Part 36 (1/2)
[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate V.]
CHAPTER VII.
MARCHING AND CAMPING.
SECTION 1. BREAKING CAMP AND PREPARATION FOR A MARCH.
THE EVENING BEFORE THE MARCH.
When a command learns that it is to make a march on the following day, presumably starting early in the morning, certain details should be attended to the evening before.
All men should fill their canteens as there will probably be no time for this in the morning.
The mess sergeant should find out whether lunch or the reserve ration will be carried on the march and should attend to these details in the evening in order that the issue can be made promptly in the morning.
The commander of the guard should be given a memorandum as to what time to awaken the cooks and where their tent is. The member of the guard who does this should awaken them without noise so as not to disturb the rest of the remainder of the command.
The cooks should be instructed as to what time breakfast is to be served and what time to awaken the first sergeant.
The cooks or cook's police must cut and split all firewood for the morning before 9 p. m. There must be no chopping, talking, or rattling of pans before reveille which will disturb the rest of the command. This applies to every morning in camp.
THE MORNING OF THE MARCH.
Cooks arise when called by the guard and start the preparation of breakfast without noise. The first sergeant is usually awakened by one of the cooks about half an hour before reveille in order that he may complete his toilet and breakfast early and be able to devote all his time to supervising the details of the morning's work. If the officers desire to be awakened before reveille they will notify the first sergeant accordingly.
At first call the men turn out, perform their toilets, strike their shelter tents (unless it has been directed to await the sounding of the general for this), and make up their packs.
At the sounding of a.s.sembly immediately after reveille each man must be in his proper place in ranks. This a.s.sembly is under arms. The first sergeant starts to call the roll or commands ”Report” at the last note of a.s.sembly. Arms are stacked before the company is dismissed.
Breakfast is served to the company immediately after roll call.
Immediately after breakfast each man will wash his mess kit in the hot water provided for that purpose at the kitchen and will at once pack the mess kit in his haversack.
The cooks will provide hot water for was.h.i.+ng mess kits at the same time that breakfast is served.
Immediately after breakfast the company proceeds to the work of breaking camp and packing in accordance with a prearranged system similar to the following:
One squad a.s.sists the cooks in packing the kitchen.
One squad strikes and folds the officers' tents and brings them to the kitchen.
One squad fills in the sink. The sink should not be filled in earlier than is absolutely necessary.
One squad polices the camp within the company police limits.
One squad is available for possible details from regimental headquarters.
Officers and first sergeant supervise the work.
A permanent a.s.signment of squads to these duties lightens the labor and decreases the time necessary for breaking camp. After the breaking of camp the entire company is used to police camp.