Non-Commissioned Officers.

78. It is enjoined upon all officers to be cautious in reproving noncommissioned officers in the presence or hearing of privates, lest their authority be weakened; and non-commissioned officers are not to be sent to the guard-room and mixed with privates during confinement, but to be considered as placed in arrest, except in aggravated cases, where escape may be apprehended.

79. Non-commissioned officers may be reduced to the ranks by the sentence of a court-martial, or by order of the commander of the regiment on the application of the company commander. If reduced to the ranks by garrison courts, at posts not the head-quarters of the regiment, the company commander will immediately forward a transcript of the order to the regimental commander.

80. Every non-commissioned officer shall be furnished with a certificate or warrant of his rank, signed by the colonel and countersigned by the adjutant. Blank warrants, on parchment, are furnished from the Adjutant-General's office. The first, or orderly sergeant, will be selected by the captain from the sergeants.

81. When it is desired to have bands of music for regiments, there will be allowed for each, sixteen privates to act as musicians, in addition to the chief musicians authorized by law, provided the total number of privates in the regiment, including the band, does not exceed the legal standard. Regimental commanders will without delay designate the proportion to be subtracted from each company for a band, and the "number of recruits required" will be reported accordingly. The companies from which the non-commissioned officers of bands for artillery regiments shall be deducted, will in like manner be designated, and vacancies left accordingly. At the artillery school, Fort Monroe, the non-commissioned officers and privates of the band, will be apportioned among the companies serving at the post.

82. The musicians of the band will, for the time being, be dropped from company muster-rolls, but they will be instructed as soldiers, and liable to serve in the ranks on any occasion. They will be mustered in a separate squad under the chief musician, with the non-commissioned staff, and be included in the aggregate in all regimental returns.

83. When a regiment occupies several stations, the band will be kept at the head-quarters, provided troops (one or more companies) be serving there. The field music belonging to companies not stationed at regimental head-quarters will not be separated from their respective companies.

84. No man, unless he be a carpenter, joiner, carriage-maker, blacksmith, saddler, or harness-maker, will be mustered as an "artificer." 85. Every article, excepting arms and accoutrements, belonging to the regiment, is to be marked with the number and name of the regiment.

Non-Commissioned Officers.-Post Books.

36. Such articles as belong to companies are to be marked with the letter of the company, and number and name of the regiment; and such as belong to men, with their individual numbers, and the letter of the company.

87. All orders and circulars from general, department, division, or brigade head-quarters, will be tied together in book form, and properly indexed as they are received; and. afterwards bound in volumes of convenient size.

88. The books for each regiment shall be as follows:

1. Regimental Order Book, of three quires of paper, 16 inches by 10 inches, to contain regimental orders, with an index.

2. Letter Book, of three quires of paper, 16 inches by 10 inches, to contain the correspondence of the commanding officer on regimental subjects, with an index.

3. An index of letters required to be kept on file, in the following form:

The date of receipt should be indorsed on all letters. They should be numbered to correspond with the index, and filed in regular order, for easy reference.

4. Descriptive Book, of five quires of paper, 16 inches by 10 inches, to contain a list of the officers of the regiment, with their rank, and dates of appointment, and promotions; transfers, leaves of absence, and places and dates of birth. To contain, also, the names of all enlisted soldiers, entered according to priority of enlistments, giving their description, the dates and periods of their enlistment; and, under the head of remarks, the cause of discharge, character, death, desertion, transfer, actions in which engaged, &c.; in short, every thing relating to their military history. This book to be indexed, and when filled, and no longer needed with the company, to be forwarded to the Adjutant-General's office. One copy of the monthly returns will be filed.

POST BOOKS.

89. The following books will be kept at each post: a Morning Report Book, a Guard Report Book, an Order Book, a Letter Book, each two quires foolscap; also copies of the monthly post returns

Companies.

ARTICLE XIII.

COMPANIES.

90. The captain will cause the men of the company to be numbered, in a regular series, including the non-commissioned officers, and divided into four squads, each to be put under the charge of a non-commissioned officer.

91. Each subaltern officer will be charged with a squad for the supervision of its order and cleanliness; and captains will require their lieutenants to assist them in the performance of all company duties.

92. As far as practicable, the men of each squad will be quartered together.

93. The utmost attention will be paid by commanders of companies to the cleanliness of their men, as to their persons, clothing, arms, accoutrements, and equipments, and also as to their quarters or tents.

94. The name of each soldier will be labeled on his bunk, and his com pany number will be placed against his arms and accoutrements.

95. The arms will be placed in the arm-racks, the stoppers in the muzzles, the cocks let down, and the bayonets in their scabbards; the accoutrements suspended over the arms, and the swords hung up by the belts on pegs.

96. The knapsack of each man will be placed on the lower shelf of his bunk, at its foot, packed with his effects, and ready to be slung; the great-coat on the same shelf, rolled and strapped; the coat, folded inside out, and placed under the knapsack; the cap on the second or upper shelf; and the boots well cleaned.

97. Dirty clothes will be kept in an appropriate part of the knapsack; no article of any kind to be put under the bedding.

