Which drill manual?

[Co D-1st FL]

My unit is hosting its 150th anniversary next year. This coincides with the 150th anniversary of the founding of our city. The unit is the Walton Guards, the location was Camp Walton now Ft Walton Bch, FL.

The unit was sent down from the north end of Walton County to guard the narrows, part of the inter-coastal waterway leading to Pensacola.

We know that the men were farmers with no prior military training. We also know that they spent most of their time drilling and that they were not issued muskets. The only weapons they had were the few they brought from home, flintlocks, shotguns and a boys rifle and bowie knives.

Does anyone have any information on the drill manual that would have been used by Florida troops in March of 1861? So far I know of 3 possibilities Scott’s 1830, Cooper’s 1849 or Hardee’s 1855 just not sure if any of these were used or something else.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Jim

[DougCooper]

Jim - I would not discount Gilham's as a possibility either - very popular with militia units all over the country. There were also any number of extracts from these manuals that were used for portions of the drill as well. What is leading you to suspect the 3 you mentioned as possibilities? Normally, the best sources for this info is diaries or letters, but you might also check the Adjutant General's reports and any documentation surrounding the creation of the unit. I am not aware of any document that states this or that manual was to be used by Florida troops in 1861, but we have a number of smart Florida researchers on here.

[gsusat]

While there are other manuals - I think it will still boil down to the three mentioned. Remember that Gilham's is a copy of Hardee - manual of arms and the other infantry schools. It also has the manual of arms added from Scott. I am not sure how they chose which manual of arms to use.

Out in Arkansas during the first year of the war they started with Scott's and soon thereafter switched to Hardee's. Georgia adopted Gilhams for their state in 1861.

Scotts was printed up untill the war so there are later copies than the 1830 manual. Cooper may be a simplification of Scotts - I need to go check.

Food for thought

George Susat

[Daniel]

I am not sure about Florida, but in Tennessee I came across a requistion for two copies of Hardee's Tactics. This was in May of 1861.

Dan Stewart

[floridawar]

Hello Jim.

I cannot state with any certainty which drill was used at Camp Walton early in '61, but I have found some evidence of the use of Hardee's manual in south Florida during the year. From the records of Major W. Bowen of the 4th Infantry I culled the following data regarding his command of Fort Brooke on Tampa Bay in September, 1861 (two cos. 4th Florida):

On September 27, 1861 he published his General Orders setting down the daily schedule for the troops. Thenceforth, reveille was to be called at 7 o’clock AM, Retreat was to be held at sunset, and tattoo, at which the men were to all have retired to their quarters, was called at 9 PM. All lights were to be out and the men silent after 10 PM. Each company was to have a roll call at reveille, retreat, and tattoo. Each guard mount was to be posted an hour after retreat at sunset, and remain on duty until an hour before reveille, or 6 o’clock AM.
The daily roll calls, certified by each company’s Captain and First Sergeant, were to be reported to Bowen’s headquarters immediately after the reveille roll call each day, and all absent men reported. At the company level, the captains were also to number their men in a regular series, according to their stature. Each was to also divide his company into four administrative squads to be supervised by an NCO. For military instruction four hours of infantry drill were prescribed for the troops, using “Hardee’s Light Infantry Tactics.” The companies were to drill for two hours in the fore-noon, and two more hours in the afternoon.

IN early 1862 Robert Watson of Co. K, 7th Florida noted in his diary that while at Ft. Brooke his company too was exercised with the "zouave drill" with the bayonet. Long story short, Hardee's was employed in Florida... and this is the most specific reference I've seen yet.