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hm_jollies2012-03-17 09:18 pm
sharpiefan) wrote in hm_jollies2012-03-17 09:18 pm
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Of Corporals
From A Military Treatise... by J. MacIntire.
When a Vacancy for a Corporal happens on board, I would propose that the Commanding Officer of the Detachment should recommend to the Colonel at Quarters the best Soldier he has, to fill up that Station, and every Officer to be strictly upon his honour in giving a just Character of the Person whom he recommends; such Person to be examined at the nearest Head Quarters by a good Adjutant, before he is promoted. A Scheme of this Nature, in my Opinion, would be of Service; because every good Soldier would exert himself, in Hopes of Promotion, by seeing his comrades provided for if deserving.
A Soldier should have some Hope given him, of which if you deprive him, he will have no Soul. I have seen Soldiers who have acted in the Station of Corporals a-board many Months with Reputation, that were never recommended to the Colonel at Quarters; Corporals were sent on board to fill up the Vacancies, the acting ones degraded, by which they lost their Spirit, and never afterwards appeared like Soldiers; owing to their Disappointment, and (of Course) Dislike to the Service.
As the Order and Discipline of a Detachment, in a great Measure, depends on good Corporals, we must recommend such as are not addicted to Drinking or Gaming, who keep their Arms, &c. in good Order; love to appear clean, and are perfect Masters of the Exercise. Such Men should first be made lance Corporals, to recommend them for further Advancement; and while they are in that Station, a good Serjeant must teach them what they are deficient in, that the Officer may have Credit in recommending them at Quarters.
M. de Bombelles, Tom I Page 13
A Corporal should keep a very strict Watch, and embrace every Opportunity of exercising the young Recruits in loading and firing well: He must post the Centinels, deliver their Orders to them clear and distinct, explain the Nature of their Duty, and convince them that the Surety of their Posts consists intirely in their Care and Vigilance; that they must never suffer any one but a Serjeant or a Corporal to relieve them; that they ought never to quit their Arms, nor suffer any-body to lay hold of them; that they are forbid, on pain of Death, to sleep upon their Posts; that they must never take off their Hats, or touch their Caps, to any Person when under Arms. He must teach them how to challenge Boats in the Night, and acquaint the Quarter-Deck of any Thing extraordinary they see or hear: He should inform them that a Centinel, when taken sick, should send to the Serjeant or the Corporal of the Watch, and beg to be relieved, but not to abandon his Post on any Account; and that all Soldiers who quit their Posts, through Cowardice or Treachery, shall suffer Death
A Corporal is not only to give his Orders, but see them punctually obeyed: And whenever the Men appear dirty under Arms (having had Time to get clean) he is the Person to be blamed. If the Serjeant should give a wrong Order to the Corporal, he must not hesitate, but obey it immediately; in which Case the Serjeant, and not he, will be blamed.
All Corporals must shew a good Example to the private Men, but never drink or game with them; they must not even be free but with Men of the best Character, who will scorn to make a bad Use of this Freedom; for 'tis always observed, that too much Familiarity breeds Contempt. They are to treat the Soldiers, in general, with good Nature, and try every Method to make them fond of the Service.
(Added here because hell: Article 27, of the Articles of War: No person in or belonging to the fleet shall sleep upon his watch, or negligently perform the duty imposed on him, or forsake his station, upon pain of death, or such other punishment as a court martial shall think fit to impose, and as the circumstances of the case shall require.)
When a Vacancy for a Corporal happens on board, I would propose that the Commanding Officer of the Detachment should recommend to the Colonel at Quarters the best Soldier he has, to fill up that Station, and every Officer to be strictly upon his honour in giving a just Character of the Person whom he recommends; such Person to be examined at the nearest Head Quarters by a good Adjutant, before he is promoted. A Scheme of this Nature, in my Opinion, would be of Service; because every good Soldier would exert himself, in Hopes of Promotion, by seeing his comrades provided for if deserving.
A Soldier should have some Hope given him, of which if you deprive him, he will have no Soul. I have seen Soldiers who have acted in the Station of Corporals a-board many Months with Reputation, that were never recommended to the Colonel at Quarters; Corporals were sent on board to fill up the Vacancies, the acting ones degraded, by which they lost their Spirit, and never afterwards appeared like Soldiers; owing to their Disappointment, and (of Course) Dislike to the Service.
As the Order and Discipline of a Detachment, in a great Measure, depends on good Corporals, we must recommend such as are not addicted to Drinking or Gaming, who keep their Arms, &c. in good Order; love to appear clean, and are perfect Masters of the Exercise. Such Men should first be made lance Corporals, to recommend them for further Advancement; and while they are in that Station, a good Serjeant must teach them what they are deficient in, that the Officer may have Credit in recommending them at Quarters.
M. de Bombelles, Tom I Page 13
"Although the Duty of a Corporal differs in some respects from that of a Serjeant, there is nevertheless so much Connexion between them, that the one should be able to supply the Place of the other in his Absence, that nothing may obstruct the necessary Care and Duty of the Company, and the good of the Service in general; which ought to be performed without the least Impediment, and with the utmost Regularity; so that we should be careful not to make Men Corporals, but such as are brave, strong, sensible and experience Soldiers, who may in Time make good Serjeants: Besides this, the Corporal, by his Application to his Business, and his Example of Obedience and Discipline, may be of great Service to the Company, whereas the opposite Characters must have a different and destructive Effect. It is, in some Measure, on their Care and Vigilance, that important Trusts are often reposed; and therefore it is of Consequence to be careful in the Choice of proper Persons for this Employment."
A Corporal ought to be very exact in every Thing that regards the Service; be careful of the Dress, Discipline and Appearance of the Soldiers; endeavour to gain their Respect as well as Love, and be punctually obeyed by them."
A Corporal should keep a very strict Watch, and embrace every Opportunity of exercising the young Recruits in loading and firing well: He must post the Centinels, deliver their Orders to them clear and distinct, explain the Nature of their Duty, and convince them that the Surety of their Posts consists intirely in their Care and Vigilance; that they must never suffer any one but a Serjeant or a Corporal to relieve them; that they ought never to quit their Arms, nor suffer any-body to lay hold of them; that they are forbid, on pain of Death, to sleep upon their Posts; that they must never take off their Hats, or touch their Caps, to any Person when under Arms. He must teach them how to challenge Boats in the Night, and acquaint the Quarter-Deck of any Thing extraordinary they see or hear: He should inform them that a Centinel, when taken sick, should send to the Serjeant or the Corporal of the Watch, and beg to be relieved, but not to abandon his Post on any Account; and that all Soldiers who quit their Posts, through Cowardice or Treachery, shall suffer Death
A Corporal is not only to give his Orders, but see them punctually obeyed: And whenever the Men appear dirty under Arms (having had Time to get clean) he is the Person to be blamed. If the Serjeant should give a wrong Order to the Corporal, he must not hesitate, but obey it immediately; in which Case the Serjeant, and not he, will be blamed.
All Corporals must shew a good Example to the private Men, but never drink or game with them; they must not even be free but with Men of the best Character, who will scorn to make a bad Use of this Freedom; for 'tis always observed, that too much Familiarity breeds Contempt. They are to treat the Soldiers, in general, with good Nature, and try every Method to make them fond of the Service.
(Added here because hell: Article 27, of the Articles of War: No person in or belonging to the fleet shall sleep upon his watch, or negligently perform the duty imposed on him, or forsake his station, upon pain of death, or such other punishment as a court martial shall think fit to impose, and as the circumstances of the case shall require.)