FORTRESS SECURITY AND MILITARY JUSTICE AT LOUISBOURG, 1720-45

BY

MARGARET FORTIER

1980

Report H E 14

Fortress of Louisbourg

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MOUNTING THE GUARD

During the first half of the 18th century the guard of Places De Guerre was changed at 3 P. M. in winter and 4 P.M. in summer. Three hours before the new guard was to assume its posts, the drummers would beat La Garde to notify those scheduled for this tour of duty to keep themselves available. [1] Unfortunately the ordinances specify neither where this call ought to be sounded nor whether it was to be performed by all or only part of the garrison's drummers. The nature of the call itself is also unknown, no music having thus far been found. Whatever its nature, La Garde was definitely performed in Louisbourg. [2]

Two hours after the beating of La Garde, the drummers would assemble on the Place D'Armes and, following inspection by the tambour major, would make a circuit of the town sounding L'Assemblée to notify those who would compose the new guard to gather for inspection. Upon completion of the circuit, the drummers would separate and go, still beating, to the place where members of their own companies would assemble. At the sound of the drums all officers and soldiers of the new guard were to proceed immediately to their assembly points. Each officer, wearing his gorget and carrying a spontoon, would inspect the men of his company to insure that they were properly turned out, with their weapons in good order and the requisite number of cartridges in their cartouches. [3] (The Code Militaire dictated that troops on guard should have, besides what was in their muskets, enough powder and lead for at least three more shots. If not, they would serve eight days in prison for the first offense and placed on the wooden horse for the second infraction). [4]

Following the preliminary inspection, the troops would march, to the sound of Aux Champs, to "la petite Place, or la Place d'Assemblee" in the case of Louisbourg this was most likely the terreplein of the Bastion Du Roi - where they would gather with those from other companies who were also due to mount the guard that day. According to Guignard, signboards (écriteaux) imprinted with the names of the various guardposts would be in place around the area, and all soldiers would place their weapons near the signboard for the post to which they were assigned. Upon his arrival the major inspected each individual guard to determine if it contained a sufficient number of men and if they were well armed. If he found anything wanting the major was to report the negligence of the responsible officer to the governor. [5]

His inspection completed, the major would form the guard together and march it to the Place D'Armes, all the drumers beating Aux Champs.
The major marched at the head of the troops to the right of the officer of the first guard, usually the one destined for the Place D'Armes guardhouse. Half the drummers would march between the second and third rank of the first unit, while the other half marched between the second
and third rank of the last. On arriving at the Place D'Armes the drums would beat Le Drapeau, at which the guard would form en bataille with
the drummers on their right. To prevent anyone from approaching the guard, half the sergeants would march ten paces forward, the other half
ten paces to the rear. The sergeants would then stand "en haye à égale distance" facing the soldiers. The guard thus formed,
the major would dispatch a sergeant to inform the governor that all was ready for his inspection. In the French service the governor or
commandant and all senior officers were obliged to attend this ceremony each day. [6]

At the governor's arrival, the major would request permission to order the guard to defile. The troops would then form a column either by guard detachments or all together by a quart de conversion. According to the 1750 ordinance, the major would then order the drums to roll as a warning to the soldiers that they were about to leave for their posts. A single stroke on the drums would follow, causing the guard to close ranks "à la pointé de l'épée ..." [7] At the command "Marche" all the drums would again beat Aux Champs, and the guard would proceed their separate ways to their assigned posts. Each drummer would march to the right of the other members of its guard, continuing to beat until it arrived at the appropriate corps de garde. Those drummers who were not part of that day's guard would continue to beat on the Place D'Armes until the last of the detachments had left. They would then be led back to their quarters by the tambour major or the most senior drummer among them.

As the new guard drew near its assigned post the officer commanding the old guard would order his drummer to beat Aux Champs and would draw up his men en haie, carrying their weapons, before the corps de garde, with their backs to the building. The officer would place himself a few paces in front of the men, centered in line with the door of the guardhouse. The drummer would stand near the officer, while the sergeant would be to the left of the guard. As the new guard approached, the one being relieved would march forward four paces and make a demi-tour à droite. The new guard, when its first rank was three or four paces from the line formed by the old guard, would file "homes par homes" to occupy the space the latter had vacated. [9]

The two guards facing each other - the new guard now having its back to the corps de garde - the formalities of the changing of the guard would take place. Accordingly, the retiring officers, sergeants and corporals would hand over the instructions (consignes) for the post to their counterparts from the new guard, the old and new caporaux des consignes would inspect the guardhouse, and the caporaux des poses would see to the sentry change. Once everything was completed, the sergeants, corporals and sentries of the old guard would rejoin the rest of their men and prepare to leave. As the old guard marched toward the Place D'Armes the drummers of both guards would beat Aux Champs, with the drummer of the new guard stopping when the old guard was no longer in view. [10]

The major awaited the members of the retiring guard at the Place D'Armes. He would make certain that no one was missing from their number before ordering the corporals to conduct the members of their detachments to their quarters; this procedure was called "descendre la Parade."[11] Since their muskets were to be loaded and ready to fire at all times while on guard duty, the soldiers of the guard were to discharge their weapons before entering the barracks. [12]

When the old guard had left the corps de garde, the officer of the new guard would order his men to march, commanding them to halt when they had reached the place the old guard had occupied before their departure. They would then make a demi-tour à droite, present arms, and march forward. One by one the men would place their guns on the arms rack in front of the guardhouse where they would remain under guard until taken, in the presence of the caporal de pose, by those about to stand sentry duty. [13]

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