Picket duty was the army's first line of warning. Every Federal regiment rotated men forward to a picket line — paired sentries posted in dispersed positions a half-mile to a mile ahead of the regiment's main camp, watching the approaches and listening for movement through the night. The picket's job was simple: detect enemy advance, fire a warning shot, and fall back to the main line. The reality was less simple. Pickets stood in the dark for two-hour shifts, in any weather, alone except for their partner, with strict orders not to leave their post. They were the first soldiers killed in any surprise attack. They were also the regiment's lifeline against being taken by surprise.

This W. Britain figure depicts a Federal infantryman on alert — rifle held diagonally across the body in port arms, body angled to watch his sector, bayonet fixed. He wears the four-button sack coat, light blue trousers, dark forage cap, the bedroll across his chest, and the cartridge box and cap pouch on his belt. The alert pose is exactly what a sentry on picket duty looked like — eyes on the dark woods, weapon ready, listening for the snap of a twig. The figure works as a sentry centerpiece for any camp-perimeter or picket-line diorama. Pair this figure with Federal Infantry in Frock Coat Advancing for a relief column coming up to replace the pickets; with Union Infantry Sergeant at Rest as the NCO of the guard; or with Union Forever Marching Set for the regiment behind the picket line.

Scale: 1/30 (60mm). Matte-painted metal. W. Britain model 31346. From the American Civil War range. Single foot figure, supplied painted and ready for display.