Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-06-12
Why I Exchanged g

Why ! Exchanged e
Some five years ago | was u subal-
tern IN marching regiment and quar-
tered IN large garrison town in Ing
land. 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 sort Of half impri4on-
ment.
1t is one of the regulations Of the
service, that when officers or men are
on guard they should always be in 4
state of readiness to ''fall in on pa
rade at a moments notice. II y0u
feel very sleepy and desire rest. you
must take it while you are buttoned ND
to the throat and strapped down at the
heels. A lounge in an arm chair. or
probably a little horizontal refresh
ment upon q sofa, is the extent Of rest
which an officer on guard is supposed
to indulge i'll.
Among my brother subalterns in
garrison, it WAS our usual practice to
Infringe upon the strict letter of the
law, and when the principal part Of
our duty had been accomplished. We
used to indulge ourselves by divestiDg
our limbs of their armor and seeking
retrenchment between the sheets Of n
little camp bed that was placed III the
inner guard room.
1t was part of the duties 0fan officer
on guard to visit all the senrrics dur
ing the night, tEe time for visiting
them being usually an hour or So after
the fieldof1icer had visited the guard:
the fieldOtficer being Colonel or Major
who was on duty for the day, aud VINO
came once by day and once by night
to see the guards and to see that all
was as it should be. There was no
exact limit TO the number oftimes that
the field-otficer 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 subal-
tern usually waited all hour or so.
walked round the limits Of his post,
visited all the sentries, and then turn
ed into bed.
1t was a bitter cold morning III
January that my turn for guard came
on. L marched my men to the post,
relieved the old guard, and then, hay
ing gone through the regular duty and
dined, endeavored to pass the time
until the tield-officer had visited NE.
The previous evening 1 had been ab q
ball IN town. and i'll consequence was
very tired and sleepy, and looked with
longing to the period
when ! could refresh myself Icy un-
robing and enjoying n good snoozc.
At length | heard the welcome chaI-
lenge, "Who comes there?" which waa
answered by the response, "Grand
rounds, and Guard, turn ont - was
signal which | willingly Ol1eyed, for ]
knew that III an hour aftcrward I
should be III the arm Of tho god of
sleep.
Shipping on my cloak and cap, and
front of the guard and received the
field-otficer, who briefly asked me if
everything was correct, directed me to
dismiss my guard, and rode of with
out saying Good night" proceeding
that l thought very formal.
Giving directions to the Sergeant to
call me In al hour, for the purpose Of
visiting the sentrics, ] threw myself
into an arm chair and tried to read Il
novel. The time passed very quickly,
as had nap or two. and the Ser
geant soon appeared with Il lantern 10
conduct me round tie sentrica.
1t was a terrible night, the wind
blowing hard, whilst the snow and
sleet were driving along bafoIe it. The
thermometer was several degrees lee
low freezing, and | felt that [ desery-
ed much from my country ior perform
ing SO cOnscientiously my arduCas du-
ties. The sentrleS were very much
scattered, and I had to walk two miles
to visit them all. | accomplished my
task, however, and returned to the
guard room, where [ treated myself to
a stiff glass Of grOg, and throwing Oft
my regilnentals | jumped into bed,
feeling that | really deserved III" lHX-
ury.
In few moments | VAS fa~t asleep,
not even dreaming Of any cf NY far
partners of the ball, hnt sound asleep.
Suddenly I h"came conscious # = great
noise, which sUurGe like = drula be-
ing beaten.
At tirat 7 ii / Iut realize my posi-
ton, and cuHld net remember where J
was, but ut last it flashed arrn.a me
that [ was on guard, and that SOME
thug was the matter. Jumping out
of bed, [ called t. know who was ;!iercE
The Sergeant ausvaieA ia = great
hurry, saying:
"Sir, the tieid-officcr of :he day IS
coming, aud the guard is turnjns oHt. >
flushed fer ny boots, pul.od thom
on over NY unstoohingel feet; tLrIs,
my swordarm INTO nav lar"o f'gI-
mental cloak, which | pulled over iac:
iammed my forage-cup ON my head,
and grasping my sword, looked to the
outward observer as though eft for q
Iarlde.'
l was just i'll time to receive tAa
field officer, who again asked me if -
guard was correct? [ answered. rather
in tone of surprise, and said: "Yes
Sir; all correct"
L could MT imagine why my guard
should be visited twice, aH s'cfi "a !:o-
ceeding was unusual, and perhaps lny
tone seemed 10 imply that / was sur
prised Whether it was that, OF w!ieth-
er 4 tlcacl,e, ous gust OF wind removed
the folds nf NY cloak and exhibited the
slighte.l taste in life Of the end of tho
night shirt, know not; but the field
officer when he had received my an
swer, turned his horses head IN the
opposite direction and said:
''Now, sir. want you to accompany
me around the sentries.'
Had he told me that he wanted me
to accompany him to the region below
should scarce have been more hor-
ror struck; for already had found the
change of temperature between awarm
bed and warm room, and the outside
air-and to walk two miles on windy,
| fros.y night, with no raiment besides
boots, night-shirt and cloak, was really
suffering for ones country and no mis-.
take. I dared not show the slightest
| hesitation, however. tor fear the stats