By the soft floating zephyrs, is gracefully curled;
They are restless, impatient the charge to renew,
They are shouting aloud for the Red, White and Blue.
GENERAL ORDERS PERTAINING TO THE ARMY.
PICKET DUTY.
This most important feature, for the safety of an army, is perhaps the least understood of all that appertains to the art of war. As the same system is germain to all armies, the following explanation will, no doubt, be acceptable in this volume, as the duty has been seldom described, though often spoken of, in the numerous details of midnight attacks, and skirmishes. In the disposition of, say two hundred men, they go forth to a point designated as the grand reserve, varying in distance from two hundred rods to nearly a mile from the outer or picket line, where are left half of the number as a reserve, in case the pickets are driven in, and also for mutual relief in their fatiguing duties (often out on picket for three days). Then, to the right and nearer the line, is stationed an officer and forty-eight men, who immediately relieve the line of men (who are out in front) sixteen in number, leaving thirty-two men on the support, so-called—or two more reliefs, relieving each other every two hours; the same on the left support.
When six hours have passed, the three reliefs on each support having stood on post their two hours each, the Grand Reserve sends out the ninety-six men who have been resting—forty-eight to each support—they, in turn, going through the same routine—the first ninety-six men going back to the main reserve to rest, &c. Thus the whole thing is systematized, the Grand Reserve and the supports alternately relieving each other, until the whole time for which they are detailed, expires, when another detail from some other Regiment relieves the whole picket. The Picket Guard is always commanded by a Staff Officer. The following is a specimen of an order from Brigade Headquarters, detailing a Picket Guard from the Thirty-third Regiment:
Headquarters 3d Brigade, 2d Division, 6th Corps.