For the most part, both the Confederate and Union armies used identical calls which were found in field manuals such as W.J. Hardee's Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics or Scott's Tactics. Most of the calls were deeply rooted in the rich traditions of the American Revolution the Napoleonic wars, and the war with Mexico. Furthermore, the system of calls was not uniform for all three branches since each branchÄ infantry, artillery, and cavalryÄhad its own set of calls. Therefore, an infantryman had to be familiar with the infantry calls but wasn't particularly concemed with calls coming from the artillery or cavalry camps. This was good in the sense that an infantryman could readily distinguish the calls intended just for infantry but the lack of a unifomn system also caused some confusion.
This lack of uniformity in the system of calls was, however, not total. Since the artillery and cavalry were both considered "mounted" branches, meaning that both services utilized horses extensively, the artillery and cavalry shared many calls such as Stable Call and Water Call. There were calls or tunes that were shared by the artillery and infantry, too. For example, both branches used the same tune for the moming roll call or Reveille, and in some cases both branches used the same tune for different purposes. For example, the infantry's Extinguish Lights was also the Artillery's Tattoo, the evening roll call.
Listed below are most of the infantry camp calls with brief explanations. The notes for these calls are found in W.J. Hardee's 1855 Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, Vol. 1.
MUSICIAN'S CALL: This call, not Reveille, is the first call of the day if there were enough drummers, fifers, or buglers to require the formation of the field music to sound Reveille.
REVEILLE: Usually sounded at 5 A.M., it awakened and summoned the men to fall in without weapons for moming roll call. If fifes and drums were present, traditional tunes written for Reveille were played. Anyone not in formation when the playing ceased was tardy and received extra duty.
ASSEMBLY: Called the men to form by companies on the colorline or while in the field to "fall in" wherever the company commander or its NCO's indicated.
ATTENTION: A warning that assembly was imminent. The troops thus warned could avoid sudden rush for weapons and accoutrements when Assembly was sounded soon thereafter.
BREAKFAST CALL: Announced that the troops could prepare their morning meal or go to morning mess if that luxury was available.
SURGEONS CALL: The sick and fakers reported to the surgeon's tent.
GUARD MOUNT: The men assigned guard duty for the next 24 hour shift were called to formations by each company's 1st Sgt. and marched to headquarters for inspection. This was often watched critically by the commanding officer and visiting dignitaries, so the soldiers had to be at their very best appearance.
DRILL CALL: Summoned the men to company formation with weapons and accoutrements prepared for drill. This was not a popular call.
FATIGUE CALL: Ordered the men to clean up camp and quarters. It also set the dreaded wood-cutting and water-collecting details to work.
RECALL: In camp this was a popular call because it meant to discontinue drill or fatigue duty. In combat, it meant to withdraw with urgency.
OFFICER'S CALL: Summoned the officers to council at headquarters,or during a march to meet with the commanding officer at the place where the call was sounded in the column.
ORDERS FOR ORDERLY SERGEANTS: Summoned the 1st Sgts (Orderly Sgts) to HQ (usually the adjutants tent) to recieve orders or "head up" a detail for some task.
DINNER CALL: Announced that the troops could prepare their lunch or go to mess.
TO THE COLOR: Sounded when the National Flag was raised or lowered from a flagstaff or uncovered at parades, inspections, or pass in reviews. It was part of the "pull out" sequence shown below. This call also summoned the troops to form by companies on the color line in battalion or regimental formation.
"PACK UP AND PULL OUT" sequence When the whole of the corps in the same camp were to depart, The General, The Assembly, and To the Color, were sounded at intervals. At the first, the troops packed up and prepared for movement; at the second, they formed by companies; at the third, the colors are uncovered and the companies formed by battalion for the march.
THE GENERAL: Depending on the situation at hand, the command meant to prepare for an immediate combat, for a long march, or to break camp as in the sequence shown above. It was a famous call that usually heralded a major change in the routine of the soldier's existence.
RETREAT: (Not to be confused with Recall). Called the troops to from by companies on the color line for the evening dress parade, which was the most impressive part of the infantryman's routine day in camp. Retreat was usually prededed did by an hour of boot blackening, uniform brushing and musket cleaning. How healthy, well drilled and uniformed the men appeared at each Retreat was the index of how well a unit was doing in general, so this was usually watched with great interest by the commanding officer.
TATTOO: Sounded at 9:00P.M.. Summoned the men to form by companies on the colorline without weapons and accoutrements for the last roll call of the day. After this formation, the men retired to quarters to prepare for the next day's activities.
EXTINGUISH LIGHTS ON TAPS: Sounded about 10 P.M.. All lights were extinguished and activity ceased in camp for the movement of guards.
CHURCH CALL: Announced chapel, or in battle a truce or parley.
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