Sugar Planter
West Baton Rouge, Louisiana
May 18, 1861
The U. S. government has advised the commanding officers of regular regiments (and the advice applies to all others) to increase battalion and field drill, were the small arms’ exercise to be neglected thereby. “Soldiers must understand the trumpet. Human voices cannot be intelligible on the field of battle. There is probability that in all cases openfighting will be exclusively announced by the brazen trumpet.” Gen. Scott is about to issue a general order on the subject.