Evening star., 1916-08-26
SENTRY DUTY STRICT;
GUARDS GUN LOADED
Severe Punishment for Sleeping on
Duty-Prisoners Doing Heavy
Work of Camp.

Importance of a1ertness at all times
while on guard has been thoroughly
impressed on infantry men at Camp
ordway. More SO than ever before; be-
cause when they reach tho border they
may be assigned the duty Of seeing
that no armed persons cross the inter-
national line.
In annual encampment the guard
was not so strict. Running the guard
was looked upon in good spirits even
by the guard on which post the men
came through without a pass. But now
alrs different. Any man who fails to
halt when challenged lat night by
sentry is liable to find himself in hos
pital with gunshot wound.
Sentries Use Guns.
In several instances at Camp ordway
the sentries have been compelled to
fire when persons they did not recog-
nize did not halt No one has been hit.
but the firing accomplished the purpose.
However, now when man tries to run
the guard the click of releasing the
safety lock on the rife Is sufficient for
him to change his mind.
One would find it difficult to get
through the sentries at aCmp Ordway
now, especially at night. OF course.
some of the men have been found
sleeping on their post This is seri-
Gus offense in itself. but when the SEN
try sleeps SO soundly that his rifle can
be taken away from him then he gets
it right. He is Immediately placed un-
der arrest and in the guardhouse for
trial This has to be done in order to
offense is.
Guarding Prisoners.
The prisoners whom the men now
guard are in the guardhouse for more
serious cases, in most instances, than
under ordinary circumstances at an an
nual encampment. strict watch must
be kept on them while in the guard
house. which is nothing more than
tent, with sentries all around. The
prisoners, too. are sent out to do the
heavy detail work in the camp. such
as cleaning up, oitching tents and
other manual labor.
When a prisoner is wanted. a guard
is called. He steps up to the sergeant
of the guard. Two cartridges are in
serted, one In the magazine and one in
the chamber ready to be fired. The
piece is then locked. When the pris-
the sergeant of the guard and the name
of guard and prisoner are checked off
the list
There have been several instance of
escapes. Supervision now is more
strict than ever. The commander of
the guard on whose tour of duty pris-
oner gets away has TO answer for it to
a higher authority.
Commander Always on Duty.
For the whole twenty four hours of
duty the commander of the guard must
be awake practically all of the time
to protect himself and to see that the
prisoners are properly guarded. There
are several general court-martial cases
now awaiting trial
At various intervals during the night
the commander of the guard must make
an inspection to see that the sentries
are awake and alert. and woe be unto
the man who let's the commander of
the guard get by without being chal-
lenged. 1t is lonesome trip around
the camp at night when everything is
still, and command to halt" can be
heard over almost the entire camp
ground.
Those challenged must halt until rec
termine whether a person is properly
in the vicinity and is suspicious, he
calls for the corporal of the guard, who
can pass a person.
Post No. l is the authorized entrance
to the camp No one. with pass or
without is supposed to go through any
other post All persons are referred
to this entrance. where the guard tent
is located.