USA > New York > Rensselaer County > Troy > A history of the Troy citizens corps, Troy, N. Y > Part 11
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"The post of the guard at Peekskill consists of several tents placed near the main entrance to the camp. One is for the reception of prisoners, and the others for the accommodation and repose of those members of the guard not on immediate duty. Here are stationed the officers of the guard and the sergeants and corporals of the guard, ready to attend to any business at the guard post itself, or to proceed to any point at which their presence may be desired. Some of these must always be on duty. When the sentries are posted they are taken to their places by a corporal of the guard. He marches them in a body, halting his squad and detaching man after man as the var- ious stations are reached. The sentry at the guard house is numbered one, and the others two, three, etc., in their order. Thus when the circuit is established the last number is within supporting distance
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from the guard tents on the side opposite number two. Whenever a sentry is in doubt or trouble he at once calls for the corporal of the guard, giving the number of his post. This call is passed on from sentry to sentry until it reaches the post of the guard. One of the corporals on duty, usually accompanied by a private, hastens imme- diately to the station designated. During the day time the sentry must patrol his beat, carrying his gun at a support or right or left shoulder, must prevent soldiers of the camp from passing outside the limits, and must obey any other special orders which may be given.
" If men pass the limits, or if any are disorderly, the omnipresent cor- poral of the guard appears and the culprits are arrested and marched to the guard house, where they are confined. In the morning their case is investigated, and such punishment inflicted as the circumstan- ces seem to warrant. For instance, yesterday morning found four prisoners in the guard tent, placed there for drunkenness and passing from camp without authority. They were sentenced to do police duty. This, in camp parlance, means cleaning up the camp. One presided over a wheelbarrow, and others were armed with shovels, rakes, and the like, and, under direction from an armed guard, they proceeded 'through every street, collecting all manner of refuse, and putting things in good shape.
"One important duty of a sentinel in the daytime is to give officers their appropriate salutes. As these vary with the rank of those to be saluted, great pains must be taken not to make a blunder. After the evening gun, which is fired at sundown, no salutes are paid until the next day. After taps, which occur here at 10:30 P. M., no one is allowed to pass without the countersign. The sentry after that time and until reveille sharply challenges everyone who approaches, and demands the countersign. If that cannot be given, he calls for the corporal of the guard, and an investigation follows. The various officers of the guard and others in authority are likely quite often to appear to the sentry ยท at unexpected moments, and he must be on the alert not to be caught napping.
" Then, too, after dark those who may desire to steal from camp are apt to attempt to carry out their object. So the faithful sentinel must be especially vigilant. Some time after midnight the 'grand rounds' appear. The sentry, patrolling his lonely beat, sees a lan- tern and a small body of men approaching. He brings his piece to a ' charge bayonet' and challenges: 'Who comes there ?' 'Grand rounds,' is the reply. 'Halt, grand rounds. Advance, sergeant, with the countersign.' The sergeant advances and whispers the coun- tersign over the point of the bayonet. 'Advance rounds.' The sen- try comes to a 'carry arms,' faces outward from his post, and waits. Presently there advance the officer of the guard and others high in rank. They stop, look the sentinel over, and question him about the duties of his position. The sentry, in fact, is put through a course of
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sprouts in the way of questioning-What would he do as a sentinel in this, that, or any other contingency ? After racking their brains to puzzle the guard, the 'grand rounds' move on. Of course the sen- tries stand in great awe of all this. The boys did well last night, however.
"Another duty of the sentries, during the night, is to call the time every half hour. Number one begins, receiving the time, and calls out, for instance, 'Number one, 12 o'clock.' Then the next one takes it up, 'Number two, 12 o'clock, all's well.' So it passes on from post to post, until the last number repeats it ; then number one cries, 'All's well around.' It was a pretty scene, along in the small hours. Radiant moonlight flooded the camp, making the white tents whiter. All was silent, save the tread of the sentry and the musical call of the guard passing steadily around the camp. Then occasion- ally came the cry, 'Corporal of the guard, number eleven !', and pres- ently the corporal and a private would appear, hastening at double quick to the desired spot.
