Orderlies

Orderlies are non-commissioned officers or soldiers employed as messengers or attendants. Thus, in the British army, each general or com- manding officer has an orderly always at his disposal; a Post-office Orderly fetches the letters of each corps; and when a court-martial or board of officers is convened, a non-commissioned officer is appointed as Court-orderly to attend upon it. The men of the medical staff corps, when on duty with the sick, are also called Hospital-orderlies. The Orderly-officer is the officer on duty for the day in each corps. He attends all parades, inspects rations, visits the barrack-rooms at the dinner-hour, hospital, cells, guardroom, &c., remaining in uniform and on duty in barracks the whole day. Similarly, an Orderly Non-commissioned Officer of each corps is on duty for the week, calls the roll, warns men for parade, copies orders, &c. The regimental Orderly-room is the office where the lieutenant-colonel, assisted by the adjutant and a staff of clerks, transacts his business and sees prisoners daily. Each troop, battery, or company has a similar Orderly-room for the use of its commander. The Orderly-book or Order-book contains the general or regimental orders, which are copied into it as they are issued.