Chapter VICAMP DUTIES AND DISCIPLINE
The soldier's day began with reveille at sunrise or "when a Sentra Can See Clearly one thousand yards around him and not Before"177and ended with tat-too heating at eight o'clock;178for after tat-too there was to be no straying about camp without a written pass.179
Between reveille and tat-too there were numerous duties to be performed and orders to be obeyed. Some of them seemed foolish and most unnecessary to the average soldier. The first thing was roll call before the doors of the barracks180which every one was to appear in full dress, well shaved and with hat cocked.181Then came breakfast prepared either by one of the company in the camp kitchen or by each one for himself over the open fire. The breakfast was anything from the "usual dish, a large plate of rice with a little salt"182to a heavier meal of meat and potatoes.
Morning prayers7 followed breakfast and of the routine of the rest of the day Simon Lyman of Sharon wrote "we marched outin the morning and exercised and in the afternoon we marched out again and exercised again".183Captain Lewis in hisOrderly Bookrecorded the following order "For the future the fatigue parties to parade at 7 o'clock in the morning and return at eleven to their dinners and parade again at two".184Then came supper, evening prayers185and tat-too.
Camp life was, however, not all a routine of reveille, prayers, drills, meals, and tat-too for there were hundreds of other things which had to be done. There were huts to build186, roads to make,187entrenchments to construct,188fuel to collect,189supplies to provide,190armaments to make or clean, and drills for the "awkward squad",191besides guard and fatigue duty;192not to mention the more domestic duties of cooking,193of washing and mending clothes,194and cleaning huts, or acting as 'grass guard.'195
It can hardly be said that any hard and fast rule was followed in the matter of camp activities for there were circumstances continually arising which altered affairs; there were parades before a visiting officer,196and days taken off for washing. Then, too, there was the lack of a permanent organization of the army, which was a serious hindrance in following any different course, for the short time enlistment men were constantly leaving and the new recruits were coming into camp, all of which broke into the routine of camp197and often nothing of importance was accomplished for weeks at a time. Simon Lyman of Sharon wrote of the week following August 29, 1775. "Friday, 29th, In the forenoon we went round the town, and in the afternoon we putted up our tents and marched through Cambridge to Charlestound, there we was stationed, we put up our tents.
Tuesday, 3th I rubbed up my gun and looked round the forts.
Wednesday 4th w(eg)ot some boards to fix out tents and it rained and we did not do it.
Thursday 5th It rained, and I wrote a letter home and staid around the house."198
When the new recruit was given the duty of being on guard with the orders that he was not to sleep or leave his post he felt for the first time the hand of authority, he felt that theorders were ridiculous when he must shave every day and appear at roll call every morning with his hair powdered, but when he could not go more than a mile from camp without a pass and that only two furloughs were allowed at one time,199then he was sure that his personal liberty was imposed upon.
It was just that attitude taken by the soldiers toward their officers and the orders given by them or toward the duties they were ordered to perform that made the question of discipline a serious one. Army life was a novelty at first, but before many weeks had passed the aspect changed. The soldiers were in new conditions and new modes of doing things had to be learned. What to do and what not to do were questions with the new recruits. There had been little of the "being ordered" by anybody at home especially among the New Englanders.200Now the private had to salute, take orders from and ask permission of an individual, who in all probability had been his next door neighbor at home with no more training than himself and perhaps one who had just "taken" command without having been appointed by the proper authority.201
The trouble came from both sides; the officer felt the importance of his position to such an extent that he could not see the private's view point, but on the other hand the private was not willing to endure an ordinary amount of subordination.The orders sent out from headquarters concerning the matter were numerous depicting to the soldiers and to the officers as well, their duties and privileges.202The question of discipline was one which caused Washington a great deal of concern on first entering camp,203and a matter which always brought comment from the foreigners who visited our camps or worked with our army.204As the war progressed the conditions grew better, but the personnel changed so often that one group just reached the stage where some sort of law and order was made possible when they left and the whole process was to be gone through again with the newly enlisted group.
The general rules of discipline were laid down by the Continental Congress in what were called "The Rules and Regulations for the Government of the Army". Congress there described the general conduct of the soldiers, as to their duties and privileges and also recommended the punishments which should be inflicted by the court martial in case of violation of the rules by any one.205There were also orders issued from headquarters, which gave more detailed directions in respect to the personal appearance of the soldier, how his hat should be cocked, how his hair should be cut, and the like,31 others in respect to the duties of the soldier onfatigue,206on guard or about the camp, his conduct toward citizens, the punishment for stealing, and numerous other things which were incident to camp life, as the regulation of 'Grog shops'207orders, concerning the morale of the soldiers,208and health precautions.