"The reliefs were so arranged that one was under arms about three hours and nominally off duty perhaps an hour and a half. I say nom- inally, for no sooner would the men stretch themselves on their bunks in the guard tents than the sharp cry would come 'Turn out the guard, officer of the day.' Then every one would spring to his place and be ready for a 'Present arms.' About one hour was the maxi- mum amount of sleep obtained by the guard for nearly twenty-six hours. Of course the fatigue was very great ; but the boys stood it pluckily, and were determined to do their best to the end. Captain Cusack was very jolly this morning. He had been pretty well thawed out by the numerous compliments he had received for his command. It seems quite generally thought here that the tour of guard duty of the Corps was at least equal to the best work of the kind that has been seen on the grounds. To-day the men are quite willing to sleep. However, they were ready for dress parade at the usual time. Quite a number of spectators gathered on the parade grounds to witness it.
"Another little feature of camp life is the gun fired at morning and evening. At one side of the parade ground stand two flag poles, from one of which float the stars and stripes, and from the other a flag with the insignia of the national guard. Just before sunset a de- tail of three men from the guard stand at each of the flag poles. At sunset a cannon shot flashes out, and instantly the flags fall. At the morning gun the flags are raised.
"This evening company F of the ninth raised a banner in honor of the Troy Citizens Corps. It was inscribed "Troy, 1877-Peekskill, 1883." Then clasped hands and the insignia of the companies, with the well-known "Invincible and invisible," etc. The banner raising was followed by an entertainment, to which went as many of the men as were not fast asleep.
H. P. J."
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GOVERNOR CLEVELAND AT THE CAMP.
Special dispatch to the Troy Daily Times. "STATE CAMP, PEEKS- KILL, N. Y., July 19, 1883 .- Gov. Cleveland arrived at 9:30 o'clock this morning to visit the camp. He was received by the command with full honors." H. P. J.
" CAMP OF INSTRUCTION, PEEKSKILL, July 19, 1883 .- Editors Times: To-day has been important in camp for the annual inspection, which came off at 3 o'clock this afternoon. The reveille sounded at the usual ghostly hour of 5:15 o'clock, and a sleepy crowd of soldiers gathered in our company street at the beat of assembly, which im- mediately followed. Uniforms had been hastily donned, with more regard to being in time for roll-call than to the trimness which charac- terizes dress parade. One private was completely equipped in over- coat and fatigue cap, and very little else. Another wore a tin basin in lieu of a helmet. But all were alike in looking sleepy and sun- burned. The cry had been passed around the afternoon before : ' " Uniform for dress parade, white trowsers, coats with scales, helmets and red noses."' The captain would find difficulty in dispensing with this last decoration at present. And the boys have been temperate, too.
"Immediately after the reveille roll call the camp must be policed- which is the military expression for putting in order. Blankets are shaken and spread on the tents to air, cots and anything else on the floor moved out of doors, the floor is swept and washed, the street is care- fully swept, every bit of rubbish, even to the least fragment of paper, must be picked up, and everything on the shelves and hanging up must be neat and in good shape. Then the police detail come around with wheelbarrow, shovel and brooms, and all refuse is scrupulously gathered up and carried away. Then toilets must be carefully attended to. Shoes must always be neatly blacked ; and this involves an in- cessant polishing. It is quite droll to observe what good housekeepers the boys have learned to be. Many of them take great pride in decorating their tents in fanciful ways. It is gravely alleged that such is the newly acquired taste for household arrangements that when the men get home they will persist in getting up at 5 o'clock in the morn- ing and doing the housework. If, however, they follow camp habits at home, we may infer from to-day's experience that they will spend a good share of each day in changing their clothes.
"Just about as soon as any one piece of duty was finished the order was at once given to put on some different uniform, and so the day has been a constant transformation scene. Before breakfast a good hour of work was put in at the company drill on the parade ground. Then the uniform was changed, and we marched to breakfast. Then we hurriedly donned full-dress and fell in to receive Gov. Cleveland. The command was formed on the parade ground, and full honors
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were paid our chief magistrate and commander-in-chief of the national guard. Then we were dismissed and began to prepare for inspection. The quarters had to be rearranged and made especially trim. Every article of uniform had to be put in order. That meant an incessant polishing of guns and furbishing of brass. Clothes were brushed in- dustriously, helmets whitened and shining shoes blacked again. All this consumed the morning. Then we fell in and marched to dinner ; came back to our quarters, changed our uniform and fell in for inspec- tion. This ceremony, to our surprise, was short. The Corps turned out eighty-eight officers and men. Then we put on fatigue uniform and had an hour or two for rest.
