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108. ADVANCE GUARDS—Advance
and Rear Guards are terms applied to the forces disposed for the protection of the troops when they are
moving,
and correspond in their
object with the Grand Guards when the troops are in camp. They are
intended to guard against a sudden attack of the enemy, an ambuscade, to discover the position of
the enemy, and to conceal the operations of the main body from him.
109. The following diagram shows the arrangement of the Advance
and Rear Guards as directed in General Orders No. 69, Headquarters Army of the Potomac,
February 25, 1862. It supposes the force to be a Division of three Brigades, but it is manifest
that it may be extended to any number of Divisions. It supposes the column to be marching by
flank along an ordinary road. The same principles apply if the Division were marching in line,
by simply extending the line of skirmishers, and the number of flankers would be necessarily
reduced.
ON THE MARCH—The same
general principles apply to the protection of a column in motion as to an army in camp. The scene continually shifting, however,
redoubled precautions are necessary, and stronger Advanced Guards, of course, are required.
The advance is taken by a line of skirmishers, extending four or
five hundred yards beyond the flanks of the column on each side. The skirmishers correspond
with the Pickets in Camp. About one hundred yards behind this line march the
Supports,
three in number. The centre
Support keeps to the road to be followed by the column. The officer
commanding this Support must be well instructed as to the direction he is to pursue, and in
detail as to the route and rate of march. The flank Supports move about three hundred yards to the right
and left. The Reserve marches about one hundred and fifty yards behind the centre Support.
The main body of the column follows from a half-mile to a mile
behind the Reserve. The flanks of the column are protected by Flankers, disposed
according to similar principles. The outer lines to the right and left are formed of skirmishers,
moving by the flank, and keeping their lines about four hundred yards from the flank of the
column. The Supports of these Flankers, one to each Brigade, move by the flank, about one
hundred and fifty yards inside the line of flankers.
The Rear Guard marches half a mile behind the main body. The
measures of spaces given are simply indicative. They will be modified according to
circumstances. The Advanced Guard is composed of troops of all arms, and in strength should not be
less than one tenth of the entire force.
The line of skirmishers (except in extraordinary cases) will
consist of light Infantry. The Supports will consist of infantry. A small detachment of Cavalry
is attached to each Support, to act as scouts and messengers. A few pieces of Field Artillery
march in rear of the centre. The Reserve will comprise at least one-half the entire strength of
Cavalry and Infantry of the Advanced Guard, and the principal portion of the Artillery.
The number of flankers is regulated so as to have the lines of
skirmishers extend from the Advanced Guard to the Rear Guard. Their Supports being equal, in
the aggregate, to the number of files composing the lines of skirmishers. Small detachments of
Cavalry will be with each of the Supports, to perform the duty of scouring the country beyond
the lines of skirmishers, and to act as messengers.
The Rear Guard of an Army advancing on the enemy need not be
stronger than one-twentieth part of the entire force. On a retreat, it should be not less
than one-eighth of the Infantry, and as large a proportion of Artillery and Cavalry as can be used to
advantage. The duties of the Rear Guard, when the column is advancing, are
to collect and bring forward all stragglers from the Army, whether men or animals, and to prevent
any sudden attack upon the rear of the column or train. It will be arranged in the following
order:
The main body of the Rear Guard will follow about five hundred
yards behind the rear of the column. Two hundred yards further to the rear will follow a line
of skirmishers, extending about a hundred yards on each side beyond the flanks of the column. A
small number of Cavalry will be attached to the Rear Guard, to be employed in communicating
with the main body.
In retreat, the duties of the Rear Guard are of the most
important nature; and upon their proper performance the safety of the whole Army depends.
Every favorable position must be seized by the Commander to make
a stand against the pursuers with his Infantry; Charge their advanced lines with his Cavalry,
and bring his Artillery into battery. Always bear in mind, that it may at any moment be
possible, by energetic action and judicious management, to entirely check the pursuit, or even to
turn defeat into victory.
As their movements depend entirely upon the dispositions of the
enemy in pursuit, no definite rules can be laid down for any particular order of march.
In advancing into a portion of the country which has not been
thoroughly and recently reconnoitered, too much caution cannot be observed to guard
against surprise and ambuscade.
Every ravine and piece of forest should be carefully examined by
Infantry. Should Cavalry be in advance, they will dismount on approaching a ravine or wood, and
a small number advance on foot and ascertain whether it is occupied by the enemy.
