The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-05-31
HOW SOLDIERS
EMPLOY Time
At ARMY POST
DAYS WORK BEGINS AT FIVE
THIRTY O'CLOCK AND coNTIN-
uEs UNTIL LATE WITH BUT
SHORT INTERMIssioNs.

Life at an army post is generally
believed to be one Of idleness and one
calculated to charm a lazy man. AT
Fort Barrancas, where there are up
ward of four hundred men, their lives
are made up of activities incidental 10
army work. In a late issue, answer
ing a criticism in Life" the Army
and Navy Journal prints just how an
army post is kept busy. AS 1t par
ticularly obtains at Barrancas, coast
artillery post, the schedule Is gwen
as follows:
How the Army Works.
Taking the ordinary summer
schedule, during which season most OF
the practical work of the artillery Is
done, a soldier of the coast artillery
begins the day with reveille at $50 a.
m. After the roll is called and report
made. fifteen to twenty minutes are
devoted to setting-up exercises, run
ming, calisthenics, etc. Breakfast 1ol-
lows Immediately thereafter, and
twenty minutes 10 allowed for this.
Sick call follows for those men who
have to go to the hospital, they being
taken there by a non-commissioned
officer. Fatigue call is sounded about
twenty-five minutes after breakfast
call; the barracks and adjacent
grounds are policed, squad rooms put
In order, and things made snipshape
for the day. The extra duty men,
teamsters, commissary and quarter.
master men get to work on their jobs,
so as to have everything in working
order by a. m. Some posts have
parade at z to 1920 a. m, followed by
Infantry drill for fifteen minutes,
bringing US to 7:35 or TAO a. m.
First call for artillery drill, 1850; as
sembly, s q. m. Actual drill begins
at $3.50 and lasts until $3.50 a. m,
when the extra-duty men are relieved
and 60 back to their administrative
work. The companies remain at work
at the batteries until 10 a. m; very
often later, depending upon what is to
be done and how the drill goes.
After returning to barracks first
call for parade is sounded about 1920
a. M; assembly, 1890. Parade lasts
about fifteen or twenty minutes. AT
one-company posts there Is no parade,
but infantry drill Is held for twenty
minutes. Guard mounting follows at
11:15, and the mornings work is fin.
ished about 11:45 a. m. Mess call for
dinner Is SOuuu6u dI Ia dIlu
thirty minutes is allowed for dinner.
The men have nothing to do until l
p. m.
At .. m. fatigue call is sounded
and the general administration Of the
post and companies is begun. This
includes many and various details that
cannot well be itemized. Roads, walks
drains have to be cared for, supplies
delivered, clothing drawn and issued,
work may have to be done on the guns
and carriages, grass, trees and plants
on the reservation cared for. The or
binary post consists of three to four
companies, $50 to $50 men; some are
five and six companies, 600 to 700
men, and the proper administration of
such plant consumes these afternoon
hours until 4:30 p. M, VIXEN recall
from fatigue is sounded.
One day each week there is parade
in the afternoon, usually at $50 p. m,
escort to the color, or other ceremony.
On this day there Is no artillery drill
in the morning, but artillery drill is
held ut night from about p. m. until
10 D. N. The morning artillery drill
in this case is replaced by instruction
In first aid to the wounded, fire drill,
ETC., once a month. On Saturdays
there Is Saturday morning inspection
at 8 a. m, and no artillery drill Is
held. Retreat is sounded at about
$3.50 p. m, when the companies are
formed and the roll called. Supper
usually precedes retreat; not earlier
than p. m. nor later than $50 p. m.
Check roll call or taps is sounded at
IL p. m. and the day Is ended.
In addition to the foregoing, at va.
rious times Of day, different at almost
every post, instruction Is given to re.
eruits in infantry drill twice a day
about three hours drill-instruction in
signaling and small arms practice, and
during the summer two months are
spent on the small arms target range
During the winter months the SEIZED.
ule Is about the same as that outlined
above, except that reveille is not
earlier than $50 a. m, and everything
occurs about an hour later. Also, IN
place of artillery drill, indoor instruc.
ton is held. This is the theoretical
instruction Of the men, preparing
them for the gunner's examination,
and teaching them practical gunnery,
etc.
In addition to the above, it may be
said that during the winter months
November to March 81, a post school
for enlisted men is conducted during