Aspects of the Military Life of Troops Stationed Around the Norfolk Harbor, 1812 to 1814
Page 3
Sutlers were those people ". . . permitted to enter the camps to sell provisions, or vegetables, or marketings. . . " (Ord. Bk. 5th Regt., entry 4 Jan. 1814). The time period during which they were allowed to sell their goods varied, and the officer of police or of the camp guard were to "see that the provision(s) be good, the prices fare, and the persons orderly . . . (Ord. Bk. 5th Regt., entry 4 Jan. 1814). If the sutler violated these rules, he could be ordered out of camp and not allowed to return. Also, they ere to be checked to make sure that they did not bring in any "spirituous liquor" (Ord. Bk., Fort Nelson, 23 Apr. to 16 Oct., 1812, and 1 Dec. 1813 to 23 July 1814, entry 10 July 1812).
At nine o'clock the troops were to eat breakfast. Each of the huts of 16 men formed a mess, and the noncommissioned officer of each was to detail one man each day to cook, sweep the hut. and deposit the trash on the streets "opposite their huts." Eight men received twelve pounds of beef per day, ten pounds of bread, and smaller amounts of other items, including liquor. It was strongly noted that if, "of the rations of eight men, one was saved, it could be sold and the money used to buy vegetables to augment their diet. By this means "they might have the comfort of a kettle of soup, a plate of beer and vegetables, and by dividing their beef a part of it might be roasted, or made into stake . . . (Ord. Bk., 5th Regt., entry Jan. 1814)." Jarvis tells of how one mess conspired to get the choicer cuts of meat:
"In one of the companies two of the sergeants agreed on the following plan to get the bests cuts of bacon and beef; the rations of meat was cut up and divided and nearly equal as possible. One of the sergeants would turn his back . . .the other would take his ramrod and touch a pile of one of the rations for a mess (there was always some choice cuts) and then continue to touch one pile after another, saying each time when touched "who shall have this?". When he wanted his mess to have a pile, a choice one, he would touch and say, "now, who shall have this? (Jarvis , "Papers", p. 117)."
Every morning the guard was relieved and a new one mounted for the ensuing twenty-four hours. In February of 1813, the guard at Fort Norfolk consisted of twenty privates, one sergeant, one corporal, a subaltern officer, and an officer of the guard. The guards were responsible for the security of the forts and camps. Any time a soldier caused trouble he was brought to the guardhouse and confined until a court martial could be convened to hear the case. Before a soldier could leave camp, he was checked to see that he had written permission from his company commander and that it was countersigned by the regimental commander. Privates and noncommissioned officers were forbidden to be away from camp before dinner or after sunset ( Ord. Bk., Fort Nelson & Fort Norfolk, entry 18 Feb. 1813; Ibid, 5th Regt., entries 19 Feb. 1814, undated entry between 4 Jan. and 6 Feb., 1814). Parole and countersign passwords were established and the officers and noncommissioned officers ". . . were particularly enjoined not to impart the countersign to any gut those whose duties required them to have it . . . " under threat of certain punishments" for violation of the order (Ord. Bk., Va. Mil., entry 4 March 1814). One man who had returned to the guardhouse before hw was relieved was court marshaled and found guilty, but because he was an old man and had apparently left his post from extreme pain, was only discharged from the service. Guards were also posted to watch over such things as supplies, boats, the wagon yard, and the hospitals. The guardhouse (or tent) served as the sentries' headquarters. Places to sleep were provided for those not on duty (Ord. Bk., Fort Norfolk entry 24 Apr. 1812; Ord. Bk. 5th Regt., entries 8 Feb. 1814, 2 Dec. 1813, undated entry between 4 Jan. and 6 Feb. 1814, 3 Nov. 1813; Widder, 1972, p. 10).