Part 35 (1/2)

SECTION 5. REAR GUARDS.

A rear guard is a detachment detailed to protect the main body from attack in rear. In a retreat it checks pursuit and enables the main body to increase the distance between it and the enemy and to re-form if disorganized. The general formation is that of an advance guard reversed.

Its commander should take advantage of every favorable opportunity to delay the pursuers by obstructing the road or by taking up specially favorable positions from which to force the enemy to deploy. In this latter case care must be taken not to become so closely engaged as to render withdrawal unnecessarily difficult.

The position taken should be selected with reference to ease of withdrawal and ability to bring the enemy under fire at long ranges.

SECTION 6. FLANK GUARDS.

A flank guard is a detachment detailed to cover the flank of a column marching past, or across the front of, an enemy. It may be placed in position to protect the pa.s.sage, or it may be so marched as to cover the pa.s.sage. The object of the flank guard is to hold the enemy in check long enough to enable the main body to pa.s.s, or, like the advance guard, to enable the main body to deploy. Like all other detachments, it should be no larger than is necessary, and should not be detailed except when its protection is required.

When a flank guard consists of a regiment or less, its distance from the main body should not exceed a mile and a half. Practicable communication must exist between it and the main body. The flank guard is marched as a separate command; that is, with advance or rear guards, or both, as circ.u.mstances demand, and with patrolling on the exposed flank.

SECTION 7. OUTPOSTS.

Troops not on the march provide for their security by outposts.

The general duties of an outpost are reconnoissance, observation, and resistance.

The specific duties are:

1. To protect the main body, so that the troops may rest undisturbed.

2. In case of attack, to check the enemy long enough to enable the main body to make the necessary dispositions.

During an advance the outposts are usually detailed from the advance guard. During the retreat the outpost for the night usually forms the rear guard the next day. If the command remains in bivouac, the new outpost generally goes on duty at daybreak.

The vigilance of outpost troops must be unceasing, but they should avoid bringing on combats or unnecessarily alarming the command.

Firing disturbs the rest of troops and, if frequently indulged in, ceases to be a warning.

No trumpet signals except ”to arms” or ”to horse” are sounded, and all unnecessary noises must be avoided.

As a rule an outpost will not exceed one-sixth the strength of a command. For a single company a few sentinels and patrols will suffice; for a larger command a more elaborate system must be devised. The troops composing the outpost are generally divided into a reserve and several supports.

At a proper distance in front of the camp of the main body a line which offers a good defensive position is selected. This is called the LINE OF RESISTANCE, and should he so located that an advancing enemy will be held in check beyond effective rifle range in case of a small force, artillery range in case of a large force, of the main body until the latter can deploy. The reserve is stationed at some point in rear of this line, where it can be moved quickly to reinforce any point as needed. The line of resistance is divided into sections, the limits of each of which are clearly defined. A support is a.s.signed to each section, which are numbered from right to left, and occupies a position on or near the line, having special regard to covering avenues of approach. The position occupied should always be intrenched.

The reserve and supports proceed to their respective positions by the shortest routes, providing for their own protection by sending out covering detachments.

Generally speaking, about one-half the Infantry of the advance guard should be in the supports. As each support arrives at its position it sends out observation groups, varying in size from four men to a platoon, to watch the country in the direction of the enemy. These groups are called outguards. For convenience they are cla.s.sified as pickets, sentry squads, and cossack posts, and should be sufficient in number to cover the front of the section occupied by the support and connect with the neighboring supports.

A picket is a group consisting of two or more squads, ordinarily not exceeding half a company, posted in the line of outposts to cover a given sector. It furnishes patrols and one or more sentinels, sentry squads, or cossack posts for observation. Pickets are placed at the more important points in the line of outguards, such as road forks. The strength of each depends upon the number of small groups required to observe properly its sector.

A sentry squad is a squad (eight men) posted in observation at an indicated point. It posts a double sentinel in observation, the remaining men resting near by and furnis.h.i.+ng the reliefs of sentinels. In some cases it may be required to furnish a patrol.

A cossack post consists of four men. It is an observation group similar to a sentry squad, but employs a single sentinel.

As a rule not more than one-third of the support should be on outguard duty. As soon as they are sent out to their postions the support commander selects a defensive position on the line of resistance; gives instruction for intrenching same; establishes a sentinel to watch for and transmit signals from outguards; sends out patrols to reconnoiter the country to the front of his section and, if on the flank of the line, the flank; and then proceeds to make a careful reconnoissance of the section a.s.signed him, rectifying the position of outguards if necessary, seeing that they understand their instructions in case of attack or when strangers approach their posts, and pointing out their lines of retreat in case they are compelled to fall back on the support.

When the outguards are established, the members of the support may stack arms and remove equipment except cartridge belts. No fires will be built or smoking permitted unless specially authorized, or no loud talking or other noise. All patrolling to the front will be done, as a rule, from the support. The support commander should locate the position of the adjacent supports und make arrangements with the commanders for the joint defense of the line of resistance. At nights all roads and trails should be carefully covered and the country to the front and between adjacent outguards well patrolled.

The line occupied by the outguards is called the LINE OF OBSERVATION.

Outguards move to their positions providing for their own protection and so us to conceal the movement from the enemy. These positions are intrenched and are numbered from right to left in each support.