The means of enforcing the disciplinary rules was the court martial, an instrument which is of common use in time of war, but some of the trials and decisions of the revolutionary court martial are interesting if not amusing and yet significant because of the state of affairs which they reflect.
First as to the organization of the court martial, there was to be a general and a regimental court, the general, the higher and the regimental the lower court. The general court was to consist of not less than thirteen members none of whom were to be under the rank of a commissioned officer and the president was to be a field officer. The regimental court was to consist of not more than five members and in case five could not be assembled three were sufficient, and any commissioned officer of a regiment by the appointment of his colonel could hold the court in the regiment for minor cases.209
All crimes not capital and all disorders and neglect that officers and soldiers might be guilty of, though not mentionedin the Articles of war, were to be taken into a general or regimental court according to the nature of the crime. The offense could be punished at the court's discretion, but no one was to be sentenced to death except in the cases mentioned in the rules layed down by congress and no sentence was to be executed until the commanding officer had approved it. The commanding officer also had the power to pardon or suspend sentence if he saw fit. According to the organization of the court martial, it was to inflict at its own discretion only degrading, cashiering, drumming out of camp and whipping not exceeding thirty-nine lashes.210
According to entries made in orderly books and diaries, those orders were often overlooked and the originality of the members of the court was worked into service.
Thacher said of the punishments ordered by the court martial "Death has been inflicted in a few instances of an atrocious nature, but in general, the punishment consists in a public whipping, and the number of stripes is proportioned to the degree of offense. The law of Moses prescribing forty stripes save one but that number has often been exceeded in our camp. In aggravated cases, and with old offenders in our camp the culprit is sentenced to receive one hundred lashes or more. It is the duty of the drummers and fifers to inflict the chastisement, and the drum major must attend and see that the duty is faithfully performed. The culprit being securely tied to a tree or post receives on his naked back the number of lashes assigned him by a whip formed of several small knotted cords which sometimes cut through the skin at every stroke.However, strange it may appear, a soldier will often receive the severest stripes without uttering a groan or once shrinking from the lash even while the blood flows freely from the lacerated wounds.
"They have now, however, adopted a method which they say mitigates the anguish in some measure. It is by putting between the teeth a leaden bullet, on which they chew while under the lash till it is made quite flat and jagged. In some instances of incorrigibles villians it is adjudged by the court that the culprit receive his punishment at several different times, a certain number of stripes repeated at intervals of two or three days in which case the wounds are in a state of inflammation, and the skin rendered tender and the terror of the punishment is greatly aggravated.
"Another mode of punishment is that of running the gauntlet, this is done by a company of soldiers standing in two lines, each one furnished with a switch and the criminal is made to run between them and receive the scourge from their hands on his naked back; but the delinquent runs so rapidly and the soldiers are so apt to favor a comrade that it often happens in this way punishment is very slight".211
Boardman thus recorded a punishment, "This morning another rifleman was drummed out of camp not whipped, but if he ever returns again he is to receive thirty lashes."212Other punishments were riding the wooden horse for fifteen minutes with two guns tied to the victim's feet and then ten minutes without guns, or riding a rail. There were, too, the fines and imprisonments, but often thethe penalties bordered on the humorous line and furnished real amusement to the rest of the soldiers, one man was sentenced to wear "A clogg chained at his legg for three days, another was to wear a clog four days with his coat turned wrong side outwards".213The last penalty was for Major Carnes's cordage. Trials were held for anything from disorderly conduct or stealing a shirt to treason.
In the court martial and its actions it is possible to see a reflection of England and the methods of torture used there. The colonists had not been away from the mother country long enough to get away from those devices for the punishment of offenders.
The number and kind of trials also show that the soldiers as a rule were inclined to have their own way and disregard orders for the majority of the trials were for the disobedience of minor orders.
A study of conditions during the Revolutionary War in the light of the present day and especially in the light of the Great War with the care given the soldiers in the way of housing, medical aid, sanitation and recreation makes the soldier of 1776 more of a hero than he had been before. That he under the most adverse circumstances withstood the war conditions and came out victorious for liberty seems almost a miracle.
John Adams described the continental army as follows: "Our Army at Crown point is an object of wretchness enough to fill a human mind with horror, disgraced, defeated, discontented, dispiriteddiseased, naked, undisciplined, eaten up with vermin, no clothes, bed, blankets, no medicines, no vituals but salt pork and flour". One almost wonders that it is not a true characterization but it is interesting to note that of the fifty diaries and journals studied only one or two reflected a pronounced discontented or dissatisified spirit, the others mentioned the sufferings and hardships but did not complain.
