Handbook for Light ArtilleryDyer, A. B. (Alexander Brydie)
History
Handbook for Light Artillery
Dyer, A. B. (Alexander Brydie)
Artillery, Field and mountain
The men's tents are on either flank, the mules being picketed between
the lines of tents. The officers' tents are on a line perpendicular to
the men's tents, and about twenty-five yards from the end ones, and
face inward. The guard-tents are near the flank guns.
After unloading, girths are loosened a little, and are allowed to
remain so for fifteen minutes.
If the animals are warm they should be walked around until cool, and
may then be watered. As a rule all watering should be superintended by
an officer, and no man should be allowed to take more than two mules to
water at the same time.
When the mules are put on the picket-line, remove bridles and wipe
bits, loosen cincha a little, and place breeching over saddle, and
take off breast-strap if one be used. Sponge nostrils and eyes, rub
heads with dry wisp, and feed hay or grass. Saddles are only removed by
order; and when removed the men must examine shoulders, withers, sides,
and docks, and report the result. Backs should be rubbed off until the
hair lies smooth.
The saddles are placed on end behind the line, pads facing sun or wind
to dry. When dry they should be carefully brushed, beaten if necessary,
and all hair removed.
At afternoon stables mules are groomed, watered if necessary, and fed,
and the grain for the next morning served out and the outfit arranged
for use. In grooming never use a currycomb on the animal's back.
Saddles, back up, are on one paulin spread out between every two mules,
with bridles, etc. The other paulin is then placed over the saddles and
over the ends of the first paulin, which are turned up, and a strap is
passed around it and buckled about two feet above the ground. In wet
weather the ground on which the saddles are placed should be raised.
Grooming is the same as with horses; but mules hardly need the
elaborate grooming usually bestowed on horses.
The mule's blanket is used for his covering at night, and in hot
weather is folded up square on his back and secured there as a
protection against the sun.
Gunners will require their detachments of cannoneers to clean up guns,
etc., after a march.
All men for mountain-batteries should be picked men.
Troop "B," Fourth Cavalry, while in Arizona kept on hand ready to start
on a scouting expedition with its pack-train: flour 500 lbs., hard
bread 50 lbs., bacon 350 lbs., sugar 75 lbs., coffee 60 lbs., beans 50
lbs., salt 25 lbs., baking-powder 20 lbs.; 6 camp-kettles, 40 lbs.; 2
mess-boxes, 150 lbs.; 20 mess-pans, 10 lbs.; 1 axe, 1 spade, small
coffee-mill, 2 butcher-knives, 2 long forks, 2 long spoons, 3 or 4
tin plates, 3 frying-pans, soap, pepper, matches, and a few farrier's
remedies. The baking-pans were circular, 12 inches in diameter at top
and 9 at bottom.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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