Hard to believe my last Soldier Life post was in June! What a pleasure to be back at it again! In case you are just now being introduced to this Series, Soldier Life is a series of posts, currently highlighting the life of soldiers during the War Between the States. You can check out previous posts by clicking the links {(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)|. I began this series to help those studying the War Between the States, especially the writer. I’ve tried to compile in one place the information I found while I was researching my books. The data comes from multiple sources and sites. I am not an expert, and my articles are not exhaustive on the given topics, but hopefully, this will be a help to you as you strive to learn more about the history of our Great Nation! And for those concerned, these posts are unbiased, North or South. It’s strictly a fact only post with no intention of swaying you one way or the other. But if you do wish to see my personal research on the War Between the States, check out this series {(1) (2) (3) (4)|

With all that said, let’s get started!

The Lieutenant is to the Captain what a Corporal is to a Sergeant. In short, he was second in command to the Company Commander. A company is a unit of men numbering 100 at full strength and commanded by a Captain. The lieutenant’s job was to serve as the Captain’s assistant in all things, even battlefield command.

If the Captain is ill, absent, or killed, the First Lieutenant will take command with the 2nd Lieutenant as his second in command. The main difference between First and Second Lieutenants is their line up in the pecking order. They perform the same duties. So naturally, the First Lieutenant would need to be studied up on the responsibilities of the Captain since he will likely fill his position at some point during his service.

The typical duties of a Lieutenant are as follows:

He was generally present for all the main roll calls, drills, and stable duties, inspect the kitchens, quarters, and the entire company at the end of the day assembly, known as retreat. If an officer was not present to oversee the drills and such, sometimes the Sergeants could be tempted to go lax on the men, or the men might be tempted to cause the sergeants unnecessary grief.

The Lieutenant was expected to study his field handbook, acquainting himself with sections known as “School of the Soldier,” “School of the Company,” and “School of the Battalion.” The Captain would instruct him in proper tactics per the book and personal experience.

The Lieutenant was also to be present for the Inspection of the Company, which is performed the day before the men would march on parade (public drilling for the officers in a specific location), which entailed looking over weapons. On Sundays, the inspection included knapsacks, uniforms, bedding, quarters, etc.

If the captain required it (and he usually did), the lieutenant would be expected to help him with paperwork, from filing reports to witnessing signatures to issuing clothing and making out receipts.

His duties extended past general camp work, though. He was also expected to serve on two different kinds of guard duty: Police Guard and Grand Guard.

The police guard consisted of a line of sentinels surrounding the designated camp.  There was a guardhouse, where everyone would meet, including 1-2 lieutenants, 1-2 sergeants, 3 corporals, and around 40 privates. The guardhouse is generally two separate dwellings, tent or shack, one for the guards, one for prisoners. This is a guard used during peace times.

The lieutenant serves as the Officer of the guard, and while doing this tour of duty, he isn’t forbidden to sleep, he is NEVER to be found sleeping by one of his superiors. Best to take turns sleeping with other members of the command. He is never to leave the guardhouse unless inspecting the sentinels or doing some other duty regarding Police Guard.

He is responsible for security regarding the prisoners, which is his main priority. According to Kautz’s Customs of Services of Officers of the Army Part 1, the lieutenant “receives the prisoners as they are confined, sees that the sergeant of the Guard takes down the names, by whose order confined, and the date.  An abstract of the orders inflicting punishments is furnished him, and he must keep a record of them in order that they may be entered on the List of Prisoners that accompanies the Guard Report daily; he must in all cases wherein the punishment is to be inflicted under the direction of the Guard, see that the sentences are duly executed, and that his successors are duly instructed in all cases where punishments are continued for a length of time from day to day.”

Police guards can also serve as escorts and guards for general officers to and from various locations.

As stated earlier, the Police Guard is used during times of peace. During war, these duties, among others are transferred to a larger party known as the Grand Guard. Additional duties are to alert to the presence of the enemy, advance parties to surprise/skirmish with the enemy and serve on picket duty. The lieutenant’s job is to see that everyone else is doing their job correctly and for this reason, they were often disliked as much as Corporals.

As far as the battle duties of a Lieutenant, the company would be divided into two platoons. The Captain and 2nd Lieutenant would man one platoon and the 1st Lieutenant the other. If the Captain was killed or injured, the 2nd Lieutenant took his place commanding the platoon, while the 1st Lieutenant took command of the company. Sergeants assisted them in these situations to the best of their ability.

So there you have it! I hope this post was helpful to you. Basically, if you are writing a lieutenant, make him professional, give him an air of busyness and have him working closely with the Captain and you are good to go 😉

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Hebrews 13:17
King James Bible

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I had never read this author before, but I’m so glad I finally decided to give this one a try! I loved it so much, and if you’re like me, an 1860’s read is perfect! So, let’s dive into this old treasure!

