Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 / To be used by Engineer companies (dismounted) and Coast Artillery companies for Infantry instruction and training

by United States. War Department

Section 10. Orders for Sentinels.

155. Orders for sentinels are of two classes: General orders and special orders. General orders apply to all sentinels. Special orders relate to particular posts and duties.

156. Sentinels will be required to memorize the following:

My general orders are:

1. To take charge of this post and all Government property in view.

2. To walk my post in a military manner keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.

3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.

4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own.

5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.

6. To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentinel who relieves me all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, and officers and noncommissioned officers of the guard only.

7. To talk to no one except in line of duty.

8. In case of fire or disorder to give the alarm.

9. To allow no one to commit a nuisance on or near my post.

10. In any case not covered by instructions to call the corporal of the guard.

11. To salute all officers, and all colors and standards not cased.

12. To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE GENERAL ORDERS FOR SENTINELS.

No. 1: To take charge of this post and all Government property in view.

157. All persons, of whatever rank in the service, are required to observe respect toward sentinels and members of the guard when such are in the performance of their duties.

158. A sentinel will at once report to the corporal of the guard every unusual or suspicious occurrence noted.

159. He will arrest suspicious persons prowling about the post or camp at any time, all parties to a disorder occurring on or near his post, and all, except authorized persons, who attempt to enter the camp at night, and will turn over to the corporal of the guard all persons arrested.

160. The number, limits, and extent of his post will invariably constitute part of the special orders of a sentinel on post. The limits of his post should be so defined as to include every place to which he is required to go in the performance of his duties.

No. 2: To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.

161. A sentinel is not required to halt and change the position of his rifle on arriving at the end of his post, nor to execute to the rear, march, precisely as prescribed in the drill regulations, but faces about while walking in the manner most convenient to him and at any part of his post as may be best suited to the proper performance of his duties. He carries his rifle on either shoulder, and in wet or severe weather, when not in a sentry box, may carry it at a secure.

162. Sentinels when in sentry boxes stand at ease. Sentry boxes will be used in wet weather only, or at other times when specially authorized by the commanding officer.

163. In very hot weather, sentinels may be authorized to stand at ease on their posts, provided they can effectively discharge their duties in this position; but they will take advantage of this privilege only on the express authority of the officer of the day or the commander of the guard.

164. A mounted sentinel may dismount occasionally and lead his horse, but will not relax his vigilance.

No. 3: To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.

165. A sentinel will ordinarily report a violation of orders when he is inspected or relieved, but if the case be urgent, he will call the corporal of the guard, and also, if necessary, will arrest the offender.

No. 4: To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guardhouse than my own.

166. To call the corporal of the guard for any purpose other than relief, fire, or disorder (pars. 167 and 178), a sentinel will call, "Corporal of the guard, No. (----)," adding the number of his post. In no case will any sentinel call, "Never mind the corporal"; nor will the corporal heed such call if given.

No. 5: To quit my post only when properly relieved.

167. If relief becomes necessary, by reason of sickness or other cause, a sentinel will call, "Corporal of the guard, No. (----), Relief," giving the number of his post.

168. Whenever a sentinel is to be relieved, he will halt, and with arms at a right shoulder, will face toward the relief, when it is 30 paces from him. He will come to a port arms with the new sentinel, and in a low tone will transmit to him all the special orders relating to the post and any other information which will assist him to better perform his duties.

No. 6: To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentinel who relieves me, all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, and officers and noncommissioned officers of the guard only.

169. During his tour of duty a soldier is subject to the orders of the commanding officer, officer of the day, and officers and noncommissioned officers of the guard only; but any officer is competent to investigate apparent violations of regulations by members of the guard.

170. A sentinel will quit his piece on an explicit order from any person from whom he lawfully receives orders while on post; under no circumstances will he yield it to any other person. Unless necessity therefor exists, no person will require a sentinel to quit his piece, even to allow it to be inspected.

171. A sentinel will not divulge the countersign (pars. 209 to 217) to anyone except the sentinel who relieves him, or to a person from whom he properly receives orders, on such person's verbal order given personally. Privates of the guard will not use the countersign except in the performance of their duties while posted as sentinels.

No. 7: To talk to no one except in line of duty.

