=327.= Whenever it becomes necessary for the noncommissioned officer to leave his guard, he will designate a member of it to take charge and a.s.sume his responsibility during his absence.

SENTINELS OF THE TROOP STABLE GUARD.

=328.= The sentinel in the discharge of his duties will be governed by the regulations for sentinels of the main guard whenever they are applicable--such as courtesies to officers, walking post in a soldierly manner, challenging, etc.; he will not turn out the guard except when ordered by proper authority.

=329.= The sentinel will receive orders from the commanding officer, the troop commander, and the noncommissioned officers of the stable guard only, except when the commanding officer directs the officer of the day to inspect the stable guard.

=330.= In the field and elsewhere when directed by the commanding officer the sentinel when posted will verify the number of horses for which he is responsible, and when relieved will give the number to his successor.

=331.= The sentinel will not permit any horse or equipments to be taken from the stables, except in the presence of the noncommissioned officer.

=332.= Should a horse get loose, the sentinel will catch him and tie him up. If he be unable to catch the horse, the noncommissioned officer will at once be notified. In case a horse be cast, or in any way entangled, he will relieve him, if possible; if unable to relieve him, he will call the noncommissioned officer. Sentinels are forbidden to punish or maltreat a horse.

=333.= When a horse is taken sick, the sentinel will notify the noncommissioned officer, who in turn will call the farrier and see that the horse is properly attended to.

=334.= In case of fire the sentinel will give the alarm by stepping outside the stable and firing his pistol or piece repeatedly, and calling out at the same time, "=Fire, stables, Troop (----).="

As soon as the guard is alarmed, he will take the necessary precautions in opening or closing the doors so as to prevent the spreading of the fire and make it possible to remove the horses; he will drop the chains and bars, and, with the other members of the guard, proceed to lead out the horses and secure them at the picket line or such other place as may have been previously designated.

=335.= Sentinels over horses, or in charge of prisoners, receive orders from the stable sergeant, so far as the care of the horses and the labor of prisoners are concerned.

=336.= In field artillery and machine-gun organizations, the guard for the stables has charge of the guns, caissons, etc., with their ammunition and stores, as well as the horses, harness, and forage.

=Section 18. Flags.=

=337.= The garrison, post, and storm flags are national flags and shall be of bunting. The union of each is as described in paragraph 216, Army Regulations, and shall be of the following proportions: Width, seven-thirteenths of the hoist of the flag; length, seventy-six one-hundredths of the hoist of the flag.

The garrison flag will have 38 feet fly and 20 feet hoist. It will be furnished only to posts designated in orders from time to time from the War Department, and will be hoisted only on holidays and important occasions.

The post flag will have 19 feet fly and 10 feet hoist. It will be furnished for all garrison posts and will be hoisted in pleasant weather.

The storm flag will have 9 feet 6 inches fly and 5 feet hoist. It will be furnished for all occupied posts for use in stormy and windy weather. It will also be furnished to national cemeteries. (A. R.

223.)

=338.= At every military post or station the flag will be hoisted at the sounding of the first note of the reveille, or of the first note of the march, if a march be played before the reveille. The flag will be lowered at the sounding of the last note of the retreat, while the flag is being lowered the band will play "The Star-Spangled Banner,"

or, if there be no band present, the field music will sound "to the color." When "to the color" is sounded by the field music while the flag is being lowered the same respect will be observed as when "The Star-Spangled Banner" is played by the band, and in either case officers and enlisted men out of ranks will face toward the flag, stand at attention, and render the prescribed salute at the last note of the music. (A. R. 437.)

The lowering of the flag will be so regulated as to be completed at the last note of "The Star-Spangled Banner" or "to the color."

=339.= The national flag will be displayed at a seacoast or lake fort at the beginning of and during an action in which a fort may be engaged, whether by day or by night. (A. R. 437.)

=340.= The national flag will always be displayed at the time of firing a salute. (A. R. 397.)

=341.= The flag of a military post will not be dipped by way of salute or compliment. (A. R. 405.)

=342.= On the death of an officer at a military post the flag is displayed at halfstaff and so remains between reveille and retreat until the last salvo or volley is fired over the grave; or if the remains are not interred at the post until they are removed therefrom.

(A. R. 422.)

=343.= During the funeral of an enlisted man at a military post the flag is displayed at halfstaff. It is hoisted to the top after the final volley or gun is fired or after the remains are taken from the post. The same honors are paid on the occasion of the funeral of a retired enlisted man. (A. R. 423.)

=344.= When practicable, a detail consisting of a noncommissioned officer and two privates of the guard will raise or lower the flag.

This detail wears side arms or if the special equipments do not include side arms then belts only.

The noncommissioned officer, carrying the flag, forms the detail in line, takes his post in the center and marches it to the staff. The flag is then securely attached to the halyards and rapidly hoisted.

The halyards are then securely fastened to the cleat on the staff and the detail marched to the guardhouse.

=345.= When the flag is to be lowered, the halyards are loosened from the staff and made perfectly free. At retreat the flag is lowered at the last note of retreat. It is then neatly folded and the halyards made fast. The detail is then re-formed and marched to the guardhouse, where the flag is turned over to the commander of the guard.

The flag should never be allowed to touch the ground and should always be hoisted or lowered from the leeward side of the staff, the halyards being held by two persons.