"Next we changed our uniform and fell in for dress parade. This was really a fine affair, and was witnessed by a large crowd. Gov. Cleveland and staff reviewed the command, and as company after company wheeled and passed in review, a storm of applause greeted our Corps. The marching and wheeling both of the first company, Capt. Cusack, or company L, as it is temporarily designated, and of the twelfth company, company M, Lieut. Thompson, were beyond question the best in the field, and attracted the attention and commen- dation of the governor.
"At 7 o'clock occurred the inspection of quarters. The red blankets were spread on the cots, and haversacks and canteens hung at their feet, with knapsacks above. The company stood at attention, in un- dress uniform, each man outside his tent at the foot of his cot. Capt. Cusack then appeared at the head of the street with the inspecting of- ficer. At the captain's word of command the entire company saluted with the hand. All then stood at attention until the inspection was completed. It was a very pretty ceremony.
" Then the boys were free until tattoo, and they put in for fun. Sing- ing and dancing and mock parades were the order of the evening. Your correspondent was honored with a serenade by a squad of the best looking men in the company. Of course every one who has a special friend in the Corps knows who must have been included in the squad, so it is not necessary to record their names.
" Every evening after dress parade the Ninth Regiment band gives a concert, which is much enjoyed by the whole camp.
"Captain Gould of the Albany Zouave Cadets, Colonel Chamberlin of General Carr's Staff, Captain Egolf, C. D. Kellum, of Troy, and J. T. Birge, of New York, were among those who visited the camp to-day. "Yesterday morning the guard house was full of prisoners whom the Corps sentinels had captured during the night. A number of these were sentenced to clean the camp, and, accompanied by an armed guard, marched through all the streets, gathering up rubbish and carry- ing it away in a wheelbarrow. It so happened that those who were then prisoners were on guard last night, and this morning were detailed to guard the police squad. We all enjoyed the ferocity and thoroughness with which they put their prisoners through.
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" The camp to-night is a sight well worth seeing. Myriads of colored lanterns flash their light down the long streets, some suspended from tents, others on wires across the street from tent to tent. At the head of the company streets are elaborate illuminated devices, lan- terns suspended from stacks of muskets, and festoons of flags. Crowds of visitors are strolling about, and the men, free for a little time after a nearly a week of hard work, are bent on having a good time. The moonlight has made the evenings delightful, having failed us only on the rainy Sunday evening.
" Military officers who have visited the Peekskill camp are loud in their commendation of the Troy Citizens Corps. They say that it is the equal of the best that has ever appeared on the ground. An officer high in rank in the state service, says that if he had a regiment com- posed of such companies as the sixth, he could beat anything in the regular army." H. P. J.
