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The typical Civil War soldier spent less than 5 days a year in combat. Camp life and drill were more a part of their day to day life than combat. The average soldier went about a prescribed set of functions that were carried out with regularity. In order to fully appreciate the soldier’s life we incorporate into our living history program several of these functions. Included below are the regulations for Inspection as prescribed by the Revised U.S. Army Regulations of 1861, pages 46-49. Please be ready and willing to participate in Inspection at every level. Privates should be aware of what is expected of them and officers should be able to carry out this function with ease and confidence.
ARTICLE XXX.
INSPECTIONS OF THE TROOPS.
303. The inspection of troops, as a division, regiment, or other body composing a garrison or command, not less than a company, will generally be preceded by a review.
304. There will be certain periodical inspections, to wit:
- The commanders of regiments and posts will make an inspection of their commands on the last day of every month.
- Captains will inspect their companies every Sunday morning. No soldier will be excused from Sunday inspection except the guard, the sick, and the necessary attendants in the hospital.
- Medical officers having charge of hospitals will also make a thorough inspection of them every Sunday morning.
- Inspection when troops are mustered for payment.
305. Besides these inspections, frequent visits will be made by the commanding officer, company and medical offices, during the month, to the men’s quarters, the hospital, guard-house, &c.
FORM OF INSPECTION.
306. The present example embraces a battalion of infantry. The inspecting officer and the field and staff officers will be on foot.
307. The battalion being in the order of battle, the Colonel will cause it to break into open column of companies, right in front. He will next order the ranks to be opened, when the color-rank and color-guard, under the direction of the Adjutant, will take post ten paces in front, and the band ten paces in rear of the column.
308. The Colonel, seeing the ranks aligned, will command,
- 1. Officers and Sergeants, to the front of your companies. 2. MARCH!
The officers will form themselves in one rank, eight paces, and the non-commissioned officers in one rank, six paces, in advance, along the whole fronts of t heir respective companies, from right to left, in the order of seniority; the pioneers and music of each company, in one rank, two paces behind the non-commissioned officers.
309. The colonel will next command,
Field and staff, to the front - - March!
The commissioned officers thus designated will form themselves in one rank, on a line equal to the front of the column, six paces in front of the colors, from right to left, in the order of seniority; and the non-commissioned staff, in a similar manner, two paces in rear of the preceding rank. The Colonel, seeing the movement executed, will take post on the right of the Lieutenant-Colonel, and wait the approach of the inspecting officer. But such of the field officers as may be superior in rank to the Inspector will not take post in front of the battalion.
310. The Inspector will commence in front. After inspecting the dress and general appearance of the field and commissioned staff under arms, the Inspector, accompanied by these officers, will pass down the open column, looking at every rank in front and rear.
311. The Colonel will, now command,
when the Inspector will proceed to make a minute inspection of the several ranks or divisions, in succession, commencing in front.
312. As the Inspector approaches the non-commissioned staff, color-rank, the color-guard, and the band, the Adjutant will give the necessary orders for the inspection of arms, boxes and knapsacks. The colors will be planted firm in the ground, to enable the color-bearers to display the contents of their knapsacks. The non-commissioned staff may be dismissed as soon as inspected; but the color-rank and color-guard will remain until the colors are to be escorted to the place from which they were taken.
313. As the Inspector successively approaches the companies, the Captains will command,
- 1. Attention. 2. Company. 3. Inspection-ARMS!
The inspecting officer will then go through the whole company, and minutely inspect the arms, accoutrements, and dress of each soldier. After this is done, the Captain will command,
when the ammunition and the boxes will be examined.
314. The Captain will then command,
- 1. Shoulder—ARMS!
- 2. Close order .
- 3. MARCH!
- 4. Order—ARMS!
- 5. Stack—ARMS!
- 6. To the rear, open order.
- 7. MARCH!
- 8. Frontrank—ABOUT—FACE!
- 9. Unsling—Knapsacks.
- 10. Open—Knapsacks.
315. The Sergeants will face inward at the 2d command, and close upon the centre at the 3d, and stack their arms at the 5th command; at the 6th command they face outward, and resume their positions at the 7th. When the ranks are closed, preparatory to take arms, the Sergeants will also close upon the centre, and at the word, take their arms and resume their places.
316. The knapsacks will be placed at the feet of the men, the flaps from them, with the great-coats on the flaps, and the knapsacks leaning on the great-coats. In this position the Inspector will examine their contents, or so many of them as he may think necessary, commencing with the non-commissioned officers, the men standing at attention.
317. When the Inspector has passed through the company, the Captain will command,
- Repack – Knapsacks;
when each soldier will repack and buckle up his knapsack, leaving it on the ground, the number upward, turned from him, and then stand at rest.
318. The Captain will then command,
At the word sling, each soldier will take his knapsack, holding it by the inner straps, and stand erect; at the last word he will replace it on his back. The Captain will continue,
and will cause the company to file off to their tents or quarters, except the company that is to re-escort the colors, which will await the further orders of the Colonel.
319. In an extensive column, some of the rearmost companies may, after the inspection of dress and general appearance, be permitted to stack arms until just before the Inspector approaches them when they will be directed to take arms and resume their position.
320. The inspection of the troops being ended, the field and staff will next accompany the Inspector to the hospital, magazine, arsenal, quarters, sutler’s shop, guard-house, and such other places as he may think proper to inspect. The Captains ad subalterns repair to their companies and sections to await the Inspector.
321. The hospital being at all times an object of particular interest, it will be critically minutely inspected.
322. The men will be formed in the company quarters in front of their respective bunks, and on the entrance of the Inspector the word Attention! will be given by the senior non-commissioned officer present, when the whole will salute with the hand, without uncovering.
323. The Inspector, attended by the company officers will examine the general arrangement of the interior of the quarters, the bunks, bedding, cooking and table utensils and such other objects as may present themselves; and afterward the exterior.
324. The Adjutant will exhibit to the Inspector the regimental books and papers, including those relating to the transactions of the Council of Administration. The company books and papers will also be exhibited, the whole together, generally at the Adjutant’s office, and in the presence of the officers not otherwise particularly engaged.
325. The Inspector will examine critically the books and accounts of the administrative and disbursing officers of the command, and the money and property in their keeping.
326. The inspection of cavalry and artillery will conform to the principles laid down in the foregoing paragraphs, regard being had to the system of instruction for those arms of service respectively.
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