The leaders of the War for Independnece have long been appreciated for the part they played, perhaps over appreciated. But the leaders could not have accomplished their goal had it not been for the private. The private was undisciplined it is true and willful at times, but to him with his sufferings, hardships and even willfullness must be given a great amount of the honor.
177.Coits,Orderly Book, (July 20, 1775), p. 54.178.Lewis,Orderly Book, (June 6, 1776), p. 47.179.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. II, p. 115.180.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.181.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.182.McDowell,Journal, (Jan. 11, 1782).183.Lyman,Journal, (Aug. 28, 1775), p. 115.184.Lewis,Orderly Book, April 6, 1776.185.Farnsworth,Journal, (May 1, 1775) p. 179.186.Greene,Life of Greene, Vol. I, p. 538.187.Wild,Journal, (Dec. 27, 1778) p. 120.188.Hutchinson,Orderly Book, p. 23, quoted by Bolton.189.Wild,Journal, (Dec. 27, 1778) p. 120.190.Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 2, 1775) p. 124.191.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.192.Lewis,Orderly Book, (April 6, 1776), p. 16.193.Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 21, 1775), p. 127.194.Waldo,Journal, (Dec. 31, 1778), p.195.Lewis,Orderly Book, p. 10.196.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 31, 1779) p. 10; Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 29, 1775) p. 125.197.Thacher,Journal, (Sept. 1776) p. 60.198.Lyman,Journal(Aug. 29, Oct. 3, 4 and 5, 1775), p. 116.199.Lewis,Orderly Book, (June 21, 1776), p. 54.200.Thacher,Military Journal, p. 60.201.Ibid.202.Lewis,Orderly Book, (Aug. 12, & 19, 1775); Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. VII, p. 5.203.Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. III, p. 267.204.Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. III, p. 141 and Kapp,Life of Steuben.205.Journals of Continental Congress.Vol. III, p. 114.206.Ibid., (April 6, 1776) p. 16.207.Henshaw,Journal.208.Coit,Orderly Book, (June 30, 1775), p. 28.209.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. III, p. 114.210.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. III, p. 115.211.Thacher,Military Journal, (Jan. 1780), p. 182.212.Boardman, B.,Journal, (Oct. 11, 1775).213.Quoted by Bolton,Private Under Washington, p. 176.
177.Coits,Orderly Book, (July 20, 1775), p. 54.
178.Lewis,Orderly Book, (June 6, 1776), p. 47.
179.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. II, p. 115.
180.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.
181.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.
182.McDowell,Journal, (Jan. 11, 1782).
183.Lyman,Journal, (Aug. 28, 1775), p. 115.
184.Lewis,Orderly Book, April 6, 1776.
185.Farnsworth,Journal, (May 1, 1775) p. 179.
186.Greene,Life of Greene, Vol. I, p. 538.
187.Wild,Journal, (Dec. 27, 1778) p. 120.
188.Hutchinson,Orderly Book, p. 23, quoted by Bolton.
189.Wild,Journal, (Dec. 27, 1778) p. 120.
190.Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 2, 1775) p. 124.
191.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 28, 1776), p. 8.
192.Lewis,Orderly Book, (April 6, 1776), p. 16.
193.Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 21, 1775), p. 127.
194.Waldo,Journal, (Dec. 31, 1778), p.
195.Lewis,Orderly Book, p. 10.
196.Lewis,Orderly Book, (March 31, 1779) p. 10; Lyman,Journal, (Nov. 29, 1775) p. 125.
197.Thacher,Journal, (Sept. 1776) p. 60.
198.Lyman,Journal(Aug. 29, Oct. 3, 4 and 5, 1775), p. 116.
199.Lewis,Orderly Book, (June 21, 1776), p. 54.
200.Thacher,Military Journal, p. 60.
201.Ibid.
202.Lewis,Orderly Book, (Aug. 12, & 19, 1775); Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. VII, p. 5.
203.Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. III, p. 267.
204.Ford,Writings of Washington, Vol. III, p. 141 and Kapp,Life of Steuben.
205.Journals of Continental Congress.Vol. III, p. 114.
206.Ibid., (April 6, 1776) p. 16.
207.Henshaw,Journal.
208.Coit,Orderly Book, (June 30, 1775), p. 28.
209.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. III, p. 114.
210.Journals of Continental Congress, Vol. III, p. 115.
211.Thacher,Military Journal, (Jan. 1780), p. 182.
212.Boardman, B.,Journal, (Oct. 11, 1775).
213.Quoted by Bolton,Private Under Washington, p. 176.