The Dog Crusoe and His Master
By R. M. Ballentyne
1860
4 Stars

About the Book: Travel with Dick Varley and his dog Crusoe on a Mission of Peace with Western Tribes that have been on the warpath. And what an exciting time they have! From escaping violent Tribes to catching a wild horse to recovering captured companions, this book digs into the life and times of American trappers, Indians, and settlers of the 1800’s west. All with a dog hero.

My Review: Wow! This was a wild ride! Poor Crusoe had a rough start, almost becoming supper for a family before being rescued by his future master. The relationship between Dick Varley and Crusoe is so sweet and definitely my favorite aspect of the story. While I’m not exactly sure if a New Foundland Dog is capable of everything Crusoe did in the story, it wouldn’t surprise me.

Warning! There are some words used to describe other races in a manner that I personally wouldn’t since, in modern times deemed they are offensive. Also, there were some references to alcoholic beverages (not much and not lingered over) and native garb…so watch for that. They also mention that some believe stars (or planets) have life on them. I only have an ebook version of the book, so I couldn’t censor it out, but if you have a physical copy, it is easy to do.

This book was a wealth of information about doing things the old-fashioned way: hunting game, catching wild horses, and surviving on the land. There are also detailed profiles of prairie animals. Though an adventurous read, it wasn’t too audacious for my taste. It was nicely broken up with some calmer sequences. And while I wish the Christian notes in the story had been stronger, it was natural and well written.

I would recommend this for readers 12 and up, or read as a family (omitting the topics mentioned above)! I think all would enjoy it!

Quote
The dog Crusoe was once a pup. Now do not, courteous reader, toss your head contemptuously, and exclaim, “Of course he was; I could have told you that.”

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
Proverbs 12:10
King James Bible

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I love books! That should come as no surprise, given all the reviews I’ve posted here and the fact that I write books! But there are some story plots that I enjoy more than others! Here are five of my favorites in no particular order!

The Bad Guy Speech

Okay, this is probably one of the lamest movie/book clichés out there, but it is one of my very favorites! I can’t stand not knowing exactly what the bad guy is planning to do. I want to know every little detail and know how the hero stopped it from happening/got things back to normal. I also count the bad guy spilling the beans after they are caught in this category (Think Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys). Now, I know this is totally unrealistic, but sorry, I love it 😉

The Miraculous Recovery

I know this one can be over used and can seem convenient in some literature, but this is something that doesn’t really bother me. It’s also plausible; people can pull through near-death experiences. Now, I don’t want to read a book that uses this setting a dozen times, but two or three is all right.

Villains I Can’t Relate To
*blinks* I. Don’t. Like. Bad. Guys. And I don’t want to be able to relate to their feelings or their mind-set or feel sorry for them at all. So if you have no intentions of making your bad guy in the least way likable, I will probably like your story. If you are going to try and make me like that Nazi, he’d better be clueless as to what’s going on, a secret agent for the allies or going to see the truth at some point in the story and become a good guy. *takes a deep breath* Sorry, I do not want a villain in a story to have redeemable qualities or anything at all that makes me feel sorry for them. If he’s the bad guy, make him the bad guy.

The Slightly Crazy Sidekick

Okay, not literally crazy, but the one who provides a good laugh line, or suggests they take their mind off their troubles and just enjoy the moment. The one who can have a good time, but be serious when they need to be. The one who compliments the main character in the best possible way. Those sidekicks are the best!

Rags to Riches

But only when done the right way. I love seeing a story where the person is poor and works their way up in life honestly, but even more so, I love seeing a person, ‘poor’ because they are unsaved, then through the story, come to know the Savior and become an heir of heaven. That is my favorite manifestation of Rags to Riches. But if you want a story with both, check out Isabella Alden’s Three People. It’s my 2nd Favorite Book ever! (The Holy War by John Bunyan is my 1st favorite 😉)

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

It’s Veteran’s Day! I love the special holiday set aside to honor those still living who have served our country! It’s also a time set aside to remember those who gave it all, or who served and have since passed on. My Great-grandfather, Floyd Wesley Jennings, was a WWII Veteran who served as a tank lookout in Europe. He passed before I was born, but I know one day, I will see him again, and maybe I’ll even get to thank him for his service!

In honor of Veteran’s day, I am reviewing a special book. I love military stories. I love stories about dogs🐕. And I love stories about WWII. So it’s no surprise that I picked up this fun series. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the first book in an ongoing series, spotlighting one of our sometimes unsung heroes…Soldier Dogs.

Soldier Dogs #1: Air Raid Search and Rescue
By Marcus Sutter
2018
3.5 Stars

About the Book: When Matt’s older brother enlisted in the army, he left Matt his German Shepherd, Chief, a retired fire dog and the best pet EVER. So Matt isn’t happy when Chief starts paying attention to his foster sister Rachel instead of him.

But when Nazi planes begin bombing the city, Matt finds himself in an impossible situation. Can he be a hero to his sister when it matters most? And when they get caught outside during the air raid, will Chief be there to save the day?