Artillery, particularly, must never be allowed to come within rifle range of any cover which has not
been explored.
Every exertion must be used by the officers of the whole force to
prevent any of the men from halting, or leaving the ranks on any pretense whatever.
Officers in charge of trains will strictly prohibit any
unauthorized persons from riding upon the wagons or ambulances.
Depredations and plundering of every description will be most
surely and severely punished. [G.O. 69.]
110. The duties devolving upon the Lieutenant in connection with
Advanced Guards, ordinarily would be the command of one or more supports to the skirmish line
or flankers. His attention should be particularly directed to maintain his line of
skirmishers or flankers, to see that the men preserve the proper direction and interval, and that they keep
their places in line, all the time keeping a good look out for the enemy, and approaching all places
of cover where an enemy could conceal a force, with all the necessary precaution.
111. Both skirmishers and flankers are guided in this march by
the movements of the main column, when it moves they move, and when it halts they halt. If
the enemy is met in front, the skirmishers halt and preserve their order and steadiness until
the Commanding Officer decides and directs what shall be done. The enemy must be in evident
force, however; the skirmishers should not halt simply at the sight of a few of the enemy. If the
enemy appears on the flank, the flankers hold their ground to give the column time to prepare for
action. In no case should the.men fall back in disorder at the
appearance of the enemy; if it is necessary to fall back, and the fact has been made fully apparent, they should fall back in
order, sending word to the column at once.
112. The Rear Guard is quite as important as the Advance Guard,
and is governed by the same general principles. On the retreat is when the Rear Guard
displays its greatest importance. Great tact and judgment are necessary in the officer commanding, to
enable him to take advantage of the defensive positions along the line of retreat, to delay the
enemy and compel him to form a line of battle, and then to withdraw before he can avail himself
of his arrangements for attack, the object being to postpone the moment for withdrawing only so
long as may be safe to retire.
113. Bridges, fords, ravines, defiles, &c., are the positions
to be chosen by the Rear Guard. If the enemy attack in small force they are easily repulsed, if they
attack in large force time is necessary to develop his troops. When he is nearly ready to attack is the
time to withdraw. In order to resume the pursuit he is obliged to form column, which again
involves time; this being often repeated the main column gets so far advanced that pursuit is useless.
Time must not be allowed to the enemy to detach a flanking party, which, by turning the Rear
Guard, may get between it and the main column, and thus delay it and perhaps cause its capture.
114. The word flanker in
the Regulations (page 95), has a more general meaning than that
given in the foregoing; it is there applied to a detachment from the
main Army, sent out to attack and annoy the enemy’s flanks and rear, and interrupt his
communications. That application of the word has become almost obsolete. Some general principles in
connection with Advance Guard duty are found under ‘Marches."
(Reg. 677).
115. POLICE—Lieutenants
in camp have often to act as Officer
of Police, whose duty it is
to see that the General Parade Ground, and ground about the Field
Officers quarters, are cleaned up daily, and that each company keeps its own grounds in order, and
in fact that the entire camp is kept in a proper state of cleanliness.
116. Each company has its detail for Police for its own
respective ground, but the guard detail which marched off the morning previous constitutes the detail for
"General Police. "The
police call sounds generally immediately after Reveille, when the First
Sergeant orders the police details to fall in. That for General Police is marched to the
Parade Ground, that for the company is immediately set to work on the company grounds under the
direction of a non-commissioned officer.
117. The Officer of Police superintends the parading of the
General Police, and then directs what the detail shall do. The duty consists generally in sweeping
up and removing all offal and refuse from the General Parade Ground, color line, and the
vicinity of the Field Officers’ quarters. Police call sounds twice in the day, in the morning
immediately after Reveille, and again in the afternoon before Retreat Parade.
118. Twice during the day, therefore, the camp is expected to be
in perfect order. When regularly performed this duty is light, and serves to keep the camp
perfectly neat. In active service the routine of this duty is so often interrupted as to break it up
frequently; but it will be found advisable to renew it at all times when the absence of an enemy
and the duties of the troops will admit of it.
119. The detail is often reduced by the sickness or absence on
other duty of some member of the guard detail of the day previous. They must be accounted for by
the First Sergeant, but it is not usual to replace them. One hour, morning and evening, is
generally allowed for this work. The Officer of Police inspects the grounds before the detail is
dismissed, and if the duty has been imperfectly performed they are required to go over the neglected
parts again.
