for the left wmg what the adjutant does for the right.