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581 Series I Volume XLII-II Serial 88 - Richmond-Fort Fisher Part II

Page 581 Chapter LIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.

the chief of artillery of the army. The inspection will be made as early in the month as practicable, and will extend to all the points embraced in the forms, in which all blanks will be properly filled. This inspection report will accompany the monthly return.

11. A monthly return of each battery, according to the form furnished from this office, will be made on the first of each month to the brigade commander. The returns of each corps will be consolidated, and the consolidated return sent to the office of the chief of artillery. Should any battery be detached, so that its returns are not received within three days by the brigade commander, he will enter its name with the reasons for its absence in the column of remarks, and forward the consolidated returns by the third of the month at latest. As soon as the return is received from the absent battery, it will be forwarded to the office of the chief of artillery, entered on the consolidated return, and returned to the commandant. Requisitions for horses and ordnance stores will also be transmitted with the monthly return. Except in cases of exigency, such requisitions will be sent in at no other time.

12. Commandants of artillery will watch over and check the extravagant expenditure of ordnance stores, and take the necessary measures to cause instructions to be given regularly to officers and non-commissioned officers in all their duties. A regular course of instruction for officers and non-commissioned officers will be established whilst in winter quarters. These recitations will embrace the tactics, orders, & c., in force, and also the subject of ammunition, its description, and mode of preparation. Special attention should be called to the study of Articles IV and V of the Instructions for Field Artillery.

13. On marches no supplies or baggage whatever, except the knapsacks of cannoneers, articles authorized by regulations, and, when circumstances absolutely require it, two days' forage of grain and hay (twisted) will be allowed on artillery carriages, nor will any article be placed on the spare wheel. Brigade commanders will be responsible for the enforcement of this order, and will in their respective commands cause all articles placed on artillery carriages, contrary to this order, to be thrown off.

14. On level, goon roads, when it will not add sensibly to the labor of the horses, a portion of the cannoneers, not to exceed two to the piece and four to the caisson, may be allowed to ride, but no man shall be allowed to ride longer than half an hour at a time. If the roads are bad or pass over rolling ground no one shall, under any circumstances, be allowed to mount the chests, except the artificers who work in camp, for whom the limber-chests of the forge and battery wagon are reserved. Cannoneers may from time to time change places with the drivers. The sick, unable to march, must be carried in ambulances, or as may be otherwise provided. The chests will be mounted only by order of the commander of the battery, or by his authority delegated to chiefs of section. On approaching a hill the men so mounted will, without waiting for orders, dismount. On the march batteries will never stop to water. It delays the column behind them. The cannoneers will remain near their pieces, and when an obstacle presents itself will be called to the front at once to remove it, fill up mud holes, repair bridges, & c. An officer, or intelligent non-commissioned officer, should always precede the column so far as to enable him to return and notify the commandant of any obstructions. When it is probable that there will be a delay of ten minutes or more the drivers should be dismounted and the pole props let down. When, from any cause, a carriage on the


Page 581 Chapter LIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.