The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-05
GUARD DUTY IS TOUGH.
Those at Home Do Not Know What III
Entails.


Clean your clothes and equipment and
report at the head Of the company street
for guard mount at o'clock" is the
unwelcome order given by the first ser
geant of each company every day az
- clock 20 sometimes four, sometimes
five or six men.
Between ? and 5 o'clock all is hurry and
hustle among the new guard. Perchance
they have mad a severe skirmish drill IN
the morning and all OF their equipment
and uniforms are dirty and usty from
repeated charges and lying down between
PUSHES az the supposed enemy In front
Nevertheless. the individual members OF
guard set cheerfully 20 work, and by
o'clock every man Is as bright and clean
As a new brass button.
Attention. guard Inspection arms.
are the short, sharp commands OF the
first sergeant at 8 o'clock.
Smith. straighten your cartridge belt
Attention. by right flank. March! Ana
the new guard move rapidly to the drill
ground where they are Joined by the de-
tails from the rest of the companies IN
the regiment for the inspection, drill and
guard mount
smith finds to his disgust that he IS
placed upon the second relief NO .
which faces the road, and compeis him ON
tinualiy on the move, TO salute all COM
missioned officers passing throughout the
day and 10 90 on duty from 10 ana l
to during the night and day respective
IT,
The frst relief having relieved the old
guard Smith, with the rest OF his detach-
ment. is allowed 10 20 20 his company
for supper. and this over al o'clock no
is on duty with special orders TO hall
all wagons and horsemen passing IN lioht
OF the regiment faster than walk. and
to allow nobody but commissioned ON
GERS to pass his line Throughout the
two hours during the evening he is
obliged continually TO halt privates try
ing 10 make a short cut across his Inc,
stop the numerous army wagons ioaoeo
with supplies for different regiments anu
carriages containing visitors, ana compel
them to walk. so the dust will not dow
into the cOmpany's tents. ana 10 sdlule
the numerous mounted ana uhmouh'eu
commissioned officers continually passlils
AT O'Clock. when his relief arrives he
IS so tired he falls asleep as soon as ne
can spread his blanket outside the guard
tent 10 be unceremOniously awakened nc
H. when he mas just fallen into pro-
found slumber. by the corporal of the
first relief grasping him by the shoulder
and shouting I'm his ear, Are you inc
first reliefI
NO. second" he drowsily answers. try
iug i'm vain 10 fan asleep Immediately.
just as he IS successful the command
Second relief fan In electrines him'
and. jumping up and rolling his blanket,
he throws it over his shoulder ana STUN %
blos along with the rest of the relief. VINO
are only half awake, over stones ana
roots to- his post
Fifteen minutes after being left alone
ne murmurs. my how the time creep
along ] wish l were relieved what 3
that" "a the voluntary exclamation.
"Halr Who is there2' he eXclaims. bring
ing his gun 10 the charge. with the bright
steel bayouet glistening I'm the moonlight
For de LaWds sake don't shoot. III
stop" says the colOneIs negro servant "a
he energies from the shade OF the trees.
"Go back TO your tent sternly COM
mands Smith. "You can't leave camp
after taps" and the darby, half scared
% death. walks rapidly back TO the
horses.
1.-TWO o'clock and an is Well" calls out
sentry 80. /. and the cry, taken mp by
Nos. and 3. Is repeated hy four and
then grows fainter and fainter I'm the dis
lance as it passes around the camp.
Now one Of the boys. who has missed
roll cali and gone 90 Chattanooga tries
20 steal through the lines
HALT who goes there2'
A dark form springs from the ground
and attempts 10 rush through the lines,
but the sharp click. click of the senti-
ners gun as he cocks DO brings the
offender 10 a halt. and Corporal Of the
guard No Az rings out upon the SIN
night air, and the prisoner Is taken 10
the guard house after the corporal arrives
upon the scene.
Just as No. grows weary and sleepy
once more light comes bohoing along
the line and again the challenge, 'Iialt.
Who goes therc?' and the reply 'Oihcer
Of the day" and the order Advance,
officer of the day. and bee recognized
IS given by the sentry. After recognition
the officer. stepping up closely scanning
the face OF the recruit, says, what are
your general orders?'
my general orders are 90 take charge
Of this post and all government property
I'm view; TO walk my post Don "a military
manner. keeping constantly ON the alert
observing everything which takes place
within sight or hearing; TO report every
breach"
There that will do. ] see you know
them. But how close do YOU allow me 70
come 10 you before challengns2' queries
the officer
Thirty feet" answers the guard.
And before being recognizedF
Not within eight feet
"WeU, see that you do that IN the fu-
ture. then" and thus curly reprimandlng
the sentry, the officer passes on ms ROUND.
AT last the welcome relief appears ana
after challenging and being recognized
Smith. now thoroughly tired. passes on 20
the remaining posts with the relief COM
Ing 20 the rear Of the camp, the cor
poral after passing along one post and
falling 20 be challenged. calls out,
Where are you? Why don't you chal-
lenge?' And a new recruit stepping out
from behind a tree. remarks: Il saw
you. / knew you couldn't find me-
II seems that the commanding officer had
told him not TO expose himself unneces-
sarily on sentry duty IN the enemy $
country, and he adopted this mode Of
practicing the officers admonition.
At o'clock Smith. with the rest Of
his relief. goes off for breakfast, and
from Z 20 Q he has guard duty again.
with the same m0notonuos round OF salu-
ting commissioned officers. stopping
wagons from going faster than a walk
and preventing soldiers crossing the line
Then a rest until - when the relief goes
20 dinner, and as they return from din
ner Smith notices with disgust that a
thunder shower IS rapidly coming mp, and
and as he goes out upon his last
guard duty. from 10 3 the
storm breaks with fun fury. and
drenched 20 the skin, he is Obliged 10
walk his post with his gun at secure arms
barrel pointing downward and the trig-
ger resting under the hollow OF his shoul-
der. At last o'clock arrives. and with
AZ the end Of the rain and fs1tgrl dufv