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BATTLE.
662. IN battle, men are apt to lose their self possession, and do
very absurd things. They rarely take good aim, unless they have been
in battles before. Raw troops are liable to panics, and become
completely uncontrollable; and this will happen sometimes to
veterans.
663. Soldiers are liable to think, when the tide of battle goes
against them in that portion of the field where they are engaged,
that the whole army has been beaten, and they are liable to give up
or run away; and stragglers to the rear frequently report a
disastrous defeat, where a victory has been gained.
Such misconceptions are subsequently a great reproach to them,
and should, therefore, be guarded against as much as possible; and
surrender or retreat should not be thought of until there is no
longer any doubt about the result.
RANK.
664. Rank in our service is indicated by the shoulder-strap. Navy
officers have an assimilated rank, indicated in the same way.
Soldiers should know how to distinguish army and navy officers, in
order that they may pay them the proper compliments. The following
diagrams show the corresponding grades in each service:
Medical Cadet—a strap
of green cloth, with stripe of gold lace three inches long and half
an inch wide placed in the middle. (Reg. 1576.).665. Rank of
non-commissioned officers is indicated by the chevrons which they
wear, and which are familiar to almost every soldier. The color of
the shoulder-straps and chevrons indicates the arm of service to
which they belong.— dark
blue for infantry, red
for artillery, and yellow
for cavalry. The following
are the Regulations,—viz.:
"Chevrons.
"1577. The rank of non-commissioned officers will be marked
by chevrons upon both sleeves of the uniform coat and overcoat,
above the elbow, of silk or worsted binding one-half an inch wide,
same color as the edging on the coat, points down, as follows:—
"1578. For a
sergeant major — three bars
and an arc, in silk.
"1579. For a
quartermaster sergeant — three bars
and a tie, in silk.
"1580. For
an ordnance sergeant — three bars
and a star, in silk.
"1581. For a
hospital steward — a half
chevron of the following description—viz.: of emerald green cloth,
one and three-fourths inches wide, running obliquely downward from
the outer to the inner seam of the sleeve, and at an angle of about
thirty degrees with a horizontal, parallel to, and one-eighth of an
inch distant from, both the upper and lower edge, an embroidery of
yellow silk, one-eighth of an inch wide, and in the centre a
"caduceus" two inches long, embroidered also with yellow
silk, the head toward the outer seam of the sleeve.
"1582. For a
first sergeant—three bars
and a lozenge, in worsted.
"1583. For a
sergeant—three bars,
in worsted.
"1584. For a
corporal—two bars,
in worsted.
"1585. For a
pioneer—two crossed
hatchets of cloth, same color and material as the edging of the
collar, to be sewn on each arm above the elbow in the place
indicated for a chevron (those of a corporal to be just above and
resting on the chevron), the head of the hatchet upward, its edge
outward, of the following dimensions, viz.:
Handle—four and
one-half inches long, one-fourth to one-third of an inch wide. Hatchet—two
inches long, one
inch wide at the edge.
"1586. To
indicate service.—All
non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, who have served
faithfully for the term of five years, will wear, as a mark of
distinction, upon both sleeves of the uniform coat, below the elbow,
a diagonal half chevron, one-half an inch wide, extending from seam
to seam, the front end nearest the cuff, and one-half an inch above
the point of the cuff to be of the same color as the edging on the
coat. In like manner, an additional half chevron, above and parallel
to the first, for every subsequent five years of faithful service;
distance between each chevron one-fourth of an inch. Service in war
will be indicated by a light or sky-blue stripe on each side of the
chevron for artillery, and a red stripe for all other corps, the
stripe to be one-eighth of an inch wide."
BADGES.
666. Badges are now in use in the Army of the Potomac, and they
are an important feature in its organization. The design of the
badges is based upon a system of flags now in use in that army for
designating the various corps, divisions, and brigades.
667. The badge indicates at once what command the wearer belongs
to. The troops are required to wear them and keep them in sight, so
that it is not necessary to ask an officer or soldier where he
belongs.
668 Every soldier should make himself acquainted with the flags
and badges of the army he belongs to. As orderly, he will be
required to know them and it is important that soldiers should be
able to identify the commands to which their comrades belong.
669. Corps flags are swallow-tails, with the number of the corps
in the centre. Division flags are square, with the badge of the
corps in the centre, and the number of the division is indicated by
the color Brigade flags are triangular, with the badge in the
centre; and the number of the brigade is indicated by a
corresponding arrangement of colors to that of the division.
TAKE CARE OF
YOUR HEALTH.
670. The following extracts are from the Sanitary Commission, Dr.
Hall’s and other advice to soldiers:—
"1. In any ordinary campaign, sickness disables or destroys
three times as many as the sword.
"2. Sunstroke may be prevented by wearing a silk
handkerchief in the crown of the hat, by a wet cloth, or by
moistened green leaves or grass.
