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Another interesting order from Headquarters
[Inclosure No. 3.]
GENERAL ORDERS No. 5.
ARTY. HDQRS., ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
April 11, 1864.
1. For the campaign, the knapsack carried on the ammunition chest will not contain more than the following-named articles: One-half shelter-tent, one wool blanket, one poncho, one jacket or blouse, one pair drawers, two pair stockings, two shirts, one pair trousers. The excess of the kits over these articles will be carried by the owner, and the amount of clothing to be packed in the knapsacks may be reduced at the discretion of the brigade commander. The great coat will be carried by the owner.
2. Haversacks and canteens will not be carried on the carriages; they must be carried by the men.
3. Not more than four knapsacks will be transported on the gun carriage, battery wagon and forge, and not more than eight on the caisson. The excess of the number of knapsacks must be carried by the men, or their transportation otherwise provided for.
4. The knapsacks and paulins must be so packed and arranged as to offer no impediment to the service of the guns, or to the prompt procurement of ammunition.
5. The gunner and chief of caisson will, under direction of the chief of the piece, be responsible for the proper loading of these articles on their respective carriages, and that no more than the number allowed are carried. The excess will be thrown off on the road, the knapsacks of the gunner and chief of caisson being the first to be thrown away.
6. In packing the limbers the knapsacks must be packed as closely as possible to the chests, so as not to throw the weight on the pole.
7. The loading of the forage wagons, of which three are allowed to each battery, must be strictly attended to, and the battery commanders and brigade quartermasters will each, when the wagons are under his charge, be responsible that these wagons are loaded with forage exclusively.
8. The full weight of forage must be secured, as the campaign allowance of ten pounds a day is the minimum on which a horse can do his work. The minimum load to start with is 2,760 pounds of grain, being six days' supply for the wagon teams and two days' supply for the battery horses. If the roads are good, this load may be increased to 3,220 pounds, which will give seven days' forage for the battery horses and forage wagon teams. The other wagons, ambulances, &c., carry the forage for their own teams.
9. In drawing forage from the depot, care must be taken that the full weight of grain is obtained. The quartermaster who receipts for the forage is responsible for this, and must take the necessary measures to secure the full amount he receipts for. If unable to get it, he will promptly report the cause to his commanding officer, and in time to rectify it. No subsequent excuse will be received.
10. In no case will any grain be carried on the artillery carriages until the forage wagons are loaded with seven days' supply. When the wagons cannot carry this amount any forage on the artillery carriages would overload them.
11. When a battery is separated from its brigade and wagons, one days' forage may be carried on the carriages, viz, one bag on each carriage, to be packed so as not to throw its weight on the pole. In feeding it out, the heaviest carriage to be first unloaded.
12. Forage wagons should not be separated from their batteries when it is possible to avoid it, except when the brigade marches together, when the wagons may be with the brigade train, but ready to be detached with their batteries at a moment's warning. Should it be necessary to send the forage wagons to the rear, or leave them behind with the trains when the batteries move, it will be so stated specially in the order and instructions given for the supply of forage from day to day. As the packing of grain on horses injures the latter, one forage wagon should, if possible, always accompany each battery.
13. Great care must be taken in feeding. To feed from the ground occasions great waste, and the dirt eaten by the horses with it is injurious. In the absence of nose-bags horses must be fed from boxes, or cloths, or by hand. The grain left in the nose-bag or otherwise by the horse, must be collected and fed to him, if necessary, by hand.
14. Battery commanders should frequently allow their batteries to pass them on the march, carefully inspecting the horses, carriages, and men. The same rule is applicable to chiefs of sections and of pieces in their respective commands, in order to enforce the observance of all orders.
15. The drivers must not be allowed to lounge, to cross their legs over the horses' necks, or to needlessly punish them. The cannoneers must be kept at their posts or opposite them on the side of the road, and no straggling will be permitted. They are liable to be called on at any moment, either for service or to aid in getting the carriages through difficult places.
16. Special attention is called to paragraph 13 and following of General Orders, No. 2, of January 15, 1864, from these headquarters, respecting the loading of the artillery carriages and watering the horses on the march.(*)
By command of Brigadier-General Hunt:
JNO. N. CRAIG,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
[Inclosure No. 3.]
