ENCAMPING, AND PICKETING.
[19]Sec. 29. First method.
The battery being formed in line, at full intervals, the horses are picketed, and the tents pitched in rear.
Prepare to encamp, and picket.
At the word Prepare to Encamp, and Picket, the drivers dismount and unhook; the markers take up an alignment twelve yards in rear of the battery, and facing it, for the line of pickets; the marker of the centre division in the centre; the others extend from him the number of yards there are horses in each half battery. One staff serjeant ten yards in rear of the centre marker indicates the alignment for the men’s tents. The second staff serjeant twenty yards in rear of the other, to mark the spot for the captain’s marquee. Nos. 1 and 6 unlash tents; 4 and 5 of each sub-division are told off for the marquee; 2, 3, 7, and 8 take a picket each, 9 a maul, and the wheel drivers a picket line.
Encamp, and picket.
At the word Encamp, and Picket, the numbers with the pickets form on the centre marker, facing to the front, the numbers with the mauls in front of and facing them.
The start’ officer gives Outwards Face—Quick March, when the men with pickets extend outwards, dividing themselves at equal distance along the alignment taken up by the markers.
The staff officer dresses them, and gives the word Steady, when the numbers with the mauls commence to drive the pickets.
The markers dismount, and assist the wheel drivers in making fast the line from centre to flanks, taking two half hitches round each picket, above and below the hook.
The horses are then brought up, the marker’s horse of the centre division in the centre, the spare horses on each side of him, the wheelers, centre horses, and the leaders of the centre waggon next, and the rest in succession; the officers’ and N.C. officers’ horses on the flanks of their respective divisions.
Fastening the horses.
The horses are fastened by the centre of the collar chains to the line, taking two half hitches round it; the T end being also passed through the diamond link.
Nos. 1 take up an alignment ten yards in rear of the pickets, for the men’s tents. They are dressed by the staff serjeant.
The centre of the tent is indicated by a peg; they then drive four guy pegs to the front, rear, right, and left, at three yards distance from the centre one. Nos. 6 spread out the tents, and fix the second cord from each side of the door to the front peg, the fifth cord on each side to the side pegs, and the rear cord to the rear peg. They then put the tent-pole into the canvas, lying on the ground.
Raising the tents.
As soon as all is ready, the commanding officer gives the word Raise the Tents, which is done by Nos. 6. Nos. 1 and 6 then drive in their pegs, and fasten the remaining cords.
Preparing the marquee.
The second staff serjeant dismounts, and the position of the marquee is indicated by two pegs, driven at a distance equal to the length of the ridge pole, on the spot where his horse stood. Nos. 4 and 5 of each sub-division (being detailed for the marquee), fall in, and are told off by the second staff serjeant, from 1 to 12; as eight men only are required, the remainder are spare. 1, 2, 3, and 4 spread out the roof, the outside on the ground, the door to the rear; 5 and 7 double the lining, lay it on the roof, and put in the ridge pole; 6 and 8 put the standards together, and pass them through the lining; 5 and 7 fix the girthing and ridge pole on the spikes. The inside being thus arranged, half of the roof is turned over in order to prepare the outside. Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 fix the vases on the spikes, and take two half hitches round them with the centre of each guy.
The marquee is raised by 5, 6, 7 and 8, at the same time as the tents. Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 take a guy peg and a mallet each, stretch the guys, and fasten them to the pegs in such a manner that they cross each other at each side, at the point of the dirk, which is painted on the roof; they then drive in the roof pegs, working round to their left, with their backs to the marquee; the pegs on the sides to be driven in a line parallel to the marquee, but at the ends in a half circle; 5 and 6 then hook on the wall from rear to front, overlapping two hooks at the rear, and peg it down; 7 and 8 hook on the lining, and peg it down; 5, 6, 7 and 8 also arrange the door. If there is a second marquee, it is fixed in the same manner.
As soon as the pickets are driven, Nos. 2 and 3 of each sub-division pitch the subalterns’ tents, directed by the staff serjeant, ten yards in rear of the men’s tents, in the centre of their division, the doors to the front; Nos. 7 pitch the guard tent, twenty yards in front of the centre of the battery, the door to the front.
Sec. 30. Second method.
The battery being formed in line, at half intervals, the horses are picketed, and the men’s tents pitched on each flank; the officers’ tents in rear.
At the word Prepare to Encamp, and Picket, the markers of the flank divisions mark twelve yards from the flanks of the battery for the line of pickets, facing to the rear.
At the word Encamp, and Picket, the picket numbers of each half battery form on the markers facing the battery; the numbers of the centre sub-divisions next the markers; they are faced to the rear, extended at equal distances, and dressed by the officers of the flank divisions; the distance they extend must be regulated by the number of horses in each half battery, allowing one yard for each horse.
The men’s tents are ten yards outside of the line of pickets, facing the horses of their own sub-divisions, dressed by the staff serjeants.
The subalterns’ tents ten yards in rear of the last line of carriages, and the commanding officer’s marquee ten yards in rear of them.
The guard tent as in the first method.
All the duties of picketing the horses, pitching the tents and marquees, are performed by the same numbers as detailed in the first method.
Arrangement of the harness.
If the harness is to be taken off, it is placed in line, ten yards behind the horses. The traces, breeching, and collars are put inside the pad, which is laid inside the saddle; and the whole is kept compact by buckling the surcingle of the saddle tight round it; the bridles are laid over the cantles, which are towards the horses.
Sec. 31. To strike the Encampment.
The horses being harnessed and hooked in, at the word Strike Tents, and Pickets, the pickets are struck at once; the tents and marquees prepared for striking by pulling up all the pegs except the guy ones. At the word Down, the whole are lowered together, and packed up as quick as possible.
With a brigade of batteries, the commanding officer’s marquee would be pitched fifteen yards in centre, and in rear of the whole, door to the rear, by the spare marquee men of each battery. The pickets and tents of the whole brigade would be pitched in line, dressed by the adjutant, and serjeant-major.
WEIGHT, DIMENSIONS, ETC., OF TENTS.
CAPTAIN’S MARQUEE.
| ft. | in. | in. | |||
| Ridge pole, length | 6 | 11 | } | { 2½ | |
| Standards, each | 8 | 2 | } in two pieces | diameter | { 2½ |
| Door standards | 6 | 3 | } | { 1½ | |
| Mallets, 2. Pins—Large, 4; Small, 96. | |||||
| Weight of Marquee complete, 142 lb. | |||||
SUBALTERN’S MARQUEE.
| ft. | in. | in. | |||
| Ridge pole, length | 6 | 3 | } | { 2¼ | |
| Standards, each | 8 | 0 | } in two pieces | diameter | { 2¼ |
| Door standards | 6 | 1 | } | { 1½ | |
| Mallets, 2. Pins—Large, 4; Small, 76. | |||||
| Weight of Marquee complete, 132 lb. | |||||
BELL TENT, CIRCULAR.
| ft. | in. | in. | |||
| Standards, length | 10 | 3 | in two pieces | diameter | 2 |
| Pins, 40 Mallets, 2. | |||||
| Weight of Tent complete, 60 lb. | |||||
LABORATORY TENT, CIRCULAR.
| ft. | in. | in. | ||||
| Standards, length | 16 | 3 | { in two } | diameter | { Top | 3 |
| { pieces } | { Bottom | 5 | ||||
| Mallets, 2. Pins—Large, 4; Small, 100. | ||||||
| Weight of Tent complete, 2 cwt. 10 lb. | ||||||