Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army Part 38

In this manner the exercise is continued. Care must be taken not to have the patrol leader or members state what they would do, but they must actually do it. Explanations and discussions may take place later.

In a similar manner the director may inform Sergeant B (or any member of the patrol) that this hostile patrol is followed by a squad (on the a.s.sumption that it is the leading unit of an advance guard), and the exercise is then continued along these lines.

The following are examples of a.s.sumption that might be made and carried out:

(_a_) That the patrol is unexpectedly fired upon.

(_b_) That one or more of the patrol is wounded.

(_c_) That a prisoner is captured (let an observer act as prisoner).

(_d_) That a friendly inhabitant gives certain information.

(_e_) That a dust cloud is seen in the distance over the trees.

(_f_) That a column of troops can be seen marching along a distant road.

(_g_) That an abandoned camp is discovered and certain signs noted.

(_h_) That the patrol is attacked by a superior force and compelled to scatter.

There is practically no end to the number of reasonable a.s.sumptions that may be made.

Troop officers may use this method of instructing noncommissioned officers in patrolling, advance and rear guard duty, outposts, and in squad leading, in writing messages, in selecting positions for trenches, and in constructing and concealing same. This form of instruction is called "a tactical ride or, if dismounted, a tactical walk." It is very greatly used by all foreign armies. Exercises along the same general lines are conducted for field and staff officers and even general officers, and are called "tactical rides" and "strategical rides," depending upon their object.

After some proficiency has been attained as a result of these tactical rides, the greatest interest and enthusiasm can be awakened in this work by sending out two patrols the same day, one to operate against the other. Each should wear a distinctive uniform. The strength of each patrol, its starting point, route to be followed, and its orders should all be unknown to the other patrol. If blank ammunition is used, an officer should supervise its issue and carefully inspect to see that no man carries any ball cartridges. One umpire should accompany the commander of each party. Each umpire should be fully informed of the strength, orders, and route of both patrols. He must, however, carefully avoid giving suggestions or offering any information to the commander. Observers in these small maneuver problems are generally in the way and none should be permitted to be along.

These small maneuvers may be gradually developed by having one side establish an outpost or fight a delaying action, etc.

It should always be remembered that there is no hard and fast rule prescribing how a patrol of three, five, or any number of men should march. The same is equally true of advance guards, and applies also to the establishment of outposts. It is simply a question of common sense based on military knowledge. Don't try to remember any diagrams in a book. Think only of what you have been ordered to do and how best you can handle your men to accomplish your mission, and at the same time save the men and horses from any unnecessary hards.h.i.+ps. Never use two or more men to do what one can do just as well, and don't let your men get beyond your control.

In addition to the signals prescribed in the Cavalry Drill Regulations, the following should be clearly understood by the members of a patrol:

Enemy in sight in small numbers, hold rifle above the head horizontally; enemy in force, same proceeding, raising and lowering the rifle several times; take cover, a downward motion of the hand.

Other signals may be agreed upon, but they must be familiar to the men; complicated signals are avoided. Signals must be used cautiously so as not to convey information to the enemy.

=Section 4. Advance guards.=

The advance guard is a detachment of the main body which precedes and covers it on the march. The primary duty of an advance guard is to insure the safe and uninterrupted march of the main body. Specifically its duties are:

1. To guard against surprise and furnish information by reconnoitering.

2. To push back small parties of the enemy and prevent their observing, firing upon, or delaying the main body.

3. To check the enemy's advance in force long enough to permit the main body to prepare for action.

4. When the enemy is encountered on the defensive, to seize a good position and locate his lines, care being taken not to bring on a general engagement unless the advance guard commander is empowered to do so.

5. To remove obstacles, repair the road, and favor in every way the steady, march of the column.

The strength of the advance guard will vary with the proximity of the enemy and character of the country; for a regiment it will generally consist of from two troops to a squadron, for a squadron of one troop; for a troop of from a section to a platoon. The advance guard commander is responsible for the proper performance of the duties with which it is charged and for its conduct and formation.

The advance guard provides for its security and gains information by throwing out to the front and flanks smaller bodies: Each part must keep in touch with the unit from which it is sent out. An advance guard is generally divided into a reserve and a support; where it consists of less than a squadron, the reserve is generally omitted.

The support sends forward an advance party, which, in turn, sends forward a point. In small advance guards the point precedes the advance party about 350 yards, the advance party the support about 500 yards, and the support the main body about 600 yards. Where advance guards are large enough to require a reserve these distances are increased about one-fourth, the reserve following the support, the main body following the reserve at a distance varying from 500 to 800 yards.

Unless the country to the flanks is distinctly visible from the roads for a distance of what may be said to be effective rifle fire, approximately 1,000 yards, flanking patrols of two or three men each should be sent out from the advance party, and, when in proximity of the enemy, in addition from the support. When the nature of the country is such that patrols may move across country, without unduly delaying the march these patrols should march at a distance of from 500 to 600 yards from the flank of the body from which detached. For the examination of any object, such as a wood, buildings, etc., examining patrols should be sent out from the main body. The usual method of protecting the flanks, particularly when the country is at all cut up or difficult, is to send out patrols from time to time to some point from which a good outlook can be obtained, or which will afford protection to the enemy. These patrols remain in observation, observer being dismounted, his horse held by another trooper until the advance guard has pa.s.sed, when they rejoin the nearest subdivision, as quickly as possible working their way to that to which they belong during the halts or by riding up the side of the road. By sending out a succession of small patrols in this manner the flanks are protected.

Should the advance party become depleted, it must be reenforced from the support.

A squadron acting as advance guard would have two or three troops in reserve and one or two in support. The support would send forward as advance party two platoons, the advance party in turn sending forward as point one section. A troop acting as advance guard would have no reserve and would send forward as advance party one platoon. All Of the above may be changed as circ.u.mstances warrant.

Cases may arise when the best means of covering the head and flanks of the column will be by a line of skirmishers extended at intervals of from 5 to 50 yards, as, for instance, when pa.s.sing through high corn, underbrush, etc.

It must always be remembered that the princ.i.p.al duty of the advance guard is to secure the uninterrupted march of the main body. If the point is fired upon, it should at once deploy and endeavor to advance fighting. The flankers should a.s.sist in this and endeavor to locate the enemy's flank should there be such resistance that advance was impossible. Each succeeding body should march promptly forward, and in turn be placed in action, with the idea of clearing the way for the advance of the main body. Should this be impossible, the commander of the entire body must determine what measures he will take.

=Section 5. Rear guards.=

A rear guard is a detachment detailed to protect the main body from attack in rear. Cavalry is an excellent arm for rear guard duty on account of its mobility. While part of the cavalry is using dismounted fire action, the other part may gallop back and take up a new position. 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 range.

=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 be much over 5 miles. 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 outposts 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.