Guardhouse - 1847 Regulations

Guard in front of Guardhouse

401… All guards are to turn out and present arms to General officers as often as they pass them, except the personal guards of General officers, which turn out only to the Generals whose guards they are, and to officers of superior rank.

415… No compliments by guards or sentinels will be paid between retreat and reveille, except as prescribed for grand rounds.

542… Camp and garrison guards will be relieved every twenty-four hours. The guards at outpost will ordinarily be relieved in the same manner, but this must depend on their distances from camp, or other circumstances, which may sometimes require their continuing on duty several days. In such cases, they must be previously notified to provide themselves accordingly.

543… Thirty minutes before guard-mounting, a call will be sounded for the men warned for duty, to turn out on their company parades for inspection by the First sergeants. Ten minutes after, a second call will be sounded for the duty men to repair to the regimental or garrison parade, conducted by the First Sergeant. Each detachment, as it arrives, will, under the direction of the adjutant, take post on the left of the one that proceeded it, in open order, arms shouldered, and bayonets fixed, the supernumeraries five paces in the rear of the men of their respective companies. If the guards are intended for the grand parade, they sill take post in the order prescribed above, under the direction of the general staff officer, or his assistant the Adjutant of the day.

554… In bad weather, the ceremony of turning off guards on the usual parades may be dispensed with by the officer of the day, and inspection be made under shelter.

572… A relief is always to be marched in the greatest order; and the Corporals will be answerable that the sentinels, when relieving, perform their motions with spirit and exactness.

581… The principal guards are,

1. Outpost and picket guards. 2. Camp and garrison guards. 3. General officers guards

582… The outpost and picket guards are formed from the line, and composed of cavalry or infantry, or both, according to circumstances. They are posted on the avenues heading to the camp, and in such positions as are most eligible for its security.

596… The camp and quarter guards are for the better security of the camp, as well as for preserving good order and discipline.

601… The intention of the camp guards being to form a chain of sentinels around the camp, in order to prevent improper persons entering, or soldiers going out of camp.

603… General officers guards are to be furnished by their respective commands; and will consist of such number and description of troops as shall be determined at head-quarters.

612… In garrison, the number of guards depends on the extent of the post to be defended, and the strength of the garrison.

613… The principal guard will be denominated the main guard; and the lesser guards will take the names of the points to be guarded, as the arsenal-guard, post-guard, barrier-guard.

614… No non-commissioned officer or soldier is to quit his guard without leave, which is to be granted only on particular occasions. If water or other necessaries are wanted for the guard, they must be sent for at a time, when the sentinels are not relieving, by a non-commissioned officer and some men, with their arms.

615… During the day, the reliefs off post, may be permitted to rest themselves as much as may consist with safety; but during the night, no man will suffered to lie down or to sleep, on any account if near the enemy, nor at any other time, unless it be expressly permitted by the officer of the day; and the guard must be always ready to fall in at the least alarm, with arms in hand.

616… When a fire breaks out, or any alarm is raised in a garrison, all guards are to be immediately under arms; the barriers are to be shut, and so continue until the fire is extinguished, or the alarm ceases.

618… A patrol consisting of an officer, a noncommissioned officer and a file of men, will be sent out as often as may be deemed necessary, to see that the sentinels understand their orders, to make observations, gain information, and apprehend suspected persons. During the night, these patrols will always be made to arrest and commit to the guard the men who may be found out of their tents or quarters after tattoo, unless they be going to or from the sinks, or on some duty.

619… All reliefs and patrols will be conducted with the strictest silence; and on their return the noncommissioned officers will report to the officer of the guard every thing material that has transpired during their absence.

 
 
 
Ball and Chain
Next Page

Last updated: July 25, 2016

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

PO Box 918
Fort Scott, KS 66701

Phone:

620 223-0310

Contact Us