"3. Never lie or sit down on the grass or bare earth for a
moment; rather use your hat: a handkerchief even, is a protection.
The warmer you are, the greater need of precaution, as a damp vapor
is immediately generated, to be absorbed by the clothing, and to
cool you off too rapidly. "4. While marching, or on active
duty, the more thirsty you are, the more essential is it to safety
of life itself to rinse out the month two or three times, and then
take a swallow of water at a time, with short intervals. A brave
French general, on a forced march, fell dead on the instant by
drinking largely of cold water, when snow was on the ground.
"5. Abundant sleep is essential to bodily efficiency, and to
that alertness of mind which is all-important in engagement.
Few things more certainly and more effectually prevent sound
sleep than eating heartily after sundown, especially after a heavy
march or desperate battle.
"6. Nothing is more certain to secure endurance and
capability of long-continued effort than the avoidance of every
thing as a drink except cold water (and coffee at breakfast) Drink
as little as possible of even cold water
Experience teaches old soldiers that the less they drink on a
march the better, and that they suffer less in the end by
controlling the desire to drink, however urgent.
"7. After any sort of exhausting effort, a cup of coffee or
tea, hot or cold, is an admirable sustainer of the strength until
nature begins to recover herself.
"8. Never eat heartily just before a great undertaking,
because the nervous power is irresistibly drawn to the stomach to
manage the food eaten, thus draining off that supply which the brain
and muscles so much need.
"9. ‘Bread
and soup are the great items of a soldier’s diet in every
situation: to make them well is an essential part of his
instruction. These great scourges of camp, scurvy and diarrhea more
frequently result from want or skill in cooking than from any other
cause whatever Officers in command, and, more immediately,
regimental officers, will, therefore, give strict attention to this
vital branch of interior economy.’—Winfield SCOTT.
"10. If you will drink spirits, it is incomparably safer to
do so after an
effort than before, for it gives only transient strength, lasting
but a few minutes. As it can never be known how long any given
effort is to last—and, if longer than a few minutes, the body
becomes more feeble than it would have been without the stimulus—it
is clear that the use before
an effort is
hazardous, and is unwise.
"ii. Always eat at regular hours. Neglect in this tends to
indigestion, diarrhea, &c.
"12. Stew or boil your meat, always. Roasting and frying are
wasteful and unhealthy modes for camp cooking (particularly frying).
"13. An old soldier drinks and eats as little as possible
whilst marching. The recruit, on the contrary, is continually
munching the contents of his haversack, and using his canteen; it is
a bad habit, and causes more suffering in the end.
"14. Never go to sleep, especially after a great effort,
even in hot weather, without some covering over you.
"15. Rather than lie down on the bare ground, lie in the
hollow of two logs placed together, or across several smaller pieces
of wood laid side by side; or sit on your hat, leaning against a
tree. A nap of ten or fifteen minutes in that position will refresh
you more than an hour on the bare earth, with the additional
advantage of perfect safety.
"16. A cut is
less dangerous than a bullet-wound, and heals more rapidly.
"17. If from any wound the blood spurts out in jets, instead
of a steady stream, you will die in a few minutes, unless it be
remedied; because an artery has been divided, and that takes the
blood direct from the fountain of life. To stop this instantly, tie
a handkerchief or other cloth very loosely BETWEEN the wound and the
heart, put a stick, bayonet, or ramrod between
the skin and the
handkerchief, and twist it around until the bleeding ceases, and
keep it thus until the surgeon arrives.
"18, If the blood flows in a slow, regular stream, a vein
has been pierced, and the handkerchief must be on the other side of
the wound from the heart, that is, below the wound.
"19. Fire
low—A bullet
through the abdomen (belly or stomach) is more certainly fatal than
if aimed at the head or heart; for in the latter cases the ball is
often glanced off by the bone, or follows round it under the skin.
But when it enters the stomach or bowels, from any direction, death
is inevitable, but scarcely ever instantaneous. Generally the person
lives a day or two, with perfect clearness of intellect, often not
suffering greatly. The practical bearing of this statement in
reference to the future is clear. Fire
low.
"20. Whenever possible, take a plunge into any lake or
running stream every morning, as soon as you get up; if none at
hand, endeavor to wash the body all over, as soon as you leave your
bed: for personal cleanliness acts like a charm against all
diseases, always either warding them off altogether, or greatly
mitigating their severity and shortening their duration.
"21. Keep the hair of the head closely cut, say within an
inch and a half of the scalp in every part, repeated on the first of
each month, and wash the whole scalp plentifully in cold water every
morning.
"22. Wear woolen stockings and moderately loose shoes,
keeping the toe and finger nails cut close. Wash the stockings
whenever soiled and the underclothing once a week. Thoroughly dry
both.
"23. It is important to wash the feet well every night (not
in the morning); because it aids to keep the skin and nails soft, to
prevent chafing, blisters, and corns, all of which greatly interfere
with a soldier’s duty.