Capt. J. H. Wiseman, the representative of the Army and Navy Journal, who spent the week in camp, after re- viewing the work of the Ninth Regiment in his paper says : " What progress has been made in military bear- ing, salutes, etc., is in a large part due to the excellent example of the Troy company." Capt. Wiseman then proceeded to speak in the following complimentary man- ner of the Troy Citizens Corps :
"The Sixth Separate Company, generally known as the ' "Troy Citi- zens Corps,"' commanded by Capt. James W. Cusack, has been at- tached to the Ninth Regiment for its week's camp tour, arriving on Saturday afternoon, July 14. It needed but little observation to dem- onstrate its general excellence. The soldierly bearing of the men, their firm, swinging step during their march into camp, their admira- ble discipline in the mess hall, and the business-like, prompt manner in which they completed their arrangements immediately on arrival, showed at once that the organization ranks far above the average, and that it is managed under a well-regulated system. The company was incorporated in the National Guard in 1877, up to which time it had been an independent organization, and in the reorganization of the guard in 1881 it retained its designation as the Sixth Separate Com- pany. It numbers at present 103 members, all of a superior order of intelligence, and belonging to the best social class of Troy, where the company occupies a position similar to that of the Seventh Regiment of New York. It is exceedingly well drilled both in marching and the manual, and its appearance resembles that of a regular company more than any other National Guard organization which has come un- der our notice. On the first parade, although split up into two halves posted on the right and left of the line, its trim appearance, the steadi
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ness of the men, and the excellent and uniform cadence of the manual contrasted favorably with that of the balance of the command, and the soldierly, respectful bearing of the men, and their universally prompt and correct salutes won for it the favorable opinion of all from the beginning. They made mistakes from the first sergeant down, but these were of a minor nature, and the men are sufficiently intelligent when an error is pointed out to them not to repeat it. The company was not required to march on its regular daily guard detail, but on Tuesday, July 17, furnished the entire guard, marching on guard mounting divided into four details, and executing the ceremony, with the exception of a few unimportant mistakes, in as handsome a man- ner as has ever been witnessed here. The sentry duty during the twenty-four hours' tour of duty was equal to the best performance at this camp. The men were closely questioned during the night as to their orders and duties, and the answers rendered were highly satisfactory under the circumstances. There was no unnecessary calling for the corporal, and when such calls were made the tone of voice was no louder than was necessary in order to be heard by the next sentry. The company was mainly exercised in skirmish drills, which was the very thing required, their drill in the manual and school of the com- pany being entirely up to the standard, and good enough for all prac- tical purposes, as well as for show. The company records are very full and kept in uniform and handsome style. The men, although they did things generally very thoroughly, went about it very quietly, and everything was done in a soldierly, gentlemanly manner. Their full dress uniform is red, similar to the British, but here in camp a dark single-breasted frock coat with dark and sometimes white pants were worn, which looked very solid. The only ornaments are brass , shoulder scales of the same pattern as formerly worn in the army by sergeants. The uniform contrasted favorably with the red trimmed swallow-tail dress coat of the Ninth, which latter looks more like the dress of a band than that of a practical soldier. The appearance of the officers is marred by the addition of a bunch of black cock-feathers on the top of their white summer helmets. As this looks positively ridiculous we advise them to take the feathers off. The company stood a very creditable inspection, the men are well set up, their clothing fits properly, their accoutrements are clean and well adjusted, their movements are quick, snappy and regular, and they have succeeded in establishing the reputation of a first-class organization. It was hardly fair to split them up on every occasion of ceremony."
From the Times, Aug. 20. Our camp correspondent writes under date of yesterday :
"There was a fine company drill before breakfast, the wide parade grounds giving ample room for skirmish movements, for which the 'cave' in River street hardly gives opportunity. At 10:35 o'clock the company fell into line for battalion drill. The drill was very fine,
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many of the battalion evolutions being difficult and imposing. The second company is taken from the left of the line, where the small men are placed, and its usual name in the corps is 'the ponies.' The others are styled 'the giraffes.'
" A veteran officer of high rank declared he never met anything in the volunteer or regular service equal to our Corps. Then the captain has had commendations innumerable from the Governor, prominent officials in the State service and military visitors. It is evident that the Troy citizen soldiers have made a favorable impression.
"This afternoon a party of nine made a flying excursion to West Point. The citizen soldiers learned something of the strict discipline and machine-like accuracy of the academy drill. The visitors re- ceived courteous attentions from the cadets. Another party char- tered a boat for Iona Island. A very droll thing to hear is one of the new things the lads have picked up. It consists first of a song (?) to this effect-
" There is a bird on the mountain top, And when he flies his wing goes flop "-
" Then in a staccato recitative-' E-a-g-l-e,' and then a regular plan- tation double shuffle of a dozen steps. Executed by a score or more by moonlight, it is irresistible.
" I cannot close without expressing my acknowledgments to the Cap- tain and Lieut. Thompson, and to Col. Phisterer, Adjutant of the Post, for courtesies extended." H. P. J.
The Corps were relieved by Co. B of Albany, Saturday afternoon, July 21, and at once embarked for home on the Belle Horton. The voyage was pleasant, but monot- onous, the only incident being the landing at Pough- keepsie. Troy was reached at 3 o'clock Sunday morning, and the sleepy soldiers at once dispersed to their homes. The cruel war was over.
COMMENTS BY THE PRESS.
