FORTRESS SECURITY AND MILITARY JUSTICE AT LOUISBOURG, 1720-45

BY

MARGARET FORTIER

1980

Report H E 14

Fortress of Louisbourg

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POSTING SENTRIES

Depending on the weather, the posting of new sentries took place at each guardhouse from 12 to 24 times in the course of a tour of duty. Regulations stated that the major should indicate at the time the orders were given in the evening whether or not the usual two hour sentry duty would be shortened to one hour due to extreme cold. [1] The ordinances made no provision for sudden changes in temperature which might occur after orders were given, but an unpredictable climate such as Louisbourg's must have necessitated such changes on numerous occasions. Reasoning that no "poorly-dressed human body exposed for two hours to bitter cold, can have his heat in his duty" Antoine De Ville recommended in 1674 that each corps de garde be provided with the "hooded overcoats they make in Provence, or good cassocks of coarse cloth to resist the rain ..." These would be issued to the sentries when necessary with those going off duty handing them over to the men relieving them. There is record of such protection from the elements having been provided to the sentries in Louisbourg. [2]

Responsibility for posting the sentries belonged to the caporal de pose of each corps de garde. Generally corporals were to post the sentries by seniority starting with the most senior soldiers of the most senior companies of each guard. They were permitted, however, to choose soldiers in whom they had particular confidence for the most important posts and during the most crucial hours. [3] Corporals who neglected their duty in regard to sentries were to be put in prison for one month on the first offense; stripped of their rank and returned to their companies as common soldiers for two years for a second infraction. Any soldier failing to stand sentry duty without being expressly exempted by the officer of the guard, or without some other legitimate excuse was to was to a "run the gauntlet". A soldier who allowed himself to be relieved by anyone other than the officer, sergeant ox corporal of his guard would be put to death. [4]

A few minutes before the sentries were to be relieved those going on duty were to line up in front of the corps de garde to be inspected by the officer of the guard. Assured that the soldiers' weapons were in good order and that they carried the required ammunition, the officer would order the corporal to proceed to relieve the sentries. While the officer watched, the corporal, with his gun on his right shoulder, would conduct the men - marching two by two with their guns on their left shoulder - to the first sentry post, furthest from the corps de garde. Soldiers were required to remain with the corporal and could not take a short-cut to arrive at the post where they knew they would be stationed. Only after the men had left for their posts could the officer re-enter the guardhouse. [5]

On seeing the corporal approach, the soldiers to be relieved would stand facing "the same direction as his sentry box". When they neared the guérite, the soldiers would stop and the one to be posted would detach himself and, with the corporal, move to within two paces of the sentry. The soldiers would present arms, and the one being relieved would advise his replacement of the consigne (instructions) which went with that post. This would be repeated word for word by the new sentry, with the corporal making certain that everything had been understood and calling particular attention to the most essential points. This completed, the soldier coming off duty would take the place vacated by his relief. After all the sentries had been posted, those going off duty would be viewed by the officer of the guard before being permitted to enter the corps de garde. Any officer failing to carry out the regulations regarding sentries was to be suspended for a fortnight and deprived of his pay for this period. If found lax a second time, an officer would be cashiered. [6]

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