172. When calling for any purpose, challenging, or holding communication with any person a dismounted sentinel armed with a rifle or saber will take the position of port arms or saber. At night a dismounted sentinel armed with a pistol takes the position of raised pistol in challenging or holding communication. A mounted sentinel does not ordinarily draw his weapon in the daytime when challenging or holding conversation; but if drawn, he holds it at advance rifle, raise pistol, or port saber, according as he is armed with a rifle, pistol, or saber. At night in challenging and holding conversation his weapon is drawn and held as just prescribed, depending on whether he is armed with a rifle, pistol, or saber.

No. 8: In case of fire or disorder to give the alarm.

173. In case of fire, a sentinel will call, "Fire, No. (----)," adding the number of his post; if possible, he will extinguish the fire himself. In case of disorder he will call, "The Guard, No. (----)," adding the number of his post. If the danger be great, he will in either case discharge his piece before calling.

No. 11: To salute all officers and all colors and standards not cased.

174. When not engaged in the performance of a specific duty, the proper execution of which would prevent it, a member of the guard will salute all officers who pass him. This rule applies at all hours of the day or night, except in the case of mounted sentinels armed with a rifle or pistol, or dismounted sentinels armed with a pistol, after challenging. (See par. 181.)

175. Sentinels will salute as follows: A dismounted sentinel armed with a rifle or saber, salutes by presenting arms; if otherwise armed, he salutes with the right hand.

A mounted sentinel, if armed with a saber and the saber be drawn, salutes by presenting saber; otherwise he salutes in all cases with the right hand.

176. To salute, a dismounted sentinel, with piece at a right shoulder or saber at a carry, halts and faces toward the person to be saluted when the latter arrives within 30 paces.

The limit within which individuals and insignia of rank can be readily recognized is assumed to be about 30 paces, and therefore at this distance cognizance is taken of the person or party to be saluted.

177. The salute is rendered at six paces; if the person to be saluted does not arrive within that distance, then when he is nearest.

178. A sentinel in a sentry box, armed with a rifle, stands at attention in the doorway on the approach of a person or party entitled to salute, and salutes by presenting arms according to the foregoing rules.

If armed with a saber, he stands at a carry and salutes as before.

179. A mounted sentinel on a regular post, halts, faces, and salutes in accordance with the foregoing rules. If doing patrol duty, he salutes, but does not halt unless spoken to.

180. Sentinels salute, in accordance with the foregoing rules, all persons and parties entitled to compliments from the guards (pars. 224, 227, and 228); officers of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps; military and naval officers of foreign powers; officers of volunteers and militia officers when in uniform.

181. A sentinel salutes as just prescribed when an officer comes on his post; if the officer holds communication with the sentinel, the sentinel again salutes when the officer leaves him.

During the hours when challenging is prescribed, the first salute is given as soon as the officer has been duly recognized and advanced. A mounted sentinel armed with a rifle or pistol, or a dismounted sentinel armed with a pistol, does not salute after challenging.

He stands at advance rifle or raise pistol until the officer passes.

182. In case of the approach of an armed party of the guard, the sentinel will halt when it is about 30 paces from him, facing toward the party with his piece at the right shoulder. If not himself relieved, he will, as the party passes, place himself so that the party will pass in front of him; he resumes walking his post when the party has reached six paces beyond him.

183. An officer is entitled to the compliments prescribed, whether in uniform or not.

184. A sentinel in communication with an officer will not interrupt the conversation to salute. In the case of seniors the officer will salute, whereupon the sentinel will salute.

185. When the flag is being lowered at retreat, a sentinel on post and in view of the flag will face the flag, and, at the first note of the Star Spangled Banner or to the color will come to a present arms. At the sounding of the last note he will resume walking his post.

No. 12: To be especially watchful at night and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

186. During challenging hours, it a sentinel sees any person or party on or near his post, he will advance rapidly along his post toward such person or party and when within about 30 yards will challenge sharply, "Halt, Who is there!" He will place himself in the best possible position to receive or, if necessary, to arrest the person or party.

187. In case a mounted party be challenged, the sentinel will call, "Halt, Dismount. Who is there?"

188. The sentinel will permit only one of any party to approach him for the purpose of giving the countersign (pars. 209 to 217), or, if no countersign be used, of being duly recognized. When this is done the whole party is advanced, i. e., allowed to pass.

189. In all cases the sentinel must satisfy himself beyond a reasonable doubt that the parties are what they represent themselves to be and have a right to pass. If he is not satisfied, he must cause them to stand and call the corporal of the guard. So, likewise, if he have no authority to pass persons with the countersign, or when the party has not the countersign, or gives all incorrect one.

