Picket

Did officers do picket duty? My great great grandfather was wounded badly the day after The Battle of Atlanta. He was a corporal and it has been suggested he was hurt while doing picket duty. I wondered if that is possible.
Besides guarding other soldiers, I do not know much about picket duty and what it entailed.
Any comments welcome.
 
Picket - An advance outpost or guard for a large force was called a picket. Ordered to form a scattered line far in advance of the main army's encampment, but within supporting distance, a picket guard was made up of a lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 40 privates from each regiment. Picket duty constituted the most hazardous work of infantrymen in the field. Being the first to feel any major enemy movement, they were also the first liable to be killed, wounded, or captured. And he most likely targets of snipers. Picket duty, by regulation, was rotated regularly in a regiment.
 
My understanding of picket duty was a small detachment of men set up on the perimeter of the main body to guard against Calvary or any faction of the enemy that might be undetected. Often times the pickets from the north and the south were in such close proximity to one another they often communicated with one another and even made trades such as tobacco and coffee. Simply a sentry of more than one man. That's how I understand it.
 
Picket - An advance outpost or guard for a large force was called a picket. Ordered to form a scattered line far in advance of the main army's encampment, but within supporting distance, a picket guard was made up of a lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 40 privates from each regiment. Picket duty constituted the most hazardous work of infantrymen in the field. Being the first to feel any major enemy movement, they were also the first liable to be killed, wounded, or captured. And he most likely targets of snipers. Picket duty, by regulation, was rotated regularly in a regiment.

Much better said!!
 
Did officers do picket duty? My great great grandfather was wounded badly the day after The Battle of Atlanta. He was a corporal and it has been suggested he was hurt while doing picket duty. I wondered if that is possible.
Besides guarding other soldiers, I do not know much about picket duty and what it entailed.
Any comments welcome.
Often entire companies would do picket duty. In this case picket duty would probably been under the supervision of an officer. This does not mean the officer stood at a picket position. A single picket position would probably be under a supervision of corporal or even a private. There was a system where pickets could be reinforced or withdraw while other men protected them.
 
Thanks. This is really interesting information. I wonder if tactics varied depending on terrain? Swamp sentry duty vs. rocky mountain sentry duty? These had to be difficult places to protect armies of men.
 
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