=Section 19. Reveille and Retreat Gun.=

=346.= The morning and evening gun will be fired by a detachment of the guard, consisting, when practicable, of a corporal and two privates. The morning gun is fired at the first note of reveille, or, if marches be played before the reveille, it is fired at the beginning of the first march. The retreat gun is fired at the last note of retreat.

The corporal marches the detachment to and from the piece, which is fired, sponged out, and secured under his direction.

=Section 20. Guard Mounting.=

=347.= Guard mounting will be formal or informal as the commanding officer may direct. It will be held as prescribed in the drill regulations of the arm of the service to which the guard belongs. If none is prescribed, then as for infantry. In case the guard is composed wholly of mounted organizations, guard mounting may be held mounted.

=348.= When Infantry and mounted troops dismounted are united for guard mounting, all details form as prescribed for Infantry.

FORMAL GUARD MOUNTING--MOUNTED.

(Extract Cavalry Drill Regulations, 1916.)

=857.= Formal guard mounting will ordinarily be held only in posts or camps where a band is present. At the _a.s.sembly_ the men of each troop designated for guard form at stand to horse on their troop parade grounds, the noncommissioned officers falling in as file closers; the supernumeraries do not fall in; each first sergeant verifies his detail and inspects the dress and general appearance, replaces any man unfit to go on guard, turns the detail over to the senior noncommissioned officer, and retires. The senior noncommissioned officer then mounts, draws saber, and causes the detail to mount. The band, accompanied by the buglers, takes its place on the parade ground so that the left of its front rank shall be 12 yards to the right of the rank when the guard is formed.

=858.= At _adjutant's call_ the adjutant takes post so as to be 12 yards in front of and facing the center of the guard when formed; the sergeant major takes post facing to the left 12 yards to the left of the front rank of the band; the band plays in appropriate time, the details are marched to the parade ground by their senior noncommissioned officers; the detail that arrives first is marched to the line so that upon halting the head of the horse of the man on the right shall be on line with and near to the sergeant major's horse, the noncommissioned officer, having halted his detail, places himself facing the sergeant major at a distance from him a little greater than the front of his detail, and commands: =DRESS.= The detail dresses on its right trooper; the noncommissioned officers of the detail in the line of file closers rein back so as to be 6 yards in rear of the rank; the noncommissioned officer in command of the detail then commands, =Front=, salutes, and reports, _The detail is correct_, or _(so many) sergeants, corporals, or privates are absent_; the sergeant major returns the salute; the noncommissioned officer in charge of the detail then pa.s.ses by the right of the guard and takes post on the line of noncommissioned officers in rear of the right trooper of his detail. Should there be more than one detail, it is formed in like manner on the left of the one preceding; the privates, noncommissioned officers, and commander of each detail dress on those of the preceding details in the same rank or line.

Should the detail from a troop not include a noncommissioned officer, one will be detailed to perform the duties of commander of the detail.

In this case such noncommissioned officer, after reporting to the sergeant major, pa.s.ses around the right flank between the guard and the band and retires.

The troops detailed alternate in taking the right of the line.

=859.= When the last detail has formed the sergeant major draws saber, verifies the details, causes the guard to count fours, and, if there be more than five fours, divides the guard into two or more platoons; he designates the center guide or guides and then commands, =DRESS= (Par. 362), verifies the alignment of rank and the line of noncommissioned officers, and then returns to the right of the rank, turns to the left, commands, =FRONT=, pa.s.ses to a point midway between the adjutant and center of the guard, halts facing the adjutant, salutes, and reports: _Sir, the details are correct_; or, _Sir, (so many) sergeants, corporals, or privates are absent_; the adjutant returns the salute, directs the sergeant major: _Take your post_, and then draws saber; the sergeant major turns to the left about and takes post 3 yards to the left of and on a line with the rank. When the sergeant major has completed his report the officer of the guard takes post facing to the front 8 yards in front of the center of the guard and draws saber. The adjutant then directs, _Inspect your guard, Sir_, at which the commander of the guard turns about, commands: 1. =Draw=, 2. =SABER=, 3. =Prepare for inspection=, 4. =MARCH=, moves toward and inspects the guard, as in troop inspection. During the inspection the band plays.

The adjutant returns saber, observes the general condition of the guard, and falls out any man who is unfit for guard duty or does not present a creditable appearance. Subst.i.tutes will report to the commander of the guard at the guard house.

The adjutant, when so directed, selects orderlies and color sentinels as prescribed in the Manual of Interior Guard Duty and notifies the commander of the guard of his selection. He may require a trooper to move out of the rank and to dismount for a more minute inspection. He also notifies the two senior noncommissioned officers to act as platoon leaders if there has been a division into platoons. If there be a junior officer of the guard, he takes post at the same time as the senior, facing to the front 3 yards in front of the guide of the first platoon, and the senior of the two noncommissioned officers acts and takes post as chief of the second platoon. The junior officer of the guard may be directed by the commander of the guard to a.s.sist in inspecting the guard.

=860.= If there be no officer of the guard the adjutant inspects the guard and during the inspection notifies the senior noncommissioned officer to command the guard and the next two senior noncommissioned officers to serve as platoon leaders. A noncommissioned officer commanding the guard takes the post of the officer of the guard, the next senior noncommissioned officer the post of the junior officer of the guard.