From the New York Herald: "The Sixth Separate Company of Troy, inspected 103, with 88 present. This was really a model infantry company in many respects. Its discipline was admirable, its sentry duty almost perfect, and the behavior of the men generally, when on or off duty, all that could be desired of soldiers."
From the Army and Navy Journal: "The separate companies in every instance were ahead of the regiments they served with-a state of affairs not very creditable to the city regiments-but nevertheless true. The Sixth Company of Troy was excellent in every respect. Company B of the Tenth Battalion of Albany is entitled to the next place, the Twentieth Company last."
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From a local paper: " If you should meet a citizen of dignified car- riage and martial accuracy of movement, but with sunburned face and the circumference of his blistered neck a-peeling to pity, do not ask him if he has been at the seashore. He represents red-visaged war, and has recently arrived from Peekskill. It is not true that he will always get up at five o'clock in the morning."
From the Albany Press : "No company in the famous Ninth Regi- ment of New York could compare with the Citizens Corps of Troy in discipline while at the State camp."
The story of the week at Peekskill perhaps cannot bet- ter be ended than by quoting from the annual report of Inspector General Philip H. Briggs, for 1883 :
SIXTH SEPARATE COMPANY.
"Mustered at the State camp. Arms excellent as to cleanliness, ser- viceable, a few pieces too heavy in trigger pull ; accoutrements and equipments in good condition and properly adjusted ; brasses clean ; overcoats rolled and strapped in knapsacks ; discipline, military ap- pearance and steadiness, excellent; ceremonies, school of the company and battalion, manual, loading and firing, guard duty and military courtesy, very good ; great attention is paid to the setting up and in- struction of recruits, and to theoretical instruction and recitation. This command has not only maintained its high standing and reputation as to its personnel, discipline and esprit du corps since last muster, but has steadily improved in its drill. During its tour of camp duty, from first to last, the most earnest efforts were put forth, and information eagerly sought after by officers and men, with the desire to become as proficient as possible in all the duties pertaining to field service. This is a first-class command, thoroughly reliable, effective and perfect in its organization."
RECEPTION TO THE PATERSON LIGHT GUARD.
On the 4th of September, 1883, the Paterson Light Guard of Paterson, N. J., made a short stop in Troy on their way to Saratoga. They were received and enter- tained by the Troy military and citizens. The visitors comprised a battalion of about ninety men, in two com- panies, under Major J. W. Congdon, besides a number of guests, military and civilian. The Guard were neatly uniformed in gray, and were excellently drilled. They arrived in Albany on the steamer Drew, and after break- fast took the local boat for Troy. A detachment of the Fourth Battery, posted on Starbuck's Island, greeted their arrival with a salute. At the landing was a large
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banner, with the inscription, "Troy military welcome the Paterson Light Guard of New Jersey." The Troy com- panies were drawn up on Congress street, and after the Guard had passed line of march was taken up in the fol- lowing order : Doring's Band, Tibbits Veteran Corps, Capt. Egolf ; Tibbits Cadets, Capt. Cole ; Troy Citizens Corps, Capt. Cusack ; Voss's First Regiment Band of Newark, N. J., Paterson Light Guard, Maj. Congdon ; detachment of the Fourth Battery, Lieut. Sharp. Each of the Troy companies of infantry turned out a platoon of thirty-two men, the three forming a red, white and blue division. The street parade brought up at Harmony Hall, where a collation was served. The time sped pleas- antly, with feast, toasts and wit, until the Jersymen were compelled to take their train for Saratoga. We quote from the Paterson Daily Press :
"The reception in Troy was so cordial, and the Troy military are such a good set of men, that it was impossible to get away from them in time to catch the regular train, which was to leave Troy for Sara- toga at 3:10 o'clock P. M. A special train was accordingly ordered, and the company which was to receive us in Saratoga was tele- graphed to the effect that we should not arrive there for several hours after the appointed time. Finally we started at 4 o'clock, and the military of Troy gave us a rousing send-off. Never was unbounded hospitality lavished to better appreciation than in Troy on the 4th of September, 1883. Every person on this excursion will remember Troy and its citizens with the kindest feelings, and among the mem- bers of the Light Guard, Troy and its military will ever be a synonym for whole-souled generosity."
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