Today in History:

179 Series I Volume XII-III Serial 18 - Second Manassas Part III

Page 179 Chapter XXIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

Each tool should be numbered and a record made of the number of the tool furnished to each individual.

Bugle should be blown by direction of the officer of the day at hours for assembling squads to fall in and march promptly to place of rendezvous.

Officer of the day will call out name of officer in command of squad Numbers 1, who will order his men to step forward. Officer of the day will see if detail is full; if not, who is absent. Squad will then face about and march to their work. Squad Numbers 2 will then be called out in same manner, until all have been disposed of.

The officer of the day will go around constantly to see if men are present and attending to duty. If he has reason to believe that any of the men have deserted any squad, he will assemble the squad, call the roll, and note deserters, who will be punished in such manner as may be prescribed. All who are late, who do not perform duty properly, or who quit before the sound of the bugle should in like manner be reported.

The detachment for construction should be well officered with efficient squad-masters.

The pay should be by the hour, to be diminished or withheld at the option of the officer in command for neglect of duty.

The squad-master should return the number of hours made by each man as mechanic or laborer to the officer of the day, and the officer of the day should return the whole to the book-keeper, to be entered in a suitable book prepared for that purpose. The columns should extend entirely across both pages, and be headed as follows: Names of men; thirty-one columns for days of the month, in which to enter the hours work of each day; total hours; price per hour; total amount; remarks.

The tool book should contain a record of the names of men; the description of tool furnished, the date when furnished, and the number on the tool.

Each squad-master should be furnished with a small memoranda book with the description and number of the tool furnished to each member of his squad, and the squad-master should report to the officer of the day whether the tools have all been returned in good condition; if not, why not.

Individuals who lose or wantonly injure tools should be required to submit to a reduction of extra pay until they are paid for. A separate tool-box should be provided for the tools of each squad, numbered with the number of the squad, and the key kept by the squad-master. A second key should be in the possession of the person having general charge of tools. The keys for no two boxes should be alike, and the should be numbered to correspond with the boxes placed under charge of the sentry.

The commissary and paymaster's department should be properly organized, so that no delay can possibly occur for want of rations. Suitable cooking utensils should be provided, and the men detailed for duty at daylight should not be required to cook their own breakfast before going out. Breakfast should be prepared for them either by colored cooks or by a detail for that purpose of men not required for other duty. If permanent cooks can be employed and the men mess in common it would be a great improvement. Those who work all day in the woods in lumbering should take dinners with them, and feed should always be taken for the oxen. Much time is lost in driving them a distance to feed.

If the force is designed to operate at points with which there is not


Page 179 Chapter XXIV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.