My Review: Okay, there were a lot of things that I enjoyed about this story, but it’s only fair to tell the things that gave it such a low rating. So, let’s dive in.
I really thought it was interesting, learning more about the city of Canterbury, England. 🌁From buildings to fun facts and the history of the blitz in England, it was very educational. I was also excited to learn about the Kindertransport, rescuing Jewish children in Germany and placing them with families in free Europe. 🚆

The main character had a terrible attitude towards his parents and his adopted sister, Rachel. It frankly became quite annoying. He does get better towards the end, but they never make it clear that the boy was wrong and learned his lesson. It also insinuated that he was right to be upset with everyone.

Another thing that, to me, didn’t ring true was how they depicted the Luftwaffe Airman in the story. ✈ While his actions sound like something a Gestapo or SS man would do, it just didn’t seem realistic for a German bombardier to act so violently. Now, I understand that everyone is different, and there were indeed some terrible people in every branch of the German military, but as a general rule, your average German soldier wasn’t going to haul off and try to kill a child who posed no serious threat to them. There were ways they could have made this more realistic, especially if the kids had been older or had some kind of weapon, or if the setting was a little different. I don’t know, it just seemed a bit too violent, especially for a children’s book.

The dog was amazing! The story spotlighted how dogs served our country, searching and rescuing those in need and in taking down the enemy. And German Shepherds are my favorite, so…😍 I look forward to reading more about these fantastic dogs in the rest of the series.
 
I’ll try to review the rest of the books in this series in the near future, but I actually bumped this review ahead for Veteran’s day, so it may be a little while before those show up.

Don’t forget to thank a Veteran today!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22
Emoji art supplied by Emoji One

Hello, and welcome back to Life of Heritage Corner! Today I’m continuing a tradition I started 2 years ago, listing some of the top things I’m thankful for this year!

*Life! This year more than ever, I have come to appreciate the gift God has given us by giving us breath! Thank God for pro-life parents and siblings! Thank God for Eternal Life found in Him! And Thank God for caring about every sparrow (and every unborn baby)!

*Family! Family is one of the greatest blessings God gives us! I am blessed to live in a large family (Dad, Mom, 7 kids, 2 brothers-in-law, and 6 nieces and nephews!) with potential to explode the population of the United States as the rest of us marry and have kids 😉 I can’t imagine life in any other family!

*Friends! God has blessed me with so many good friends over the years, and this year, I’ve learned that taking them for granted is a big mistake. You might not always be as close as you were. Life comes along, and people tend to drift away and make new friends. Enjoy the time that you have together!

*America! I probably say this every year, but hey, I love my country! I cannot stress enough what my country means to me! She’s the greatest nation on the planet, and I am humbled that God chose to allow me to be born here!

*Our Military! Yes, this is another repeat, but this year, I met a sweet young author, and she has opened my eyes to a little more of what our guys go through daily.   It’s heartbreaking seeing exactly how PTSD affects every serviceman in one way or another. It doesn’t always show in flashbacks or nightmares, though these definitely happen. There’s the guilt complex, mood swings, the “100-yard stare” or the everyday memories of that horrifying experience they went through. We owe them a great debt, not only for risking their lives and giving their time to protect us, but sacrificing a “normal” life so we can keep ours.

*Music! This year I got to attend the Majesty Music Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. And believe me, this conference gave me a brand-new appreciation for Godly music! Such an encouragement!

*Conservative Values! My family has always taught my siblings and me to seek God when it comes to anything in life. What does God say about Marriage? About Life? About Capital Punishment? Because in the long run, it doesn’t matter what man thinks. It matters what God thinks. I praise the Lord for parents who have guided me to God’s views of the world around us, and the conservative values taught in His Word!

*The Pro-Life Movement! Speaking of Conservative Values, I am so grateful for those who are willing to stand up for the unborn, the mentally handicapped and the elderly! Just this year, I was blessed to begin working for Pregnant Options, a website that allows women in crisis to find the Care Center closest to them. These Care Centers help them prepare to be a mother, offer classes on Motherhood, provide medical services, and if needed give referrals to adoption agencies.  It’s a blessing to see everything these centers provide to those who want to choose life for their child! And it’s a joy to help with the editing of articles that have potential to save lives and offer hope to those in hard situations!

*Books! Good books! This year, I have read so many good books, whether it be a physical copy, eBook, or audio, there are so many good books out there! I love a story that challenges me personally in my spiritual life or in some other aspect (getting organized, writing advice, etc.). I also love an informative book. Like a biography, history, or even a cultural study (like The South Was Right! There is so much more to this book than the title reveals!) But there have also been those books that didn’t turn out so great…the ones I couldn’t finish. Which makes me appreciate the excellent books even more!

*Cooking! This year, I’ve actually gotten to play around in the kitchen a little bit…and nobody has died, and nothing has caught on fire 😉 I have cooked in the past, but Sarah is our main cook, so getting the opportunity to try my hand at culinary arts is always fun! Chicken Gyros anyone?

Have a Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22