190. A sentinel will not permit any person to approach so close as to prevent the proper use of his own weapon before recognizing the person or receiving the countersign.

191. When two or more persons approach in one party, the sentinel, on receiving an answer that indicates that some one in the party has the countersign, will say, "Advance one with the countersign," and, if the countersign is given correctly, will then say, "Advance (so-and-so)," repeating the answer to his challenge. Thus it the answer be "Relief (friend with the countersign, patrol, etc.)," the sentinel will say, "Advance one with the countersign"; then "Advance, relief (friends, patrol, etc.)."

192. If a person having the countersign approach alone, he advanced to give the countersign. Thus if the answer be "Friend with the countersign (or officer of the day, or etc.)." the sentinel will say, "Advance, friend (or officer of the day, or etc.) with the countersign"; then "Advance, friend (or officer of the day, or etc.)."

193. If two or more persons approach a sentinel's post from different directions at the same time, all such persons are challenged in turn and required to halt and to remain halted until advanced.

The senior is first advanced, in accordance with the foregoing rules.

194. If a party is already advanced and in communication with a sentinel, the latter will challenge any other party that may approach; if the party challenged be senior to the one already on his post, the sentinel will advance the new party at once. The senior may allow him to advance any or all of the other parties; otherwise the sentinel will not advance any of them until the senior leaves him. He will then advance the senior only of the remaining parties, and so on.

195. The following order of rank will govern a sentinel in advancing different persons or parties approaching his post: Commanding officers, officer of the day, officer of the guard, officers, patrols, reliefs, noncommissioned officers of the guard in order of rank, friends.

196. A sentinel will never allow himself to be surprised, nor permit two parties to advance upon him at the same time.

197. If no countersign be used, the rules for challenging are the same. The rules for advancing parties are modified only as follows: Instead of saying "Advance (so-and-so) with the countersign," the sentinel will say; "Advance (so-and-so) to be recognized." Upon recognition he will say, "Advance (so-and-so)."

198. Answers to a sentinel's challenge intended to confuse or mislead him are prohibited, but the use of such an answer as "Friends with the countersign," is not to be understood as misleading, but as the usual answer made by officers, patrol, etc., when the purpose of their visit makes it desirable that their official capacity should not be announced.

SPECIAL ORDERS FOR SENTINELS AT THE POST OF THE GUARD.

199. Sentinels posted at the guard will be required to memorize the following:

Between reveille and retreat to turn out the guard for all persons designated by the commanding officer, for all colors or standards not cased, and in time of war for all armed parties approaching my post, except troops at drill and reliefs and detachments of the guard.

At night after challenging any person or party, to advance no one but call the corporal of the guard, repeating the answer to the challenge.

200. After receiving an answer to his challenge, the sentinel calls, "Corporal of the guard (so and so)," repeating the answer to the challenge.

He does not in such cases repeat the number of his post.

201. He remains in the position assumed in challenging until the corporal has recognized or advanced the person or party challenged, when he resumes walking his post, or, if the person or party he entitled thereto, he salutes and, as soon as the salute has been acknowledged, resumes walking his post.

202. The sentinel at the post of the guard will be notified by direction of the commanding officer of the presence in camp or garrison of persons entitled to the compliment. (Par. 224.)

203. The following examples illustrate the manner in which the sentinel at the post of the guard will turn out the guard upon the approach of persons or parties entitled to the compliment (pars. 224, 227, and 228), "Turn out the guard, commanding officer"; "Turn out the guard, governor of a Territory"; "Turn out the guard, national colors"; "Turn out the guard, armed party"; etc.

At the approach of the new guard at guard mounting the sentinel will call, "Turn out the guard, armed party."

204. Should the person named by the sentinel not desire the guard formed, he will salute, whereupon the sentinel will call "Never mind the guard."

205. After having culled "Turn out the guard," the sentinel will never call "Never mind the guard," on the approach of an armed party.

206. Though the guard be already formed he will not fail to call, "Turn out the guard," as required in his special orders, except that the guard will not be turned out for any person while his senior is at or coming to the post of the guard.

207. The sentinels at the post of the guard will warn the commander of the approach of any armed body and of the presence in the vicinity of all suspicious or disorderly persons.

208. In case of fire or disorder in sight or hearing, the sentinel at the guardhouse will call the corporal of the guard and report the facts to him.