"24. If the feet begin to chafe, rub the socks with common
soap where they come in contact with the sore places.
If you rub the feet well with soap (hard soap) before the march,
you will scarcely be troubled with sore feet "25. The most
universally safe position, after all stunnings, hurts, and wounds,
is that of being placed on the back, the head being elevated three
or four inches only,— aiding, more than any thing else can do, to
equalize and restore the proper circulation of the blood.
"26. The more weary you are after a march or other work, the
more easily will you take cold, if you remain still, after it is
over, unless the moment you cease motion you throw a coat or blanket
over your shoulders. This precaution should be taken in the warmest
weather, especially if there is even a slight air stirring.
"27. The greatest physical kindness you can show a severely
wounded comrade is, first to place him on his back, and then give
him some water to drink from a canteen or ambulance-bucket. I have
seen a dying man clutch at a single drop of water from the finger’s
end, with the voraciousness of a famished tiger.
"28. If wet to the skin by rain or swimming rivers, keep in
motion until the clothes are dried; and no harm will result.
"29. Whenever it is possible, do, by all means, when you
have to use water for cooking or drinking from ponds or sluggish
streams, boil it well, and, when cool, shake it, or stir it, so that
the oxygen of the air shall get to it, which greatly improves it for
drinking. This boiling arrests the process of fermentation, which
arises from the presence of organic and inorganic impurities, thus
tending to prevent cholera and all bowel-diseases. If there is no
time for boiling, at least strain it through a cloth, even if you
have to use a shirt or trowsers-leg.
"30. Water can be made almost ice-cool in the hottest
weather, by closely enveloping a filled canteen, or other vessel,
with woolen cloth kept plentifully wetted and exposed.
"31. While on a march, lie down the moment you halt for a
rest. Every minute spent in that position refreshes more than five
minutes standing or loitering about.
"32. A daily evacuation of the bowels is indispensable to
bodily health vigor, and endurance: this is promoted, in many cases,
by stirring a tablespoonful of corn (Indian) meal in a glass of
water, and drinking it on rising in the morning.
"33. Inattention to nature’s calls is a frequent source of
disease. The strictest discipline in the performance of these duties
is absolutely essential to health, as well as to decency. Men should
never be allowed to void their excrement elsewhere than in the
regular-established sinks. In well-regulated camps the sinks are
visited daily by a police party, a layer of earth thrown in, and
lime and other disinfecting agents employed to prevent them from
becoming offensive and unhealthy. It is the duty of the surgeon to
call the attention of the commanding officer to any neglect of this
important item of camp police, to see that the shambles, where the
cattle are slaughtered, are not allowed to become offensive, and
that all offal is promptly buried at a sufficient distance from
camp, and covered by at least four feet of earth.
"34. The site of a camp
should be selected
for the dryness of
its soil, its proximity to fresh water of good quality, and
shelter from high
winds. It should be
on a slight declivity, in order to facilitate drainage, and not in
the vicinity of swamps or stagnant water. A trench at least eight
inches deep should be dug around each tent, to secure dryness, and
these should lead into other and deeper main drains or gutters, by
which the water will be conducted away from the tents.
"35. The tents for the men should be placed as far from each
other as the ‘Regulations’ and the dimensions of the camp permit
(never less than two paces). Crowding is always injurious to health.
No refuse, slops, or excrement should be allowed to be deposited in
the trenches for drainage around the tents. Each tent should be
thoroughly swept out daily, and the materials used for bedding aired
and sunned, if possible. The canvas should be raised freely at its
base, and it should be kept open as much as possible during the
daytime, in dry weather, in order to secure ventilation; for tents
are liable to become very unhealthy if not constantly and thoroughly
aired. Free ventilation of tents should be secured at night, by
opening and raising the base of the tent to as great an extent as
the weather will permit.
"36. The crowding of men in tents for sleeping is highly
injurious to health, and will always be prevented by a commanding
officer who is anxious for the welfare of his men. Experience has
proved that sleeping beneath simple sheds of canvas, or even in the
open air, is less dangerous to health than overcrowding in tents.
"37. The men should sleep in their shirts and drawers,
removing the shoes, stockings, and outer clothing, except when
absolutely impracticable. Sleeping in the clothes is never so
refreshing, and is absolutely unhealthy.
"38. Loose
bowels, namely,
acting more than once a day, with a feeling of debility afterwards,
is the first step towards cholera. The best remedy is instant and
perfect quietude of body, eating nothing but boiled rice, with or
without boiled milk. In more decided cases, a woolen flannel, with
two thicknesses in front, should be bound tightly around the
abdomen, especially if marching is a necessity.
"To have ‘been to the wars’ is a life-long honor
increasing with advancing years; while to have died in defence of
your country will be the boast and glory of your children’s
children."
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