GENERAL ORDERS No. 5.
ARTY. HDQRS., ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
April 11, 1864.
1. For the campaign, the knapsack carried on the ammunition chest will not contain more than the following-named articles: One-half shelter-tent, one wool blanket, one poncho, one jacket or blouse, one pair drawers, two pair stockings, two shirts, one pair trousers. The excess of the kits over these articles will be carried by the owner, and the amount of clothing to be packed in the knapsacks may be reduced at the discretion of the brigade commander. The great coat will be carried by the owner.
2. Haversacks and canteens will not be carried on the carriages; they must be carried by the men.
3. Not more than four knapsacks will be transported on the gun carriage, battery wagon and forge, and not more than eight on the caisson. The excess of the number of knapsacks must be carried by the men, or their transportation otherwise provided for.
4. The knapsacks and paulins must be so packed and arranged as to offer no impediment to the service of the guns, or to the prompt procurement of ammunition.
5. The gunner and chief of caisson will, under direction of the chief of the piece, be responsible for the proper loading of these articles on their respective carriages, and that no more than the number allowed are carried. The excess will be thrown off on the road, the knapsacks of the gunner and chief of caisson being the first to be thrown away.
6. In packing the limbers the knapsacks must be packed as closely as possible to the chests, so as not to throw the weight on the pole.
7. The loading of the forage wagons, of which three are allowed to each battery, must be strictly attended to, and the battery commanders and brigade quartermasters will each, when the wagons are under his charge, be responsible that these wagons are loaded with forage exclusively.
8. The full weight of forage must be secured, as the campaign allowance of ten pounds a day is the minimum on which a horse can do his work. The minimum load to start with is 2,760 pounds of grain, being six days' supply for the wagon teams and two days' supply for the battery horses. If the roads are good, this load may be increased to 3,220 pounds, which will give seven days' forage for the battery horses and forage wagon teams. The other wagons, ambulances, &c., carry the forage for their own teams.
9. In drawing forage from the depot, care must be taken that the full weight of grain is obtained. The quartermaster who receipts for the forage is responsible for this, and must take the necessary measures to secure the full amount he receipts for. If unable to get it, he will promptly report the cause to his commanding officer, and in time to rectify it. No subsequent excuse will be received.
10. In no case will any grain be carried on the artillery carriages until the forage wagons are loaded with seven days' supply. When the wagons cannot carry this amount any forage on the artillery carriages would overload them.
11. When a battery is separated from its brigade and wagons, one days' forage may be carried on the carriages, viz, one bag on each carriage, to be packed so as not to throw its weight on the pole. In feeding it out, the heaviest carriage to be first unloaded.
12. Forage wagons should not be separated from their batteries when it is possible to avoid it, except when the brigade marches together, when the wagons may be with the brigade train, but ready to be detached with their batteries at a moment's warning. Should it be necessary to send the forage wagons to the rear, or leave them behind with the trains when the batteries move, it will be so stated specially in the order and instructions given for the supply of forage from day to day. As the packing of grain on horses injures the latter, one forage wagon should, if possible, always accompany each battery.
13. Great care must be taken in feeding. To feed from the ground occasions great waste, and the dirt eaten by the horses with it is injurious. In the absence of nose-bags horses must be fed from boxes, or cloths, or by hand. The grain left in the nose-bag or otherwise by the horse, must be collected and fed to him, if necessary, by hand.
14. Battery commanders should frequently allow their batteries to pass them on the march, carefully inspecting the horses, carriages, and men. The same rule is applicable to chiefs of sections and of pieces in their respective commands, in order to enforce the observance of all orders.
15. The drivers must not be allowed to lounge, to cross their legs over the horses' necks, or to needlessly punish them. The cannoneers must be kept at their posts or opposite them on the side of the road, and no straggling will be permitted. They are liable to be called on at any moment, either for service or to aid in getting the carriages through difficult places.
16. Special attention is called to paragraph 13 and following of General Orders, No. 2, of January 15, 1864, from these headquarters, respecting the loading of the artillery carriages and watering the horses on the march.(*)
By command of Brigadier-General Hunt:
JNO. N. CRAIG,
Assistant Adjutant-General.