I was wondering if each company clear attached to the elements within Birney's Diviosn maintain a sick book during events?

Since I am familiar with period field music and how difficult is is to build and maintain a functional corps of field musicians, I was wondering if Birney's Division might want to consider the following scenario when attneding events:

* Have the division adjutant establish a duty day based upon the stated schedule at each event the division attends.

* As part of the duty day, have surgeon's call played at the stated time and allow the company clerk or first sergeant to ask for volunteers to be sick or otherwise infirm to the point of needing to see the doctor. One two or three willing sicko's outh to do it. Have them then escorted to the surgeon's place of business (tent in fixed camps or under a tree on the march) and have the doctor or hospital stewart fill out the book. The group could draw straws to see if one poor soul would have to stay behind as the others traipse back to camp.

Sound doable? You bet it is! Might be a great set of scenarios to play with. Better brush up on those symtoms and, come next surgeon's call someone will have to cough up some excuses for being sick.

Oh I forgot one thing... the fifer's and drummers will be seeing the fruits of their labours you know. Ask them for their input. They may be quite helpful in expanding the living history opportunities no matter what event you happen to be attending. Did I mention fatigue call?

Perhaps another time.

Be safe but remain willing.
Best Regards,
Walt

I was wondering if each of the company clerks attached to the various elements within Birney's Division could consider maintaining a sick book during events? Do they now miantain a guard mount book? These functions can be conducted out of a memoranda booklet instead of a rear-lines book-book.

Tnx, that makes for a better intro I hope.

Walt

I would support such an endeavor IF we have the musicians and IF we have a surgeon, as to the individual companies, (books and all) that would have to be talked about with them. However we are always talking about being more “authentic” and I think I like this…

Raymond,

This is scary. I have just posted to a web forum full of medical re-enactors and trust that they shall soon appear here in your cyber camp and contribute materially to this thread.

As to your having the aid of a corps of field musicians, that may have to wait for a while. There is no reason whatsoever that a lone bugler can not play doctor's call at a time prescribed in the "duty day" your senior staff is going to publish at the time designated for the sick to be traipsed off to see how far they can stick out their tongues and say Ahaaaaaah.

"The company clerk is a non-commissioned officer or soldier selected on account of his penmanship and capacity for keeping records and making the reports and returns required from the company (even at re-enactments). He is directed and instructed by the commanding officer of the company and the first sergeant. He is reported on daly duty and does not reveive any addtional pay, but, whilst employed, is excused from all other duties possilbe with the company. In times of active service, however, he should always be prepared for service in the field."
From: "The Company Clerk" by Augst V. Kautz, 1863 Art. No. 1.

I'm told that there are scads of pards in Birney's Division who can read and write. Is this so?

Grins!
Walt Mathers
PS For those posting to this thread don't forget to fill in the little black box above the enter button or your message won't post up.

I have been looking for a Sick Call Log Book, I have looked everywhere. Can anyone give me any suggestions? I know that during the war they came with the Panniers, the were pamphlet type books.

Thanks

Thomas R.W. Jeffrey

ACCOUNTING RECORDS MAINTAINED...
in the "Company Clerk" tells of what was required and how to maintain current records in nine separate books. The Morning Report Book, Sick Book, Rosters, Descriptive Book, Clothing Book, Order Book, Account Book of Company Fund, Register of Articles Issued to Soldiers, and Record Book of Target Practice were all the responsibility of the company clerk.

Article 1248. 1861 Revised Regulations for US Army 1861 say:

"At surgeon's call the sick then in the companies will be conducted to the hospital by the first sergeants, who will each hand to the surgeon, in his company book, a list of all the sick of the company, on which the surgeon shall state who is to remain or go into hostipal: who are to return to quarters as sick or convalescents; what dutues the convalencents in quarters are capable of; what cases are feigned; and any other information in regard to the sick of the company he may have to communicate to the company commander."

Article 432. of "Customs of Service", A.V. Kautz 1864 states:

That the first sergeant will make out the sick report prior to executing a morning report. We also know that this sergeant was to supply himself with memoranda booklets for recording the rolls and such. I'm not certain if there were printed sick books, and, if any were, how many of them actually made it out to the field, especially early in the war. The Medical Museum in Frederick, Maryland may be a good stop in your first quest for a printed form sick book. Even if they were made out by hand it would be great to see what was actually included in the reports set aside to record those men "Present for Extra or Daily Duty".

(In closing I would encourage you to get the 1864 August V. Kautz' Company Clerk re-print instead of the 1865 version. The '64 version is back in print with Sullivan Press. Always opt for an earlier edition when possible in anything you can obtain.)

Walt Mathers
PS if you say panniers to a signallist he'll ask you where the mule and pack saddle is to mount that pair of panniers on - or was that a portmanteu or valise. Didn't remember that the medical corps referred to their hospital knapsack (see: 1861 US Regs Art. 1302) as a pannier. Enlighten me. Proverbs 12:1