Can I Get Some Relief?!? Understanding the Guard Mount Part I
Thomas Steele
I am sure that everyone at some point has been asked to stand some sort of guard duty at a living history event. Often, as the relief is being organized, confusion ensues as to how to form the relief, who is post No. 1, etc. The irregularity of this activity and infrequency of instruction can foster this doubt. Hopefully, some explanation below will help to answer some questions that privates and NCO’s alike may have.
I will discuss the Guard Mount activity with respect to the evolution prescribed by the 1861 Revised Regulations for the Army of the United States, Article XXXII, Section III. I will compare this to Colonel Duffield’s Camp, Garrison and Guard Duty…For the Michigan Infantry Manual, Kautz’s 1865 Customs of Service for the Soldier and Non-Commissioned Officer and the streamlined reenactor version.
Since, often, there really is very little availability of men at most events to conduct “guard mount” according to regulation. This portion of discussion is more for the information of the reader. I will attempt to provide a clearer picture of the guard relief that most of us are familiar with since this is the greatest extent to “guard mount” that we will generally experience at events.
Typically what many refer to as “guard mount” at events is correct in the spirit of the activity, but it is only partial. The mounting of the guard is the entire evolution with which the officer(s), NCO’s and privates detailed to stand guard are presented for review and inspection. This is accomplished prior to reliving the guard and when the actual relief “ceremony” has been completed.
Revised U.S. Regulations for the Army of the United States, 1861
To be fair to the abridged version at events, the Regulations do state that the formal ceremony of reliving the guard may be dispensed with in the following circumstances: “In bad weather or at night, or after fatiguing marches…” (U.S. Regulations, 1861 pg. 59) Note that the inspection of the guard always occurs per Regulation 384.
The prescribed evolution of Guard Mounting compiled below describes the event from forming of the new guard detail to the conclusion of the old guard being relieved. Also, included in the below text is an excerpt from the Regulations describing the conduct of the sentinel at night regarding the approach of the guard relief. This procedure is indicated by bold print.
The guard relief evolution after the inspection procedure from the regulations is not one that requires well drilled or disciplined soldiers. The proper execution of the relief falls exclusively upon the old and new Corporals of the Guard once the relief has been assigned. Unless there are numerous sentinels, a sergeant will conduct this process with the corporals.
Rarely are there enough sentries detailed to a reenactment guard roster to necessitate a reserve guard at the Guard-house or Guard-tent. However, upon arrival of the relieved guard at the Guard-house, the following ceremony shall occur to complete the Guard Mount.
Note: For the term “carry arms” refer to this a “shoulder arms” movement.
Day time Guard Relief Instructions
(Night Time Instructions in Bold)
“Reg 390: The first relief having been designated and ordered two paces to the front, the Corporal of the new guard will take charge of it, and go to relieve the sentinels, accompanied by the Corporal of the old guard, who will take command of the old sentinels, when the whole are relived.
Reg 391: If the sentinels are numerous, the Sergeants are to be employed, as well as the Corporals, in relieving them.
Reg 392: The relief, with arms at a support, in two ranks, will march by a flank, conducted by the Corporal on the side of the leading front-rank man; and the men will be numbered alternately in the front and rear rank, the man on the right of the front rank being No. 1. Should an officer approach, the Corporal will command carry arms, and resume the support arms when the officer has passed.
Reg 393: The sentinels at the guard-house or guard-tent will be the first relieved and left behind: the others relieved in succession.
Reg 394: When a sentinel sees the relief approaching, he will halt and face to it, with his arms at a shoulder.
Reg 424: After retreat (or the hour appointed by the commanding officer), until broad daylight, a sentinel challenges every person who approaches him, taking, at the same time, the position of arms port. He will suffer no person to come nearer than within reach of his bayonet, until the person has given the countersign.
A sentinel, in challenging, will call out – “ Who comes there?” If answered “Relief,” he will reply – “Halt! Advance Sergeant (or Corporal), with the countersign!” and satisfy himself that the party is what it represents itself to be.
At six paces, the Corporal will command, 1. Relief 2. Halt! when the relief will halt and carry arms. The Corporal will then add “No. 1” or “No. 2” or “No.3”, according to the number of posts.