120. It is generally only when a Regiment or more of troops are
encamped together that the Officer of Police is called upon, where the amount of work and the number
of Lieutenants for duty will justify it.
121. In smaller camps a Sergeant of Police is sufficient under
the direction of the Officer of the Day. In garrison, the general parade, and other grounds used in
common, are kept in order by the prisoners or if there are none, a special detail is made, and the
duty is directed by the Officer of the Day.
122. Where there is much other duty for the troops to do, the
foregoing method of policing the camp is too often omitted, owing to the police detail being
broken up by details for other duties. In such cases the camp is always greatly neglected, and it is
allowed to go on from bad to worse until it becomes a matter no longer to be overlooked, and the
whole command is turned out for a general cleaning up. It costs less labor and the camp is always
in good order and a picture of neatness, where a dally police system is adopted and properly
carried out; it indicates a good state of discipline, and the health and comfort of the troops is
greatly promoted.
123. A complete system of drainage should be adopted, and puddles
of water not be allowed to stand and dry up after a rain. Each company kitchen should
collect its slops, and remove them away from the camps or bury them, so as neither to offend the eye
nor the nose. Cavalry and Artillery should sweep out and remove the manure of the stables
daily.
124. The cleanliness of a camp depends greatly upon the selection
of the location. Care should always be had to select ground a little rolling, or a plain with
a slight inclination. The season of the year and the length of time the ground is likely to be
occupied should be considered. Campsthat are only to be occupied for a day or two need not be
selected with reference to their police; but when they are to be occupied for weeks, and perhaps months,
the question of police becomes an important one. A complete drainage is of the first importance;
for the soil is very soon made so compact under the men’s feet that it will not absorb the
rain, and if the water cannot run off it collects in puddles and pools, that, in warm weather, generates
poisonous vapors, and, in winter, causes uncomfortable mud-holes. If the men are required regularly
to clean up the camp they will be careful in creating unnecessary litter, which they know they
will be required to remove, and cleanliness soon becomes a habit.
125. The sinks are also subject to the inspection of the Officer
of Police. Each Company usually has its own sinks. The sinks consist, when the troops are in the
field and in camp for several days at one place, of trenches about ten feet long, two feet wide, and
three or four feet deep, dug in the earth, and screened by shrub
branches, located about two hundred yards in front of the encampment, and inside the line of sentinels of the Police Guard.
126. Sinks cannot be constructed too soon after a camp is once
established, and the Officer of Police is usually entrusted with the duty of directing where they
are to be placed, and seeing that the necessary number are properly made. The earth that is dug out
is thrown back again, little by little, thus rendering them less offensive. In due time they are
entirely filled up, and new ones dug.
127. In Garrison the sinks are more permanent and are kept clean
by washing, and the use of lime. They require constant attention, or they will soon become
very offensive. In Camp and Garrison there are always established certain Police Regulations
and Orders, intended to regulate the cleanliness of the place, which it is the particular duty of
the Officer of Police to see enforced and complied with. All violations should be promptly reported,
and the necessary steps taken to have the offense punished.
28. FATIGUE AND WORKING
PARTIES.—Lieutenants are
constantly required to take charge of Fatigue or
Working Parties, and
direct their labors. The work to be performed may be any of the labors incident to military operations, of sufficient
magnitude to require a number of men to do it. Ordinarily it will consist of work pertaining to
the erection of field fortifications, such as digging trenches, throwing up parapets, constructing
abatis, felling forests, building stockades, making gabions, fascines, etc., etc. It may be some
labor in connection with the construction required in building a military post, erecting
quarters, stables, storehouses, etc. Often he is directed to improve the means of communication by
making new roads, building bridges, or repairing them, etc.
129. The work may be required under circumstances of danger,
either exposed to the enemy’s fire, or liable to attack; more frequently, however, it will be a
peaceful duty, without danger and free of all inconvenience, except the fatigue incident to the
work. In any case the officer in charge, in addition to the simple duty of directing and
controlling the men in the performance of the work, has the opportunity to display his personal knowledge
and capacity, and if he has anticipated the work by learning all about it, it will save him
from the mortification of an exhibition of ignorance, if it does nothing more, and may
possibly attract attention to his merits that might otherwise pass unobserved.
