Part 43 (1/2)

74. When no special prisoner guard has been detailed (par. 300), he will, as far as practicable, a.s.sign as guards over working parties of prisoners sentinels from posts guarded at night only.

75. The commander of the guard will inspect all meals sent to the guardhouse and see that the quant.i.ty and quality of food are in accordance with regulations.

76. At guard mounting he will report to the old officer of the day all cases of prisoners whose terms of sentence expire on that day, and also all cases of prisoners concerning whom no statement of charges has been received. (See par. 241.)

77. The commander of the guard is responsible for the security of the prisoners under the charge of his guard; he becomes responsible for them after their number has been verified and they have been turned over to the custody of his guard by the old guard or by the prisoner guard or overseers.

78. The prisoners will be verified and turned over to the new guard without parading them, unless the commanding officer or the officer of the day shall direct otherwise.

79. To receive the prisoners at the guardhouse when they have been paraded and after they have been verified by the officers of the day, the commander of the new guard directs his sergeant to form his guard with an interval, and commands: 1. Prisoners, 2.

_Right_, 3. FACE, 4. _Forward_, 5. MARCH. The prisoner's having arrived opposite the interval in the new guard, he commands: 1. Prisoners, 2. HALT, 3. _Left_, 4. FACE, 5. _Right_(or_left)_, 6. DRESS. 7. FRONT.

The prisoners dress on the line of the new guard.

SECTION 5. SERGEANT OF THE GUARD.

80. The senior noncommissioned officer of the guard always acts as sergeant of the guard, and if there be no officer of the guard, will perform the duties prescribed for the commander of the guard.

81. The sergeant of the guard has general supervision over the other noncommissioned officers and the musicians and privates of the guard, and must be thoroughly familiar with all of their orders and duties.

82. He is directly responsible for the property under charge of the guard, and will see that it is properly cared for. He will make lists of articles taken out by working parties and see that all such articles are duly returned. If they are not, he will immediately report the fact to the commander of the guard.

83. Immediately after guard mounting he will prepare duplicate lists of the names of all noncommissioned officers, musicians, and privates of the guard, showing the relief and post or duties of each. One list will be handed as soon as possible to the commander of the guard; the other will be retained by the sergeant.

84. He will see that all reliefs are turned out at the proper time, and that the corporals thoroughly understand, and are prompt and efficient in, the discharge of their duties.

85. During the temporary absence from the guardhouse of the sergeant of the guard, the next in rank of the noncommissioned officers will perform his duties.

86. Should the corporal whose relief is on post be called away from the guardhouse, the sergeant of the guard will designate a noncommissioned officer to take the corporal's place until his return.

87. The sergeant of the guard is responsible at all times for the proper police of the guardhouse or guard tent, including the ground about them and the prison cells.

88. At first sergeant's call he will proceed to the adjutant's office and obtain the guard report book.

89. When the national or regimental colors are taken from the stacks of the color line, the color bearer and guard, or the sergeant of the guard, unarmed, and two armed privates as a guard, will escort the colors to the colonel's quarters, as prescribed for the color guard in the drill regulations of the arm of the service to which the guard belongs.

90. He will report to the commander of the guard any suspicious or unusual occurrence that comes under his notice, will warn him of the approach of any armed body, and will send to him all persons arrested by the guard.

91. When the guard is turned out its formation will be as follows: The senior noncommissioned officer, if commander of the guard, is on the right of the right guide; if not commander of the guard, he is in the line of file closers, in rear of the right four of the guard; the next in rank is right guide; the next left guide: the others in the line of file closers, usually each in rear of his relief; the field music, with its left three paces to the right of the right guide. The reliefs form in the same order as when the guard was first divided, except that if the guard consists of dismounted cavalry and infantry, the cavalry forms on the left.

92. The sergeant forms the guard, calls the roll, and, if not in command of the guard, reports to the commander of the guard as prescribed in drill regulations for a first sergeant forming a troop or company; the guard is not divided into platoons or sections, and, except when the whole guard is formed prior to marching off, fours are not counted.

93. The sergeant reports as follows: ”Sir, all present or accounted for,” or ”Sir, (so-and-so) is absent”; or if the roll call has been omitted, ”Sir, the guard is formed.” Only men absent without proper authority are reported absent. He then takes his place, without command.

94. At night the roll may be called by reliefs and numbers instead of names; thus, the first relief being on post: Second relief: No. 1; No. 2, etc.; Third relief, Corporal; No. 1, etc.

95. Calling the roll will be dispensed with in forming the guard when it is turned out as a compliment, on the approach of an armed body, or in any sudden emergency; but in such cases the roll may be called before dismissing the guard. If the guard be turned out for an officer ent.i.tled to inspect it, the roll will, unless he directs otherwise, always be called before a report is made.

96. The sergeant of the guard has direct charge of the prisoners, except during such time us they may be under the charge of the prisoner guard or overseers, and is responsible to the commander of the guard for their security.

97. He will carry the keys of the guardroom and cells, and will not suffer them to leave his personal possession while he is at the guardhouse, except as hereinafter provided. (Par. 99.) Should he leave the guardhouse for any purpose he will turn the keys over to the noncommissioned officer who takes his place.