Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-07-02
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A. ADAMS.
G. N. HAPGOOD
WARREN, TUESDAY, JULY o.
Military Correspondehce.
CAMP CHASE, July I'd, 1861.

.. Chronicle F,1eads:-Camp letters sell
dom touch upon the routine Of a soldiers
duty-this shall miniature forth a Ser.
experience for twenty.fou r hours as
Sergeant of the Guard. Each regiment
details seventy.two ~privates and four or
five non-commissioned officers, (~Sergcants
and Corporals) the commanding officers of
which arc, in rank as named, Officer of the
Day, "a Captain.) Officer of the Guard,
and Junior Officer Of the Guard, their du.
ties is to guard the regiment, the privates
arc divided into 8 companies Of twenty
four each, called reliefs. The sentiuels are
placed some fifty yards apart walking to
and fro, with fixed b~ayonets. Each relief
IS on duty two and off four hours. Sen
tinels allow no one save commissioned off,
GERS to pass them save those having writ.
ten passes or accompanied by officers cnti-
tied to pass; from dark until daylight they
challenge as l shall shortly describe.
My day duties as Sergeant merely found
me at the entrance gate inspecting passes,
&c. Corporals attending to marching re-
hefs every two hours around tho Camp,
their front man taking the sentry's post
whilst the latter fell in the rear rank and
the Corporal always had tw~enty-four men
in his squad. Sentries' posts or 'beats''
are numbered from one to twenty-four.-
When anything occurs on his beat the SEN
tinel calls out, Corporal of the Guard, No.
ll.(or whatever his number is leach senti-
mel takes up the cry sending it to his
neighbor until it reaches "a, who is at the
Guard-h house, off then posts a Corporal to
No. IL and examines Into the affair arrests
or discharges as is his duty, whomsOever
the sentinel had halted. 4I
Well night sets in. and accompanying
the Junior Officers, ] wend my way to No.
|, No. 2, No. g., and so on around the reg.
iment giving each sentinel the counter
sign Gt was Lake Erie'') in a low voice,
charging them at the moment of hearing
approaching footsteps to say "who comes
there, if answered friends" to say "halt!
advance n friend and give tho counter.
sign" if answered "Relief," say advance
Corporal and give the countersign." if an
swercd Grand Rounds" being the Off
Ger OF the Day,onc Sergeant and four pri.
Yates. G. r. have to be made as often as
once 'twixt twelve and one o'clock at mighty
to say advance Sergeant and give the
countersign," but to receive the counter
sign from each and all at the point Of the
6oy0net, and every ono challenged must
gire the countersign correctly or he, the
sentinel, should hold him at bayonet point
until a Corporal came to take charge of
the prisoner. Officers or Grand Rounds.
excepted.
Well midnight comes and off goes the
Officer of the Day to try the Sentinels to
see how well they discharge duty. No. l
challenges pretty near right. No. 2, bold
ly, ''halt, who comes there" braces him.
self ready to pitch into US with his foot
and a half of steel, but suddenly, upon be-
ing answered "Grand Rounds" springs a.
side, begs our pardon for 'halting an off.
Ger, pass on, pass on, Ill do better next
time!' No. 8, fast asleep, we serve him
with a rough waking and start him for
the guard house; death, stern death, would
be his fate were We in the rebel land. On
up to No. IL, all right, divers efforts on
our part to get possession Of bayonct fail
ed with a "you can't come that" or stand
off, halt, or I'll pin you" from SENTINEL.
No. IL, was glad to see us, very polite, II
got him Grand Rouse, | got him right in
my head, nobody gets him out of me-
"Well friend what is it you have got."-
"oh fish de counter wild de zinc on him p
Well we let him go, merely explaining his
duties once again. No. Is, he was a bow
sure, up We came plump to him, asked II
he know the password. "Oh pc shure dis
dc pig waiter up in dc north, vat ish you
call him von-vou-von d-n lake IN
dare" No. 30 was all right if 'yecd list
wait a wee bit ycre honor till | axes yc il
ye can say Lack AIRY"
lleavc the guard routine and am at mess
No. b, Tod Avenue, partaking of one Of
Longs good breakfasts. Several Of ou1
boys inclusive of Supple, Star, Mussor,
Fox, Patton, Gray, Grummet, Sergeant
Lake, as also Corporal Drake, are hardy
at serving up tho fxens. Drilling and
regular meals tends to the development OF
production of a high physical condition
and like race horses the boys begin to Get
hungry and rations seem cut of. vet the
s~teelyards enthusiastically demonstrate
we get our full allowance. A mess of six.
teen have at each meal four and n hall
loayes Of bread such as Waldeck sells a
half a dime. No pay, uniform or gun
yet-boys short off for ~cash-store opened
this week take Captains scrip in five cent,
upwards amount. So VIC can get tobacco
! cigars, meat, cheese, bread &c.-tip toJ