OFFICE WORK OF A GARRISON BATTERY. 
495 
it may never be returned, so down at once goes the man's exact name, age, 
and date of attestation, with the note “ for discharge." Thus, at the end of 
the month, all the materials for the casualty return are ready, and you are 
not dependent on the memory of a clerk. It must be clearly understood 
that this is to be a “rough" book; no piece of loose paper is to contain 
the first entry. Let the book be dirty or dog-eared; that is only a proof it 
is really used for its purpose. All that is important is that it should be 
made up to date. 
Battery Defaulter Booh. 
37. Contains a sheet for every man, with an entry of every crime, too 
often written on the worst possible paper, whereas a tough untearable 
material ought to be used. At the top, for the present heading, substitute 
after the man's name his date of attestation and his age at that date. It is 
well to, at least once, go carefully over all these sheets, to see that the men's 
real numbers and names are entered thereon in agreement with the attestations. 
Often the change of a man's name is not carried out. The dates of imprison¬ 
ment and of forfeiture of badges should also agree with the attestations. 
At the top of each sheet, write “1st Sheet"; at the foot, when a new sheet 
is opened, write “Continued;" on the next sheet, “2nd Sheet;" and so 
on. Lor want of these precautions many a sheet is lost, with the following 
effect:—Suppose a man's first sheet with his serious crimes disappear. They 
remain in the regimental sheet in the Adjutant's office, but in the mean¬ 
time the man may for years be treated as if he had no entries except on his 
remaining sheet. The regimental sheets, containing only the more serious 
punishments, are kept by the Adjutant, and the two sets of sheets should 
occasionally be compared. Great differences will often be found. 
Monthly Punishment Return. 
38. Is the means by which the regimental defaulter sheets are kept in 
agreement with the battery sheets. In form it should be exactly the same 
as a defaulter sheet, except that it ought to contain a column for date of the 
last previous regimental entry, to prevent any one dropping out; and all 
regimental entries should be copied into it by the battery, word for word; 
and from it, in the same manner, in the brigade office, into the regimental 
sheet; so that the two entries may be identical. The importance of this is 
often overlooked in both offices. This return is one of those that should be 
opened early in the month, and checked weekly; not left to the end. It is 
a good plan, whenever a man arrives from a voyage, or from a battery that 
has been moving, or from detachment, to report all his last regimental 
entries, in case, of accidents. The Major himself should check this return 
carefully with the defaulter sheet, the casualty book, and the court-martial 
return. 
Court-Martial Return. 
39. This return should also be opened at the beginning of the month, 
and each trial entered as soon as the proceedings come in. This return 
checks with the casualty return and the punishment return; the bottom 
lines are checked by the return of fines and of men deprived pay. (See 
par. 48.) 
