The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-01-28
The .subaltern.s Lessen.

he sSuEaAtefnsS l.eSSons
Some FIVE years ago | WIS u subaltern
IN marching regiment, aud quartered
In large garrison town In England. My
duties consisted of the usual round of
morning and afternoon parades, visiting
the mems dinners and teas, and other
regular work In addition to this, we
had occasionally to mount guard, and to
pass twenty>tour hours in a sort of half
imprisonment
1t is one of the regulations of the scrv
Ice that when officers or men are on guard,
they should always be in a state OF read
iness to "fall in" on parade at moments
notice. If you feel very sleepy and de-
sire rest, you must take it whilst you are
buttoned up to the throat and strapped
down at the heels lounge in an arm
chair, probably little horizontal refresh
ment upon sofa, are the extent of lest
which an officer on guard is supposed to
indulge in.
Among my brother subalterns in gar
rison, it was our usual practice to liz
fringe upon this strict letter of the law
and, when the principal part of our duty
had been accomplished, we used to in
dulge ourselves by divestiDg our limbs
of their armor, and seeking refreshment
between the sheets of little camp-bed
that was placed in the inner guard-room.
1t was part of the duties of an officer
on guard to visit all the sentries during
the night, the time for visiting them be-
| ing usually an hour or SO after the field
officer had visited the guard the field
officer being Colonel or Major who was
ON duty for the day, and who came once
by day and once by night to visit the
! guards, and to see that all was as it
should be. There was no exact limit to
the number of times that this field officer
might visit the guards; but it was the
usual thing, and had become almost a
custom for him to come once by day and
once by night, so that after the last visit
the subaltern usually waited an hour or
SO, walked round the limits of his post,
visited all his sentries, and then turned
! info bed.
| It was on bitter cold moruing in JAN
uary that my turn for guard came on. l
marched my men to their post, relieved
the old guard, aud then, having gone
through the regular duty and dined, en-
deavored TO pass the time until the field
evening [ had been at ball in the town,
!
| looked with considerable longing to the
period when could refresh myself by
unrobing and enjoying a good snooze.
At length l heard the welcome chal-
I lenge ho comes there ?" which wes
answered by the response Rounds !'
"W ha. rounds ?" "Grand rounds !" and
sGuard, turn out p was a signal which
willingly obeyed, for | knew that in
about one hour afterward [ should be in
the arms of the god of sleep.
Slipping on my cloak and cap, and
srasping my sword, | placed myself in
front OF the guard, and received the field
officer, who briefly asked me if all was
correct, directed me to dismiss my guard,
and rode of without saying .Good might" !"
Giving directions to the sergeant to
wake me In an hour, for the purpose
of visiting the sentries, | threw myself
/ into my arm m-chair, and tried to read a
/ novel. The time passed very quickly,
and l had u nap or two, and the sergeant
| soon appeared with a lantern to conduct
me round the sentries.
Il was a terrible night, the wind blow
ing hard. whilst the snow ana sleet were
driving along before it. The thermome-
ter was several degrees below freezing, and
felt that | deserved much from my
country for performing so conscientious
! ly my arduous duties. The sentries were
very much scattered, and [ had to walk
nearly two miles to visit them all. | ac-
complishcd my task, however, and re-
turned to the guard room, where | treat
ed myself to glass of srog, and, throw
| ing off my reginentals, L jumped into
bed, feeling that l really deserved the
| luxury.
In few minutes was fast asleep, not
even dreaming of any of my fair partners
of the ball, but sound asleep. Suddenly
L became conscious Of great noise, which
sounded like drum being beaten. At
i first did not realize my position, and
could not remember where [ was, but at
| last it flashed across me that | was on
guard, and that something was the mat
ter. Jumping out of the bed, [ called to
know who was there.
The sergeant answered in great hur-
ry, saying: ''Sir, the feld-oficer of the
day is coming, and the guard is turning
OUT
/ rushed to my boots, pulled them on
over my unstoclinged feet; thrust my
sword-arm into my large regimental
cloak, which pulled over me; jammed
my forage cap on my head, and, grasping
my sword, looked to the outward observ-
er as though "tit for parade"
I was just in time to receive the field
officer, who again asked me if my guard
was correct. l answered, rather in tone
of surprise, and said Yes, sir, all cor
rect" / could not imagine why my
guard should be visited twice, as such a
proceeding was very unusual, and per-
haps my tone seemed to imply that was
surprised. Whether it was that, or
whether treacherous gust of wind re-
moved the folds of my cloak and exhibi-
ted the slightest taste in life of the end
of my night-shirt l know not, but the
feld-officer, instead of riding off when be
received my answer, thrust his horse Is
head in the opposite direction and said /:
s'Now, sir, want you to accompany me
/ Al.