Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-04-16
From. the Charing Cross Magazine.
WHY / EXCHANGED.

in marching regiment and quartered
in large garrison town in England.
My duties consisted of the usual round
of morning and afternoon parades, Wis
iting the mems dinners aud teas, and
other regular work. In addition to this
we had occasionally to mount guard and
to pass twenty-four hours in sort of
half imprisonment.
It is one of the regulations of the SER
vice that when officers or men are on
guard they should always be in state
of readiness to "fall in" on parade
at moments notice. If you feel very
sleepy and desire rest you must take it
whilst you are. buttoned up to the
throat and strapped down at the heels.
A lounge in an armchair, or probably a
little horizontal refreshment upon a
sofa, is the extent of rest which an Of
ficer on guard is supposed to indulge in.
Among my brother subalterns in gar
rison it was our usual practice to in
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 divesting our limbs
of their armor and seeking retrench-
ment between the sheets OF little camp
bed that was placed in the inner guard
room.
It was part of the duties of an officer
on guard to visit all the sentries during
the night, the time for visiting them
being 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
the guards and to see that all was as it
should be. There was no exact limit to
the number of times that the field off,
Ger might visit the guards, but it was
the usual thing, and had become almost
1. custom, for him to come once by day
and once by night, SO that after the lust
visit the subaltern usually waited an
hour or so, walked round the limits of
his post, visited all his sentries, and
then turned into bed.
It was bitter cold morning in Janu-
ary that my turn for guard came on.
marched my men to the post, relieved
the old guard, and then, having gone
through the regular duty and dined,
endeavored to pass the time until the
field officer had visited me. The pre-
vious evening had been at ball in
town, and in consequence was very tired
and sleepy, and looked with consider
able longing to the period when I could
refresh myself by unrobing and enjoy
ing good snooze.
At length heard the welcome chal-
lenge, "Who comes there?" which was
answered by the response, "Grand
a signal which ! willingly obeyed, for I
knew that in an hour afterwards 1 should
be in the arms of the god of sleep.
Slipping on my cloak and cap, and
grasping my sword, I placed myself in
front of the guard and received the
field officer, who briefly asked me il
everything was correct, directed me to
dismiss my guard, and rode off without
saying "Good night" a proceeding that
I thought very formal.
Giving directions to the sergeant to
call me in an hour, for the purpose OF
visiting the sentries, I threw myself into
my arm chair and tried to read novel.
The time passed very quickly, as I had
q nap or two, and the sergeant soon ap-
peared with q lantern to conduct me
round the sentries.
It was q terrible night, the wind
blowing hard, whilst the snow and
sleet were driving along before it. The
thermometer was several degrees below
freezing, and I felt that I deserved
much from my country for performing
so c0nscientously my arduous duties.
The sentries were very much scattered,
and had to walk nearly two miles to
visit them all. I accomplished my
task, however, and returned to the
guard room, where I treated myself to
q stiff glass of grog, and throwing of
my regimentals I jumped into bed,
feeling that I really deserved the luxury.
In few moments was fast asleep,
not even dreaming of any of my fail
partners of the ball, but sound asleep
Suddenly I became conscious of great
noise, which sounded like drum being
beaten.
4 At first I 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 waf
the matter. Jumping out of bed,
called to know who was there.
The sergeant answered in great
"Sir, the field officer of the day i.
coming, and the guard is turning out. .
rushed for my boots, pulled then
on over my unstockinged feet; thrust
my sword-arm into my large regimenta
cloak, which pulled over me jam
med on my forage cap on my head, anl
grasping my sword, looked to the out
ward observer as though eft for .
parade"
l was Just in time to receive the fielC
officer, who again asked me if my guart
was correct. I answered, rather in .
tone of surprise, and said: eyes, SIR
, all correct"
l could not imagine why my guard
should be visited twice, as such q pro
) ceeding was unusual, and perhaps m,
: tone seemed to imply that I was sur
, prised. Whether it was that, or wheth
3 er q treacherous gust of wind removed
the folds of my cloak and exhibited tn
sighted taste in life of the end of tn
i night-shirt, I know not !; but the fel.
4 officer when he had received my an
swer turned his horses head in tn
Opposite direction and said:
"Now, sir, I want you to accompan,
l me around the sentries.'
e Had he told me that he wanted me t.
: accompany him to the region below
q should scarce have been more horror
r struck, for already I had found tn
t change of temperature between war;
+ bed in warm room, and the outsid
o air-and to walk two miles ON windy
e frosty night, with no raiment beside
S boots, night shirt, and cloak, was reall
e suffering for ones country and no mil
, take. I dared not show the slightet
r hesitation, however, for fear the stat
J. of my attire might be suspected, thong
n would have given a.week's pay to hav
h escaped for only five minutes. A mol
IS commissioned officer was ready with
n lantern, and we started on our tour {
II inspection.
II The field officer asked several que
d tions connected with the position an
Il duties Of the sentries, to which I ga,
If answers as we'll as the chattering of IN
teeth would permit me. The most ne