The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-01-08
WHY I EXCHANGED.

WHY I EXCHANGED.
Some five years ago was subaltern in a
marching regiment, and 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-four hours in sort OF halt lmprlson-
ment. ,
It is one of the regulations of the service that
when officers or men are on guard they should
always be in state of readiness to fall in" on
parade in moments notice. If you feel very
Sleepy and desire rest, you must take it whilst
Won are buttoned to the throat and strapped
down at the heels; lounge in an arm chair,
or probably little horizontal refreshment upon
q sofa. is the extent of rest which an officer on
guard is supposed to indulge in.
Among nv brother subalterns In garrison it
was our usual practice to infringe upon this
strict letter of the law; and when the principal
part of our duty had been accomplished we
used to indulge ourselves by divesting our
limbs of their armor, and seeking refreshment
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 before 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 see 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 officer might visit the
guards. but it was the usual thing, and had to
become almost 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
80. walked round the limits Of his post, visited
ali the sentries, and then turned into bed.
Il was bitter cold morning in January 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 previous eve
ming had been at ball in town, and in con-
sequence was very tired and sleepy, and looked
with considerable longing to the period when
could refresh myself by unrobing and enjoy
ing good snooze.
At length I heard the welcome challenge.
"Who comes there ?" which was answered by
the response "Grand rounds" and "Guard
turn out?" was q signal which | willingly
ebeyed, for knew that in an hour afterwards
T should be in the god Of sleep.
Slipping on my cloak and cap, and grasping
my sword, placed myself in front of the guard
and received the field officer, who briefly asked
me if everything was correct directed me to
dismiss my guard, and rode off without saying
@Good mig ght," a proceeding that thought rath-
er formal.
Giving directions to the sergeant to call me in
an hour for the purpose of visiting the sentrles,
threw myself into an arm chair, and tried to
read a novel; The time passed very quickly,
as had nap or two, and the sergeant soon
appeared with lantern to conduct me round
the sentries.
It was terrible night, the wind blowing
hard, whilst the snow and sleet were driving
along before it. The thermometer was several
degrees below freezing, and l felt that de-
served much from my country for performing
80 conscientiously my arduous duties. The
sentries were very much scattered, and l had
to walk nearly two miles to visit them all.
accomplished my task however, and returned
To the guard room, where I treated myself to
stiff glass of grog, and throwing off my regi-
mentals I jumped into bed, feeling that real
" deserved the luxury.
In a few moments 1 was fast asleep, not even
dreaming of any of my fair partners, OF the
conscious of noise, which sounded like a
drum being beaten.
At first did not realise my position, and
could not remember where was, but at last it
flashed across me that Twas on guard, and that
something was the matter. Jumping out OF
bed, I called to know who was there.
The sergeant answered in hurry, saying:
sSir, the field officer of the day is coming,
and the guard is turning out"
Irushed to my boots, pulled them on over my
nustockinged feet; thrust my sword-arm into
my large regimental cloak, which pulled over
me: iammed my forage cap over my head, and,
grasped my sword, looked to the outward OBJ
Server as though eft for parade"
T was just in time to receive the field officer,
who again asked me if my guard was correct
I answered, rather in tone OF surprise, and
said: ayes, sir, all correct" :,
I could not imagine why my guard should
be visited twice, as such proceeding was un'
usual. and perhaps my tone seemed to imply
that was surprised. Whether it was that, OF
whether treacherous gust of wind removed
Tho folds of nv cloak and exhibited the slight
esf taste in life of the end of my night shirt,
Enow not but the field officer, instead of riding
off when he received amy answer, turned MS
horses head in the opposite direction, and said
"Now. sir, 1 want you to accompany me
around the sentries.
Had he told me that he wanted me to accom-
pany him to the regions below, should scarce
have been more horror-struck, for already
had found the change of temperature between
q warm bed in warm room, and the OUTSIDE
air. aud to walk two miles on windy, frosty
night, with no raiment besides boot, night
shirt, and cloak, was suffering for ones coun'
try, and no mistake. .,
| dared not show the slightest hesitation
however, for fear the state of my attire might
be suspected, though l would have given