"How To"
Create and Train Your Color Guard Unit

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Grave   Side   Honor   Guard   Procedure

The Clarence Cook Chapter, Indiana Society, SAR presented a colorful portion of a grave marking ceremony in Tippecanoe County, Indiana.  From their presentation can serve as a model for any grave side ceremony involving a Color Guard.

The SAR furnished two uniformed musicians, a drummer, who doubled as a bugler, and a bugler, four color bearers carrying Old Glory, the Indiana State flag, the SAR flag, the DAR flag and three musket men, all in Revolutionary War uniforms.

The ceremony began with the Assembly Call.  The Honor Guard marched in single file toward the grave site.  The Honor Guard Commander, a guardsman, the four flag bearers, followed by two guardsman.  As the Honor Guard marched in, the musicians stood some distance off, within sight and sound , and drummed a cadence.  At a point just near the grave site the Commander and the first guardsman stepped out of the file, marching in place at the location to be used for the salute firing.  This permitted the color bearers to proceed, now led by Old Glory.  As they passed the two remaining guardsman joined the firing party, all still marching in place.  The color bearers halted, on command turned, faced the grave site.  Now all eight members of the Honor Guard were facing the grave site.

On the command "Color Guard, Present Firelocks" the flags, except Old Glory were dipped and the muskets were brought to a present arms position as was the Commander's sword.  This position was held during the opening prayers and pledge of allegiance.  The Commander then gave the "Order Firelocks" command and the flags returned to an upright position joining Old Glory and the muskets were returned to the attention position.  The Honor Guard stood at attention during the entire program, which included the unveiling of the marker, the appropriate remarks and the closing prayer.  The Commander gave the command "Honor Guard, One Half Left Turn."  This maneuver brought the Honor Guard to a position 45 degrees to the audience.  The command was then given "Prepare to Fire Firelocks."  At this command the three muskets are prepared for firing.  The Honor Guard shouldered their muskets, placing their right foot back into the firing position.  At the same time, the colors, except for Old Glory, were dipped.  The command was then given "Cock Firelocks," followed by "Commence Firing."  The three muskets were fired in sequence, one at a time, at an interval of approximately three seconds, providing the three gun salute.  After the firing, the Commander gave the command "Present Firelocks."   The muskets were brought to the present arms position and the flags remained in the upright position.  Another command was then issued "Musicians Salute the Dead."  The musicians then began to play taps, with the echo.   They had been positioned some forty years apart to achieve a greater effect.

At the conclusion of Taps, the Commander gave the command, "Honor Guard, Right Face, Forward March."  The color bearers all marched in place until the first guardsman position himself in front of the line.  Then the Honor Guard proceeded forward.  As they passed, the remaining two guardsman fell behind the color bearers, followed by the Color Guard Commander.  In single file, the Honor Guard marched to their original staging area.  The musicians also marched to the staging area timing their arrival there to coincide with the Honor Guard.

After the ceremonies were concluded, photographs were staged.  This is very important, as the taking of photographs during the ceremony can become disruptive.