The two sentinels will, with arms at port , then approach each other, when the old sentinel, under correction of the Corporal, will whisper the instructions to the new sentinel. This done, the two sentinels will shoulder arms, and the old sentinel will pass, in quick time, to his place in the rear of the relief.
The Corporal will then command, 1. Support – Arms! 2. Forward. 3. March! And the relief proceeds in the same manner until the whole are relieved.”
“Reg 395: The detachments and sentinels from the old guard having come in, it will be marched, at shouldered arms, along the front of the new guard, in quick time, the new guard standing at presented arms, officers saluting, and the music of both guards beating, except at outposts.
Reg 396: On arriving at the regimental or garrison parade, the commander of the old guard will send the detachments composing it, under charge of the non-commissioned officers, to their respective regiments. Before the men are dismissed, their pieces drawn or discharged at a target. On rejoining their companions, the chiefs of squads will examine the arms, etc of their men, and cause the whole to be put away in good order.
Reg 397: When the old guard has marched off fifty paces, the officer of the guard will order his men to stack arms, or place them in the arm-racks.”
Figure 1: Example of an 8 man guard relief marching by the Right flank
(COG=Corporal of the Guard, #1=Post number)
Camp, Garrison and Guard Duty…for the Michigan Infantry Col. W. Duffield, 9th Michigan Infantry, 1861
Colonel Duffield’s manual for Michigan infantry volunteers borrowed heavily from the 1861 Regulations regarding the Guard Mount evolution. Interestingly enough, Duffield offers in his manual a significantly clearer description thank what is detailed in the Regulations. Although construed as a uncommon or abstract manual, Duffield’s clarification can make the evolution of Guard Mount easier to be conducted successfully. Specifically noted in the Regulations by the Sect. of War that, “Nothing contrary to the tenor of these Regulations will be enjoined in any part of the forces of the United States by any commander whatsoever.” I feel that although this stipulation was addressed, after reading and studying the Regulations, Duffield was not contrary to the Regulations. It seemed, again, to be a clarification as a helpful aid.
The 1861 Regulations were submitted to the Secretary of War Simon Cameron for approval on August 10, 1861. Who knows how long of a period existed between approval and printing or dissemination to units. However, it is safe to say that Duffield revised some ambiguous wording or evolutions to better train his men. Some of these clarifications were minor one word changes. Other changes varied between entire paragraph additions to the blending of several individual regulations together. The most significant changes occur in the evolution prior to the new Corporal of the Guard taking charge of the relief. For our purposes here, I will only address the changes that effect the guard relief after the inspection and Pass in Review. This is not to alleviate the importance of the entire evolution, but more to address what living historians are most likely to experience at a majority of events.
Let us look at the changes in Col. Duffield’s Michigan Infantry Manual beginning when the new guard is detailed. Noted below are notable clarifications, not just “rewording” of the Regulations. I used the Regulation number to reference the difference in the two manuals in order by Col. Duffield’s manual.
Reg 388/389: The Reg was combined specifically noting that “the new officer of the guard will ascertain…the number of posts will divide his guard into three relief’s, will make out the list of his guard…”
Reg 390/392: The relief “…is then numbered, the numbers beginning with the right front rank man, who is number one, the right rear rank man being number two. The front rank man of the second file from the right being number three, and so on alternately from front to rear and right to left.”
Reg 391: “If the relief consists of more than twelve sentinels it will be commanded by a sergeant, if of twelve or less sentinels, by a corporal.”
Reg 392: “The relief will march by a flank in two, with arms constantly at the support. The first relief being numbered, the Corporal in charge of it will command,
1. Without Doubling, Right-FACE! 2. Support-ARMS! 3. Forward. 4. MARCH!
While on the march should an officer approach, the Corporal will command shoulder arms and bring his relief again to support arms when the officer has passed.”
Reg 393: “The sentinel at the guard tent will be number one, and will be the first relieved, the other will be successively relieved in the numerical order.
Reg 394: “When a sentinel sees the relief approach in the day time…when the relief will halt and bring its pieces to the shoulder without further orders…both old and new sentinels will then take the position of arms port…whispering to the new the orders…he has received relative to his post. The Corporal will see that such orders are properly communicated by the old sentinel to the new one.”