130. If, in the construction of fortifications, the officer shows
that he has given attention to the subject of Military Engineering, it will manifest itself in the
disposition of the men for the work, so that the greatest number can be employed at the same time,
without being in each other’s way; in a knowledge of the details, avoiding all errors, and
proceeding at once to the labor without delay, and without unnecessary questions. In siege operations he
will be able to protect his men as much as possible from the fire of the enemy.
131. In the making of a road, the construction of a bridge, the
building of a block-house or stockade, quarters, or storehouses, he has the opportunity of
showing any knowledge and capacity he may possess. But whether he have any special
knowledge of the work to be done or not, he must be able to control his men, preserve order, and
enforce a proper amount of labor on the part of the men. When it is necessary to take precautions
against the enemy he must be able to do so with judgment and skill, to guard against disaster.
132. A fatigue-party cannot usually be relied upon for its own
defence, especially where the attack may be sudden and short, as in a siege where the besieged make
sorties against the besiegers in the trenches, for the reason that the men cannot work with
their accoutrements on, and if they take them off before they can be replaced they will be defeated.
In such cases the fatigue-party should be attended by a guard to protect them whilst they are
at
work, or, what would be the same thing, let the fatigue-party be so large that a portion may
stand guard whilst the other works, and in that way relieve each other. The arms of the
working-party should be taken to the ground with them under such circumstances, and stacked at the
rallying-point under charge of the guard, which should be so disposed that they can defend them
until the working-party can resume their arms.
133. The most difficult case is when a foraging
party is sent outside of the
lines to procure supplies of any kind, the difficulty of defending the wagons and guarding
against a sudden attack is usually very great, and requires every precaution and foresight
on the part of the officer, and courage and decision when an attack does take place. Such parties
are generally very weak and defenseless, and the country may be such as to greatly favor the
enemy, especially if the foraging is to be performed in the enemy’s country. The general
principles given for the protection of a Patrol apply in such cases. When attacked the guard must seek to
occupy the enemy until the wagons can get out of the way, and all the men that are not
needed to hold the enemy in check, go with the wagons to assist them, and to guard against
detachments sent to intercept. In no case should the wagons be left to themselves if there is any
possibility that they may be intercepted.
134. An Engineer or Staff-officer sent with a working party,
whilst he cannot exercise command or give orders affecting the men, he nevertheless has an advisory
control as to the work that cannot be ignored, and it is the duty of the officer in charge of
the working party to conform to his counsel, and should there be any conflict, it is always best
that the point at issue be made in writing. The Staff officer gives orders in the name of his
Commanding Officer with reference to the character of the work, the time and means of performance; and
it is the duty of the officer in the immediate charge of the men to conform to these orders.
135. Details for fatigue, as well as other purposes are more to
be relied upon if composed of complete companies, or detachments from the same company,
particularly in duties that involve danger. Men have not the same confidence in strangers that they
have in their messmates. It is also a great convenience to the officer if he knows his men.
There is less danger of straggling and shirking, because the offenders are easily recognized and
punished. Where the party is composed of many small details from different companies, the
utmost vigilance is necessary to keep it together, and to get each man to do his share of work,
particularly in times of danger A list should be made, the first thing, of the men’s names and
their Company and Regiment, and the roll called frequently.
136. Much space might be taken up here with details of the best
mode of performing the different kinds of work usually required of fatigue and working
parties, in fact it would make a respectable little volume in itself. These details, however, may
be found more complete than can be stated here, in other books, and
it can only be indicated, generally, what the subjects are that deserve attention, and where to find the information concerning
them.
137. The different kinds of labor consequent upon a siege, in
building fortifications and entrenching positions, may be learned from Mahan’s "Field
Fortifications" and
Duane’s
"Manual for Engineer Troops."
Downing’s "Country
Houses" will afford
many excellent suggestions in the construction of officer’s quarters,
barracks, storehouses, etc. In the building of roads, construction of bridges, dams, railroads, and many other
useful points, Mahan’s "Civil
Engineering" should
be consulted. Galton’s ‘Art
of Travel" has many
useful suggestions to the officer on frontier stations and in campaigns. The "Aide
Memoire to the Military Sciences,"
edited by the Royal Engineers, English Army, is a valuable book
to the military student.
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