282 MANUAL FOF. HONCOMMISSIONEB OFFICERS. 

 Section 11. Conntersig'ns and Paroles. 



209. ficventy-seventU article of a-ar. — Any por,<^on subject to 

 railit;iry law who makes known the parole or countersign to 

 any person not entitled to receive it according to the rules 

 and discipline of war, or gives a parole or countersign differ- 

 ent from that which he received, shall, if the offense be com- 

 mitted in time of war, suffer death or such other imnishment 

 as a court-martial may direct. (See Par. 171.) 



210. The countersign is a word given daily from the prin- 

 cipal headquarters of a command to aid guards and sentinels 

 in identifying persons who may ])e authorized to pass at 

 night. 



It is given to such persons as may be .authorized to pass 

 and repass sentinels' posts during the night, and to officers, 

 noncommissioned officers, and sentinels of the guard. 



211. The parole is a word used as a check on the counter- 

 sign in order to obtain more accurate identification of persons. 

 It is imparted only to those who are entitled to inspect guards 

 and to commanders of guards. 



The parole or countersign, or both, are sent sealed in the 

 form of an order to those entitled to them. 



212. When the commander of the guard demands the parole, 

 he will advance and receive it as the corporal receives the 

 countersign. (See Par. 133.) 



213. As the communications containing the parole and coun- 

 tersign must at times be distributed by many orderlies, the 

 parole intrusted to many officers, and the countersign and 

 parole to many officers and sentinels, and as both the counter- 

 sign and parole must, for large commands, be prepared several 

 days in advance, there is always danger of their being lost or 

 becoming known to persons "who would make improper use of 

 them ; moreover, a sentinel is too apt to take it for granted 

 that any person who gives the right countersign is what he 

 represents himself to be; hence for outpost duty there is 

 greater security in omitting the use of the countersign and 

 parole, or in using them with great caution. The chief reli- 

 ance should be upon personal recognition or identification of 

 all persons claiming authority to pass. 



Persons whose sole means of identification is the counter- 

 sign, or concerning whose authority to pass there is a reason- 