The following section is not included in the 1861 Regulations regarding Guard Mount. Perhaps this is another addition by Col. Duffield to help clarify the evolutions and duties of his men. These additions are:
“In brigade encampments the officer of the day must be a field officer, but in regimental encampments there is a daily detail of a Captain to act as officer of the day, a First Lieutenant to act as officer of the guard, and a Second Lieutenant to act as officer of police. The detail of noncommissioned officers and privates for the guard will be published daily in battalion orders. The Adjutant will furnish to the Sergeant-Major the detail, and the Sergeant-Major will furnish to each First Sergeant the number of non-commissioned officers and privates to be detailed from each company. This will be given to the First Sergeants on tickets, immediately after evening dress parade, and the men detailed for the morrow’s guard will be notified by the First Sergeant, on or before tattoo roll call.
The soldier detailed to act as orderly will not be placed on post as a sentinel, but will report for orders to the Adjutant immediately after guard mounting, and attend at head-quarters from 8 o’clock A.M., till. 6 o’clock P.M.”
Customs of Service for Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers
Brig. Gen. August V. Kautz, U.S. Volunteers, 1865
August Kautz in his Customs of Service manual for soldiers and non-commissioned officers only provides the student of Guard Mount protocol while on guard duty as a sentinel. It does reference several points from the 1861 Regulations, however, only regarding conduct of a sentinel.
Typical Abridged Guard Relief Evolution.
Let’s be honest. We have all been there. It begins when the First Sergeant is trying to get a detail of volunteers or if need be, pick some lucky winners. When finally that is all done and it becomes time for Company X to relieve the guard, the Corporal of the Guard tends to not have any idea who is detailed, much less how to deploy his relief. This tends to come from the top down in company to company. The officers and NCO’s not instructing the men who will be Sergeants and Corporals of the Guard how to execute their posts properly.
Perhaps that is the case, perhaps not. Unless all companies in a battalion have soldiers who know the routine, there will always be guard relief well after the intended times or sometimes they might not even show up at all. That one is my favorite. I hope the ball was nice. I’ll just stand your ½ hour of guard for you. When evolutions like guard relief are so co-dependent on each company, it is their duty to be able to deploy, relieve and secure from guard quickly. Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there.
Let’s discuss the typical guard relief. When the Corporal finally gets the names of his relief, it is almost time or past the time when relief should take or should have taken place. A hasty formation of one rank is created with the presumption that the first man in line in No. 1, the next No. 2 etc. More often than not, I see the relief leave the company street like a mother duck leading her chicks. One right behind each other, the Corporal at the head of the line. Sometimes the relief is at shoulder arms, sometimes they are at support arms.
When the relief finally gets to the posts to relieve, the Corporal often commands,
1. Detail. 2. HALT! 3. No. 1, POST!
The relief takes place at an assumed arms port. The two sentinels exchange the instructions of the guard for that post, often not under the observation of the Corporal. Not that that is critical because he probably does not know anyway.
When the relief takes place, the old sentinel marches to the rear of the relief column and it …”proceeds on in the same manner until the whole are relieved.” The old guard typically at this point breaks off at their company street and that is the end.
As you can see from reading the Regulations, Duffield’s manual and the Customs of Service, there is not a whole lot of “hardcore” to properly relieving the guard. Attention to detail, organization and instruction, yes, but nothing that can’t be taught in a very short period of time. Perhaps next time you are the Corporal or Sergeant of the Guard, or perhaps just another reliving sentinel, you will have a better familiarity to this evolution.
References
1. Revised Regulations For the Army of the United States: War Department, United States. Brown, J.G.L., Philadelphia.1861.
2. Camp, Garrison and Guard Duty with a modified Manual of Arms for the Officers and Soldiers of the Michigan Infantry: Duffield, W.W, Colonel 9th Michigan Infantry, Wm.B.Howe, Detroit, 1861
3. Customs of Service for Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers: Kautz, August V., Brig. Gen. U.S. Volunteers, Lippincott, J.B. and Co., 1864
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