Camp Protocols -1st Call - 2nd Call - Fall IN

[ericmaggard]

Camp Protocols
Does anyone have specifics for how 1st call was called:

I understand 1st call was yelled out at 15 minutes prior to formation. 2nd call was called out at 5 minutes to formation. Then the command "Fall in" to form up in formation.

Was this done by company or by Regiment?

Did the company musician sound this off by drum and fife?

How should this be conducted in the Reenacting world?

Such as " 1st call".

[Kevin O'Beirne]

Re: Camp Protocols -1st Call - 2nd Call - Fall IN

You need to obtain and read the followiing books, as a basic starting point:

US Army Regulations of 1861.

Kautz's two "Customs of Service" books, particularly the one for NCOs and soldiers.

Dom Dal Bello's "Parade, Inspection, and Basic Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion", and "Instructions for Guards and Pickets".

The basic info you seek, and much, much more useful information that can be applied in reenacting in an easy, practical sense, is contained in those works.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Camp Protocols -1st Call - 2nd Call - Fall IN

A bugler is a terrible thing to waste.

[BrianHicks]

1st Call, 2d Call- The sequence of musical calls for forming a Battalion or Regiment

There was a question a day or two ago, on the sequence for forming the Battalion/Regiment.

As I understand it, this is the sequence of Musical Calls, which will be sounded for the forming of the unit:

Each Call is to be sounded 10 – 15 Minutes apart.

The calls (in order) are:

1. “The General” (this is to be played when the tents are to be struck, and the camp broken down)
-When the camp is to remain in place: “Musicians Call” will be played, vice ‘The General’

2. “The Assembly” --The Company forms between Musicians Call and is to be on line by the last note of ‘Assembly’.

3. “To The Color” – When this call is sounded, the individual Companies will begin marching to the Color Line to form the Battalion or Regimental Line.

Notes:

When forming for a formal Parade or other ceremony, the U.S. Army Regulations specify that the 3d call is to be “Adjutants Call” vice ‘To The Color’.

When forming for the Morning parade (Troop) or evening parade (Retreat), “The Assembly” is to be played 30 Minutes before the parade is to be formed on the Color Line. “Adjutants Call” will be 10 minutes later, this allowing for 20 minutes to get all the Companies moved to the Color Line, and formed.

The sources for the above information are:

Kautz, Customs of Service for the NCO and Soldier, para. 428
U.S. Army Regulations, para. 339
Hardee, Vol. 1, pg 219
Casey, Vol. 1, pg 230