5th Regiment Virginia Militia
March 5, 1813
Brigade Orders. Head Quarters 5th March, 1813.
To preserved uniformity and order in the course of duty the General directs the following instructions to be pursued. He does not mean however, to restrain commandants of Regiment and Companies from adopting regulations, (not inconsistent therewith.) as they may deem proper for the internal police of their respective commands, on the contrary he invites their particular attention to the adoption of such requisitions, as are likely to maintain the neatness, regularity and order of the men.
Ar. 1st. The Revelie will beat at gun five and the troops will rise and dress.
Article 2nd. Half an hour afterwards the commandant of companies will cause the rolls to be called before their respective quarters (in bad weather in their quarters) & dismiss the men to get their breakfast and prepare their arms & persons for the day.
Ar. 3rd. At 9 o'clock until 22 March and afterwards at 8 o'clock in the morning the will beat and the whole will fall in with their arms in Regimental order at their Regimental parade, the rolls will then be called under the eyes of the commanding officer present and the arms & dress of the men intended for duty will be strictly inspected by him and seen to be neat and clean.
Ar. 4th. The Regiment will then be detached except those intended for duty that day.
Ar. 5th. These detached for duty will then be formed by the adjutant & march to the regimental ground of parade where the guards will be turned off before the officers of the day and march to their respective posts. All officers not on duty are to attend as spectators on the grand parade.
Ar. 6th. At half after 10 o'clock the officers of the second regiment not on duty will assemble on Smiths Point in Norfolk, where they will be trained by the brigadier inspector for one hour. The officers of the third regiment not on duty, will at half after 4 o'clock in the afternoon assemble at the Court House in Portsmouth and be trained for the same space of time. The Brigadier Inspector will retreat to some retired place, and keep off all spectators; when the Brigade Inspector shall not attend the commanding officers present shall designate an officer to conduct the training. At half after two each day, the non-commissioned officers will assemble on their regimental parade, when the adjutants of their respective Regimens will drill them for one hour. The commandants of Regiments will direct the time and manner of conducting the company drills, which shall be made early. At sunset the retreat will beat, the men will fall in on their Regimental parade, with arms, the rolls will be called, the orders of the day read, the men warned who are for duty on the next day & the troops then dismissed, till the 22nd day of March at 8 o'clock at night, and after that day at 9 o'clock the tattoo will beat, at which time the company rolls will be called in quarters and the men retire to rest till revilie next morning. The orderly sergeant will regularly report to the commanding officer of the company. At the same hour the officers on guard will give out the countersign to their sentinels. No officer on duty is to appear without uniform. The adjutants will receive no man for guard duty who is not in his person and arms neat and in good condition, but will send him back to his company, where the commanding officer will furnish one in proper condition.
There shall be detailed by the adjutants from each Regiment an officer of the day, of the rank of Captain, and an officer of the police from the line of subalterns to be duty for twenty four hours. It shall be the duty of the officer of the day to attend to the regularity and discipline of the whole camp, to see that the grounds & sentinels are properly posted, and do their duty; and once at least during the day, and once at least during the night, varying his hour, he shall go the rounds and see that the guards are alert in their duty. He is to receive all reports in camp and communicate any extraordinary occurrence, immediately, to the commanding officer of the Brigade. It shall be the duty of the police officers to superintend the regimental police, to visit the barracks, and see that they are kept clean and ventilated; that the provisions are good in themselves, and properly dressed for the men – that sinks for the men be at proper distances from the Barracks, and at proper times filled up and in general to attend to every circumstance by which the cleanliness of the camp and consequently the health of the men can be affected.
Commandants of Regiments will dispense with the mens turning out on their regimental parade in foul weather. The system of Gen’l Alexander Smythe adopted for the description and the instruction of the united states army will be pursued in this, with this exception; that the companies will usually be formed in two and not in three ranks, though occasionally formed and exercised in three.
By order of the Brigadier.
(Signed) James Morris B. Insp.
(After Orders)
Head Quarters March 5, 1813.
Brigade Orders.
Col. Boykin will detail for fatigue duty one Captain, two subalterns with a corresponding number of commissioned officers & one hundred privates to be at Fort Nelson by ‘ o'clock tomorrow morning. Col. Sharp will detail the same number of officers and men for the works at Norfolk to meet at the same hour. Col. Clark will detail one captain, one lieutenant, and a proper number of non commissioned officers and eighty men to work on the defenses of their camp. The fatigue parties will be entitled to additional pay & be allowed double rations of spirits. The Brigadier Gen’l will march at the head of the fatigue party in Norfolk and partake it labour. The military agent will instantly bricats or drag ropes for two six pounders for Capt. Critchlaw’s artillery & harness if they be unprovided. Col. Freeman will proceed instantly as he was personally directed to-day to execute the following duties. To construct a on the spot agreed on between him and the general this morning, to cover the reverse of Fort Nelson. The angle to be 90 degrees and the fans to contain sixty men & one nine pounder, each to protect the head of the fan, as far as practicable. The wall of the Brick Barrack outside the fort will be perforated on the south end & west side so as to allow a fire of musquetry. To mount five twenty four pounders on the southernest corner out of the present Fort four twenty four pounders in the northernest corner out of the present Fort at the several points this day agreed on between him and the general. He will instantly furnish a sufficient supply of cartridges and hand grenades for Fort Norfolk – That the guns with defective wheels are to be immediately mounted on sound iron or wooden ones. A Jack screw is to be sent to Fort Norfolk for that purpose. The Banquets at Fort Nelson will be raised so as to be only four feet four inchs lower than the rampart. The defense for the rear of Fort Norfolk to be constructed on the plan agreed on between him and the general this morning.
By order of the Brigadier.
(Signed) James Morris.
Brig. Insp.
More Orders
Source of Information
Virginia Regiment, 5th. Regimental order book, 1813. Accession 38140. Organization records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 26 - 31.