 Only a short time later, Poett participated in an action by the battalion known as going on 'column', in which the battalion patrolled the area around the camp in order to 'show the flag' and highlight its continued presence at the camp.It was an extremely physical activity, and Poett found his first 'column' very trying, particularly due to the lack of water supplies carried by the troops during the process.Poett found that the hardest, and most dangerous part of the 'column', was when he commanded a picket that ranged in front of the battalion.