98. Cooking utensils and table equipage will be cleaned and arranged in closets or recesses; blacking and brushes out of view; the fuel in boxes.

99. Ordinarily the cleaning will be on Saturdays. The chiefs of squads will cause bunks and bedding to be overhauled; floors dry rubbed; tables and benches scoured; arms cleaned; accoutrements whitened and polished, and every thing put in order.

100. Where conveniences for bathing are to be had, the men should bathe once or twice a week. The feet to be washed at least twice a week. The hair kept short, and beard neatly trimmed.

101. Non-commissioned officers, in command of squads, will be held more immediately responsible that their men observe what is prescribed above; that they wash their hands and faces daily; that they brush or

Companies.

comb their heads; that those who are to go on duty put their arms, accoutrements, dress, &c., in the best order, and that such as have permission to pass the chain of sentinels are in the dress that may be ordered.

102. Commanders of companies and squads will see that the arms and accoutrements in possession of the men are always kept in good order, and that proper care be taken in cleaning them.

103. When belts are given to a soldier, the captain will see that they are properly fitted to the body; and it is forbidden to cut any belt without his sanction.

104. Cartridge-boxes and bayonet-scabbards will be polished with blacking; varnish is injurious to the leather, and will not be used.

105. All arms in the hands of the troops, whether browned or bright, will be kept in the state in which they are issued by the Ordnance Department. Arms will not be taken to pieces without permission of a commissioned officer. Bright barrels will be kept clean and free from rust without polishing them; care should be taken in rubbing not to bruise or bend the barrel. After firing, wash out the bore; wipe it dry, and then pass a bit of cloth, slightly greased, to the bottom. In these operations, a rod of wood with a loop in one end is to be used instead of the rammer. The barrel, when not in use, will be closed with a stopper. For exercise, each soldier should keep himself provided with a piece of sole leather to fit the cup or countersink of the hammer.

(For care of arms in service, see Ordnance Manual, page 185, &c.) 106. Arms shall not be left loaded in quarters or tents, or when the men are off duty, except by special orders.

107. Ammunition issued will be inspected frequently. Each man will be made to pay for the rounds expended without orders, or not in the way of duty, or which may be damaged or lost by his neglect.

108. Ammunition will be frequently exposed to the dry air, or sunned. 109. Special care shall be taken to ascertain that no ball-cartridges are mixed with the blank cartridges issued to the men.

110. All knapsacks are to be painted black. Those for the artillery will be marked in the centre of the cover with the number of the regiment only, in figures of one inch and a half in length, of the character called full face, with yellow paint. Those for the infantry will be marked in the same way, in white paint. Those for the ordnance will be marked with two cannon, crossing; the cannon to be seven and a half inches in length, in yellow paint, to resemble those on the cap. The knapsack straps will be black.

111. The knapsacks will also be marked upon the inner side with the letter of the company and the number of the soldier, on such part as may be readily observed at inspections

Soldiers' Mess.

112. Haversacks will be marked upon the flap with the number and name of the regiment, the letter of the company, and number of the soldier, in black letters and figures. And each soldier must, at all times, be provided with a haversack and canteen, and will exhibit them at all inspections. It will be worn on the left side on marches, guard, and when paraded for detached service-the canteen outside the haversack.

113. The front of the drums will be painted with the arms of the United States, on a blue field for the infantry, and on a red field for the artillery. The letter of the company and number of the regiment, under the arms, in a scroll.

114. Officers at their stations, in camp or in garrison, will always wear their proper uniform.

115. Soldiers will wear the prescribed uniform in camp or garrison, and will not be permitted to keep in their possession any other clothing. When on fatigue parties, they will wear the proper fatigue dress.

116. In camp or barracks, the company officers must visit the kitchen daily and inspect the kettles, and at all times carefully attend to the messing and economy of their respective companies. The commanding officer of the post or regiment will make frequent inspections of the kitchens and messes. These duties are of the utmost importance-not to be neglected.

117. The bread must be thoroughly baked, and not eaten until it is cold. The soup must be boiled at least five hours, and the vegetables always cooked sufficiently to be perfectly soft and digestible.

118. Messes will be prepared by privates of squads, including private musicians, each taking his tour. The greatest care will be observed in washing and scouring the cooking utensils; those made of brass and copper should be lined with tin.

119. The messes of prisoners will be sent to them by the cooks.

120. No persons will be allowed to visit or remain in the kitchens, except such as may come on duty, or be occupied as cooks. The kitchen should always be under the particular charge of a non-commissioned officer.

121. Those detailed for duty in the kitchens will also be required to keep the furniture of the mess-room in order.

122. On marches and in the field, the only mess furniture of the soldier will be one tin plate, one tin cup, one knife, fork, and spoon, to each man, to be carried by himself on the march.

123. Tradesmen may be relieved from ordinary military duty to make, to alter, or to mend soldiers' clothing, &c. Company commanders wil fix the rates at which work shall be done, and cause the men, for whose benefit it is done, to pay for it at the next pay day.