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Booklet About Advanced Guards for Picket Post

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  • Booklet About Advanced Guards for Picket Post

    Attached to this post is the first look at the booklet I compiled for the upcoming Picket Post. When you click on it, you will see it is formattted for viewing on a computer screen. Tonight, I will upload two more files and provide instruction for how to print the files as a single booklet.

    [NOTE FROM 2019 : Follow this link for the attachment rather than using the attachment at the bottom of this thread : http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...ostRegular.pdf There is a minor formatting error in the original which I corrected and noted a litte farther down in this thread from 2016. - Silas]

    I have another booklet available which is much wider in scope than this new booklet. That one covered police guards, pickets, camps and marches. This new booklet has a much narrower focus. It only covers advanced guards aka pickets, but does such in much greater detail than my other booklet.

    The idea for this new booklet derives from information provided by Sam Cathey for a Southern Guard Picket Post I attended back in 2004. He gathered information, boiled it down and simplified it. You can view his information here as it is still online :


    I thought it was pretty good, but like original text and the ability to go back to the source to view the context of the text. So, what I did was go back to Sam's document and found the original sources for his work. When I thought the original text made more sense than his simplified text, I used original. In reviewing the original sources, I found some other great stuff which seemed like a good idea to add. I also went beyond the sources he used because so many good things are more readily available now than they were in 2004.

    A real problem with the original texts is than every author seemed to like his system better than other systems. Generally, they are all very similar. Frequently, they use different names to describe the same duties. Another confusion is using the same names for different duties. What I did was use the most common set of terms then changed the original text to reflect the common use.

    For example, the most commonly used terms for the outmost lines are sentinels, outposts and reserve. Sometimes the outmost line was called pickets. The next line supports. The next line grand guards and behind them could be a body called pickets. Going from one source to another gets very confusing.

    I kept sentinels, outposts and reserve which are the terms we will use for Picket Post. I changed the original text to reflect these changes, but I left a citation in my text so the reader could easily locate the original text if needed. I made the changes so that participants will use the same terms without confusing other participants. Because people don't always read this stuff, I included some period illustrations which show these concepts.

    After a general introduction, highlighted areas included : duties of sentinels, duties of outposts, duties of the reserve, duties of officers and duties of patrols. It also includes instruction for performing guard mount, grand rounds and challenges. I have also tossed in some instruction about forming companies which Hardee and Casey should have included in their manuals. (It also includes how to place the corporals from the only source I've encountered about same.)

    Although this isn't a drill booklet, some manual of arms is necessary for things which we will be doing and which are often done incorrectly by even the authentic community. You'll find text and illustrations for support, present, port, and parade rest. Officers get some help with how to salute properly and not like a character from a Three Musketeers movie.

    Going through many original texts really helped me understand what we will be doing at this event. I'm really looking forward to this event as the 2004 Picket Post was one of the best events I've done in the hobby. I hoping this one will be even better. This booklet is me sharing some fundament concepts and some kewl stuff I've found. I could easily have made my booklet twice its current size, but not too many people would read, let alone use, such a ponderous document. Enjoy.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by Silas; 06-24-2019, 07:51 PM.
    Silas Tackitt,
    one of the moderators.

    Click here for a link to forum rules - or don't at your own peril.

  • #2
    Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

    Thanks so much Silas. This will be very helpful for those that have never done a picket post. I agree the 2004 SG picket post was one of the best events ever.
    Ken Cornett
    MESS NO.1
    Founding Member
    OHIO
    Mason Lodge #678, PM
    Need Rules?

    Comment


    • #3
      Printing the file as a booklet

      Two things.

      First, I noticed a formatting error when the document was saved as a pdf. I have fixed the error and am adding the revised "regular" file here : 2ColPicketPostRegular.pdf UNLESS YOU WANT TO VIEW A SLIGHTLY FLAWED VERSION, DON'T USE THE FILE WHICH I INCLUDED IN MY FIRST POST. USE THE "REGULAR" VERSION ATTACHED TO THIS CURRENT POST. Like the other version, it can be viewed on your computer.

      Second, here are the "odd" and "even" files which can create a booklet that is easier to carry in the field than your home computer or tablet. I just printed a booklet with these two files so I know it works. There are a few steps.

      (A) With a pencil, draw a short arrow on the top page of your printer paper. The arrow indicates the direction your printer loads the paper.
      (B) Print the "odd" file : 2ColPicketPostOdds.pdf Make sure your print properties are for landscape/horizontal print and for single sided printing.
      (C) Remove the printed off file from your tray and reverse the order of the sheets. I placed the stack to my left and transferred the top sheet to the right. Then I transferred the second sheet from the left to the right until the order of the stack was reversed.
      (D) To print the other side of the booklet, place the stack back into your printer on top of the fresh sheets for printing.
      (F) Print the evens : 2ColPicketPostEvens.pdf
      (G) Reverse the order again just like in Step C.

      This worked for me and is exactly what I did. I tried a couple different ways which just didn't work. Since this one did, I'm passing it along.
      Last edited by Silas; 03-07-2016, 10:11 PM.
      Silas Tackitt,
      one of the moderators.

      Click here for a link to forum rules - or don't at your own peril.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

        Really great stuff, Silas, and you have compiled a tome for future use that encompasses the best of all sources.

        Study up on this, gents.
        Ivan Ingraham
        AC Moderator

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

          Well done Mr. Tackitt. Very well researched and referenced. Your diagrams are very clear, and your method of forming the Company has to be the most clearly written example I have seen. I will be making some of these up for Co. E 9th TN. Looking forward to the event.
          Scott Sheets
          Joliet, IL

          36th Illinois
          Dirty Shirts

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

            Thank you very much Mr. Tackitt. I had just been delving into picket, guard, etc. when Scott Sheets referred me to your manual. It will be very helpful I think.

            In printing off your manual, I scanned the final version so that other people can avoid having to print the odds, evens, flipping, etc. All you have to do in this version is print it double sided as is and you will have a nice looking booklet. I could not attach it since it was a 10mb image, so I uploaded it to google drive and shared it via the link below. If anyone has trouble accessing it or printing it, let me know.

            Bryce "Festus" Hartranft
            Woodtick Mess

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

              Thanks. I'm just now seeing this. I've been on the road since 12 May and have only glanced at the forum during such time. I'll take a gander at what you've created later this week after I finally get home and clear my head from my extended sojourn.

              Root, hog, or die!
              Silas Tackitt,
              one of the moderators.

              Click here for a link to forum rules - or don't at your own peril.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Booklet about Advanced Guards for Picket Post

                Awesome as always sir! Thank you.
                Your humble servant....
                Sean Collicott
                [URL="www.sallyportmess.itgo.com"]Sally Port Mess[/URL]
                [URL="http://oldnorthwestvols.org/onv/index.php"]Old Northwest Volunteers[/URL]

                Comment

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