Safe guards

[BelleBlackburn]

The Union Army in Nashville would furnish safe guards to protect citizens' property. Was that just referring to a soldier charged with the duty of protecting it or was there a piece of paper issued about it that was also called a safe guard?

 

[Tom Elmore]

I have not heard of the term "safe guard." When the Confederates invaded Pennsylvania in the summer of 1863, near an encampment, a guard would be furnished to watch over a private residence whenever a citizen requested one [Diary of L. P. Vairin, 2nd Mississippi, entry for 28 June 1863]. Typically this guard was part of the detailed Provost Guard. J. M. Polk of the 4th Texas was assigned at one of the houses near Chambersburg; he stood at the gate of the house all day long to keep soldiers from "deprecating" on the family, and the woman of the house fed him dinner. In fact, it was customary for the guard to be fed by the residents of the home being guarded, and the soldier might remind them of this custom if they were unfamiliar with it. For this reason, a Confederate soldier probably welcomed the assignment.

 

[Tom Elmore]

Ah! Just read the diary of Benjamin Benner of Company G, 29th Pennsylvania, in which he focuses on marches made by that regiment. Benner writes that the regiment was briefly camped at "Muddy Branch" (or "Muddy Creek") until December 2, 1861: "While the regiment was encamped here I was detailed here as a safe guard at the house of Mr. Mall's, about 8 miles from camp."