 | Memoirs of the war of secession |  |
"GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PICKETS.
"1. Each picket detail from a corps will be inspected by the officer
appointed to command it, before leaving its camp, who will be held responsible
that each man is properly armed and accoutred and supplied with
rations (and forage if cavalry) for the tour upon which he is ordered.
"2. They will remove to their respective stations when relieved in regular
military order.
"3. On duty the horses of the cavalry will never be unbridled or
unsaddled. At feeding time, one-half will be fed or watered at a time, and
for the purpose the bits of that half will be taken out of their mouths.
The men will not be allowed to lay aside their arms; the sabres will be
continually worn and the guns be in hand or in easy reach. In the day
time one-half the men may sleep at a time, at night all will be on the alert.
A sentinel will always be with the horses when the picket is dismounted.
Fires will not be allowed under any circumstances when there is possibility
of being seen by the enemy. Concealment as far as consistent with watchfulness
will always be aimed at.
"4. The advanced sentinels or videttes will observe the utmost watchfulness
and keep themselves concealed as well as practicable. The horses
the two videttes posted together sleep.
"5. All movements of the enemy, or clouds of dust, noises, confiagrations,
etc., which may indicate movement, will be promptly reported to the officer
commanding the picket, who will report the facts (in writing if possible)
to headquarters.
"6. Should the enemy advance, the picket will at once report the fact to
headquarters and fall back slowly, always keeping the enemy in sight and
availing itself of the advantages of the ground to make such resistance as
possible.
"7. The superintendent of pickets will make a daily report to headquarters."
Special instructions as to the number, station and conduct of
each outpost and vidette post was also furnished the superintendent.
The general scheme was a vidette post at each landing on
the line, or good point of observation, with outposts at proper
points to sustain them. These were all of cavalry. A strong
infantry grand guard was stationed at the Church a mile from
Adams Run, where the approaches from these landings chiefly
concentrated. The body of the troops was held at Adams Run
as a strategic center and for sanitary reasons. A permanent garrison
of infantry and artillery was, however, kept at Church
Flats, where siege guns were mounted; and a light battery was
kept encamped sometimes with, and sometimes without, an
infantry support at a landing on Wadmalaw River, known as
Younges Island; and another light battery at Willtown on the
Pon Pon. General Hagood was fortunate in the selection of his
superintendent of pickets, Major John Jenkins, of the Third
Cavalry, and the duty was in general well performed—as well as could be got out of corps newly raised and in which most commonly
the officers needed instruction in every detail.
Before passing from this portion of the subject, it may not be
amiss to say something of the use of cavalry, as developed in
this war. Its use, as on the plains of the eastern continent and
with the short range arms of former wars, seemed to have been
impracticable, for it was never done. They were used generally
merely as mounted riflemen, who dismounted to fight, leaving
every fourth man to hold the horses. Of course there were
exceptional instances. Yet throughout the war, as far as the
writer's observation extended, the former mode of equipping the
when he dismounted to go into action, almost always as skirmisher
when the greatest freedom of action was required, it was
of no earthly use and a most serious hindrance. The sabre came to
be regarded by most of the cavalry as an ornamental badge of
their arm of service, was kept as blunt as a frow, and in many
instances whole corps were without it. The rifle carbine and the
revolver pistol were relied upon, whether upon horseback or
afoot. Now, the use of the sabre has by no means passed away.
In encounters of cavalry with cavalry, and in exceptional cases
of cavalry against infantry, it still remains a more valuable
weapon than any firearm discharged from a horse in motion. To
hang the sabre to the pommel of the saddle on the left side, the
scabbard passing under the left leg of the rider to hold it steady,
and balance it on the right with a holster revolver, all to be
for use only when mounted, and left with the horse when the
soldier dismounted to fight with his carbine, apparently would
relieve the difficulty. Now, the sabre, kept sharp, carried in a
wooden scabbard to preserve its edge, and a repeating carbine
(without a bayonet), would fit the trooper for the discharge of
all the duties required of him in the most effective manner. He
should be taught on horseback to rely as of yore on the sabre
and pistol, and on foot upon the arms and tactics of the light
infantry. Such are the reflections of one who did not serve in
the cavalry arm of the service, but who had opportunities of
observing cavalry fighting and sometimes commanded them in
the field.
Dr. J. F. M. Geddings was the chief surgeon of the command
in the Second Military District, and at his suggestion the following
sanitary regulations were adopted for the sickly season,
and such portions of them as had general application were continued
afterward. They were enforced by the daily inspection
of the doctor himself, who, for the purpose, was relieved from all
other duty. He was untiring in his effort to give them effect:
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