Chapter XII: Section IV: Secret Patrols

These only consist of a few men, six or eight, and are generally sent on the flanks, and sometimes in the rear of the Enemy's Army, without the knowledge of the Enemy; are to go now and then at a great distance; and are to remain for a considerable time, to make the necessary observations; therefore this is the most difficult duty for Light Cavalry.

Many rules laid down for other Patrols are likewise here applicable.

A Patrol of this kind marches without Advanced and Rear Guard, and, if the country should require it, only one man rides on the heights without showing himself. If the Patrol proceeds so far, that it is obliged to march with great precaution, it must quit the great roads wherever it is possible, and take its march by bye-roads, deep valleys, &c., &c., to reach unseen the place of its destination. A Guide on horseback will be of great service to such a Patrol; but he is to be paid for it, and treated well. When feeding the horses, it must go off the road into a bush or wood, and one man climbs up a tree to keep a look-out. If anything hostile approaches, the Patrol escapes without noise, and chooses another place of concealment until it can proceed by roundabout ways without danger. A fire can only be lighted with great caution, but it is better to avoid that entirely. If an inhabitant accidentally meets with the Patrol at night, he must remain with it until the march is continued. Should a Secret Patrol be discovered by the Enemy, notwithstanding all precautions, it must fly; as soon as the enemy gives up the pursuit, it must make attempts, by roundabout ways, to get notwithstanding, to the spot where its commission can be carried into execution.

This sometimes succeeds beyond expectation. A well-informed and clever officer is particularly required for this kind of duty; who speaks the language of the country, and has a knowledge of the customs, habits, hopes, and fears of the inhabitants. Such a one will be secure close to the Enemy, and be able to give the most certain and best intelligence.

It is to be remarked, that if the Leader of a Patrol, when returned, cannot answer the following questions about the roads he passed, viz:

Are they rocky, sandy, or boggy?

How many rivers and rivulets he passed; and the distances from one to
the other?

Are the banks of them bold, or only an impediment, &c.?

How many bridges lead over them? wooden or massive?

Are fords beside those bridges, passable at every season for Cavalry,
Infantry, or Artillery, &c.?

How many villages are on the road, and what are their names, and the
distances from one to the other?

Does the road go through wood; or is it at some distance; apparently
how large, and what kind?

he has lost sight of a principal point of his duty.

The foregoing Instructions can only be considered as a sketch of the duties of the Light Cavalry. The young, yet inexperienced soldier may look upon it as an introduction to his duties; he can only expect to acquire accomplishments by his own reflections and exertions.

AN ABRIDGMENT

OF

COLONEL ARENTSCHILDT'S

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS OF LIGHT CAVALRY;

BY

LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. F. PONSONBY,

Twelfth Light Dragoons.

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR

OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS OF CAVALRY, ON OUTPOST DUTY.

PICQUET.

1. The Officer commanding a Picquet should have the Names and Regiments of the men written down: he should inspect their arms and Ammunition; he should see that they are provided with Provisions and Forage, and should thoroughly understand the Orders which he receives.

2. On the march to where the Picquet is to be stationed, the country should be examined, and the places where a stand could be made in case the Picquet should be attacked, ought to be particularly observed. It is of the utmost importance to give the corps time to turn out, and the Commander of a Picquet who retires at full speed, with the Enemy at his heels, deserves the severest punishment. He must retire as slowly as possible, and constantly skirmish.

3. Upon arriving at the spot chosen for the Picquet, the Officer should ascertain the number of Videttes necessary, by observing the roads and hills in front; he should then place them in such a manner that they can each see what is coming towards the Picquet, and at the same time observe one another. In the mean time the Picquet should dismount, placing one Sentry a little in advance; and as soon as the Videttes are placed, two-thirds of the Picquet may unbridle. The Officer should make a little sketch, marking the roads, rivers, bridges, or fords, morasses, cavities, hollow roads, mountains, woods, towns, villages, and their distances. An officer cannot feel confident for the security of his post, unless he has acquired an exact knowledge of the country.

4. The principal rules for posting a Picquet at night, are to advance it two or three miles in front of the main body, behind a bridge, ravine, wood, or bog, through which the road may pass, to place Videttes in front, and on the flanks, and to send out Patrols of two or three men each at half an hour's interval. Sometimes a man should dismount and listen with his ear to the ground, by which means he will hear the march of Troops at a great distance. This precaution is necessary in stormy weather. Upon coming by night to a new spot, Patrols should be sent out in every direction before the Videttes are placed.

5. If the Enemy is near, no fire should be lighted, the post should be frequently changed, one-half of the Picquet should be mounted, one hundred yards in advance, and the other half should keep the bridles in their hands.

6. Upon relieving a Picquet, the new one should form in the rear of the old, the Videttes should be relieved, and the detail of duties should be thoroughly explained to the non-commissioned Officers and Privates. The Commander of the old Picquet should deliver over to the new one all written Orders, and the verbal Orders should be written down and signed by the Officer relieved: he should likewise inform him to whom reports are to be made, and give him every information he has relative to the Enemy, the Patrols, the Country, &c., and the night posts should be pointed out. At the relief of the Videttes, both officers of the old and new Picquet should be present, and listen to the instructions given by the old Vidette to the new one. These instructions should be from what part of the country the Enemy may be expected, where the neighbouring Videttes are stationed, in order to be able to repeat their signals. A Vidette should never move from the spot upon which he is placed, as the difference of a yard may prevent his observing, or being observed, at a great distance.

7. A dismounted Sentry should be placed in front of the Picquet, where he can observe the movements of the different Videttes. One-third of the horses must always be bridled up, and be ready to advance; the men must not take off their swords or belts; one-half may sleep in the middle of the day, the other half in the afternoon, so that they may be all perfectly alert at night. The men must not be allowed to leave the Picquet, or to go into the villages, or houses, in the neighborhood. When the men water their horses, they must bridle them up, and take everything with them; in short, a Picquet must be always ready for an attack in half a minute.

PATROLS.

8. In sending out Patrols, the following Rules should be observed: The First should go out in the morning in time for it to arrive at its destination before daybreak, where it should remain until the Officer who commands it has had time to go to some rising ground and look over the country. The Second at Ten. The Third at Two. The Fourth towards Evening. And the Fifth at midnight. This arrangement, however, depends upon the distance of the Enemy, except the morning Patrol, which is to go under all circumstances. A Patrol, in returning, should look often to the rear, as the Enemy frequently succeeds in following a negligent Patrol. The Non-commissioned Officer should be particularly careful not to allow the men to fatigue their horses; if it should be necessary to feed, it should never be done in a village, but in an open country, and a Vidette should be placed during the time. No man should be permitted to leave his horse for a moment, and any man who attempts to use an inhabitant of the country ill, or to take anything from the town by force, must be severely punished.

9. The time for the Picquet to go to the Night Post is when it becomes too dark for the Videttes to see at any distance. They are then called in, and the position for the night taken up. In case of any desertion, or that there are apprehensions of being betrayed to the enemy, by the inhabitants or spies, the Picquet should change its ground, but the Videttes remain.

At night the Videttes must be relieved every hour and visited every half hour. The Videttes should at all times be double if possible. In foggy weather, and when it is very dark, the double Videttes should patrol among themselves, and communicate with one another. When the Enemy is near, the following measure contributes not only to security, but is the best method of knowing when the enemy is on the move: A few men should patrol during the night beyond the chain of Videttes in different directions, and as near the enemy as they can unperceived; they should then dismount and listen with the ear to the ground.

10. Every person attempting to pass the Outpost must be detained till the morning. After the morning Patrol has returned, or has reported that all is well, the Picquet should take up its position for the day.

11. Videttes should be placed by day on a high ground, so as to have an extensive view, but if possible near a rock or tree, so as not to be perceived by the Enemy; when the Videttes are placed in such a manner that they can overlook their front, see each other and the ground between them, so that nothing can pass unperceived, they are placed as they ought to be.

12. By night, Videttes are taken off the hills and placed on the roads, behind fords, bridges, ravines, &c.; they should be placed at the bottom of hills, so that any object moving at the top would be easily perceived. They should by no means be advanced further than that their firing can be distinctly heard by the Picquet.

13. When a Vidette observes anything suspicious on the side of the Enemy, such as the glittering of arms, rising of dust, &c., he is to move his horse round in a circle at a walk; the Officer should instantly proceed with a Corporal and four men to the Vidette; and examine with his glass, or by a Patrol, thoroughly into the cause, after which he must make his report. If the Vidette observes Troops marching towards him, but at a great distance, he is to ride the circle in a trot; the officer acts as in the former case. If the Enemy should approach the Vidette at no great distance, he is to ride the circle at a gallop. The Officer should advance with his whole Picquet; his further duty is prescribed in Par. 15. If the Enemy is so near the Videttes that they are obliged to gallop to the Picquets for their own security, they should fire their Carbines or Pistols. By night, if the Videttes hear a suspicious noise, even at a great distance, such as the rattling of Carriages, barking of dogs, or if they observe any fire, one of them should instantly report the circumstances to the officer of the Picquet, in order that it may be inquired into by a Patrol. If any one should approach the Videttes, they must challenge, and desire the person or persons to halt till the Officer is informed. Should the person refuse to halt, being twice challenged in a loud voice, the Vidette is to fire. Great caution must be observed by night if a Deserter should come from the Enemy, the Videttes must not let him approach too near; they must make him halt till the Officer comes up. By day, the Vidette is to make a signal to the sentry of the Picquet, should a Deserter approach, and a party will be immediately sent to receive him.

FLAG OF TRUCE.

14. No person coming from the Enemy with a Flag of Truce, is to be allowed to advance farther than the chain of Videttes. When the Vidette makes the signal, the Officer of the Picquet should meet the Flag of Truce with four more, and desire the bearer to halt, if possible, in a bottom, as the intention is frequently only to make observations on the position of the Picquet, in order to attack it at night. If the bearer only brings Letters, a receipt is to be given to the bearer and sent back; but if he insists upon being allowed to proceed, further instructions must be obtained from the Officer commanding the Outposts. A Flag of Truce ought to be treated with the utmost civility, but no conversation relative to the Army is to be permitted.

15. When a Picquet is attacked, the Officer is immediately to communicate with the Picquets on his flank, and with the main body; he is then to throw out his skirmishers, and if obliged to retire, it must be done as slowly as possible, to gain time for the corps to turn out. If the commander of the Picquet should have fixed upon places where to make a stand, (as recommended in Par. 2,) he will find the advantage; if it be a bridge, ford, or ravine, he should act in the following manner: upon approaching the place, suppose a bridge, he should gallop over it with his Picquet, and form with his right flank to the Enemy, taking care to leave the passage open. The skirmishers immediately after gallop over, and form directly fronting the passage of the bridge, and to the rear of the Picquet; the Enemy must necessarily halt, in order to drive the Picquet away by their fire; consequently, time is given to the main body, which is the grand object. If the Picquets on the flanks should not be attacked at the same time, they should endeavour, without exposing themselves to be cut off, to act upon the Enemy's flanks. In general, it is a rule for the Picquets not attacked to retire in a line with those engaged.

ADVANCED GUARD.

16. If an Officer, two non-commissioned Officers, and twenty-four Privates, form the Advanced Guard, the Officer should post himself about five hundred yards in front of the columns, with thirteen men, a serjeant and eight should be detached five hundred yards in advance of him, and three men five hundred yards in advance of the whole. The principle upon which an Advanced Guard, Rear Guard, or Side Patrol is sent out, is to give time to the column to make dispositions to attack or retreat, should an Enemy be discovered. The several divisions of the Advanced Guard must keep their support constantly in view, and if a wood, village, or ravine appear upon their front or flank, it must be carefully examined before the column proceeds: at night, the interval between the divisions of an Advance or Rear Guard, should be much less than during the day, and a communication should be kept up between the divisions, by two or three single men placed at such distances that they can see each other.

17. A great deal of responsibility is left to a non-commissioned Officer on outpost duty: he has frequently the command of Patrols, Picquets, &c.; it is therefore necessary for him to obtain a thorough knowledge of his duty. Unless he has authority to keep up the strictest discipline, and to make the men under him pay the greatest attention to all Orders, he is not fit for his situation, and he is to recollect that the safety and honor of his Regiment may frequently depend upon the manner in which he executes his duty.

REPORTS.

18. All Officers in command of Picquets, Patrols, &c., must make written reports of any thing which occurs. There are few occasions when it is necessary to send a verbal report, and it should, if possible, be avoided, as it is very difficult to find Non-commissioned Officers, and Soldiers, who will deliver it correctly. A commander of a Post or Patrol, must be very cautious not to create unnecessary alarms; he must report as fully and as correctly as possible. If he reports the movements of the Enemy, he must recollect that considerable confusion may arise from saying "to the right," or "to the left;" he must say, to _our_ right, or to _our_ left, or to "the ENEMY'S right," or to "the ENEMY'S left." If a Non-commissioned Officer cannot send a written report, he must explain the message thoroughly to the Private, and should the latter deliver it incorrectly, he must expect to be punished.

FINIS.

CONTENTS.

I. ON THE CONDUCT TO BE HELD BY AN OFFICER, OR
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER, ON PICQUET.

SECT. I.--Parading the Picquet, 11

II.--Marching for his destination, 12

III.--If no Picquet was on the spot before, 12

By Day, 12

By Night, 14

IV.--Relieving another Picquet, 15

V.--During his stay on Picquet, 17

By Day, 17

By Night, 19

VI.--Placing of Videttes, 21

By Day, 21

By Night, 22

VII.--Instructions for the Videttes, and what the Officer
commanding the Picquet has to Observe on
their making signals, 23

By Day, 23

By Night, 24

VIII.--On the arrival of a Flag of truce, 25

IX.--Deserters coming from the Enemy, 26

At Daytime, 26

At Night, 27

X.--When the Picquet is attacked, 27

By Day, 27

By Night, 32

II. ADVANCED GUARD.

By Day, 33

By Night, 36

III. REAR GUARD.

Its Object and duties, 39

IV. PATROLS.

SECT. I.--Side Patrols, 41

II.--Patrolling a wood, 45

III.--Patrols of Discovery, 46

IV.--Secret Patrols, 49

ABRIDGMENT BY LIEUT. COLONEL, THE HON. F. PONSONBY.

Picquet, 55

Patrols, 59

Flag of Truce, 63

Advanced Guard, 65

Reports, 67

SCIENCE OF WAR!

TACTICS
FOR
OFFICERS
OF
INFANTRY, CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY.

ARRANGED AND COMPILED BY

L. v. BUCKHOLTZ.

One Volume, 12mo, Price 75 cts. by mail, post paid.

ARMORY, RICHMOND, VA., JAN'Y 8, 1861.

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Published and for sale by

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Also for sale by Booksellers generally.

NEW MILITARY WORK.

ON
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Published and for sale by

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