GRAND GUARDS AND OTHER OUTPOSTS.

602. Grand guards are the advanced posts of a camp or cantonment, and should cover the approaches to it. Their number, strength, and position are regulated by the commanders of brigades; in detached corps, by the commanding officer. When it can be, the grand guards of cavalry and infantry are combined, the cavalry furnishing the advanced sentinels. When the cavalry is weak, the grand guards are infantry, but furnished with a few cavalry soldiers, to get and carry intelligence of the enemy.
603. The strength of the grand guard of a brigade will depend on its object and the strength of the regiments, the nature of the country, the position of the enemy, and the disposition of the inhabitants. It is usually commanded by a Captain.
604. Under the supervision of the Generals of Division and Brigade, the grand guards are specially under the direction of a field officer of the day in each brigade. In case of necessity, Captains may be added to the roster of Lieutenant-Colonels and Majors for this detail.

605. Staff officers, sent from division head-quarters to inspect the posts of grand guards, give them orders only in urgent cases, and in the absence of the field officer of the day of the brigade.
606. Grand guards usually mount at the same time as the other guards, but may mount before daybreak if the General of Brigade thinks it necessary to double the outposts at that time. In this case they assemble and march without noise, and during their march throw out scouts; this precaution should always be taken in the first posting of a grand guard. The doubling of guards weakens the corps and fatigues the men, and should seldom be resorted to, and never when preparing to march or fight.
607. A grand guard is conducted to its post, in the first instance, by the field officer of the day, guided by a staff officer who accompanied the General in his reconnoissance. After the post has been established, the commander sends to the field officer of the day, when necessary, a soldier of the guard to guide the relieving guard to the post. He also sends to him in the evening a corporal or trusty man of the guard for the note containing the parole and countersign, and sends them before dark to the detached posts. He will not suffer his guard to be relieved except by a guard of the brigade, or by special orders.
608. If there is no pass to be observed or defended, the grand guards are placed near the centre of the ground they are to observe, on sheltered, and, if possible, high ground, the better to conceal their strength and observe the enemy; they ought not to b. placed near the edge of a wood. When, during the day, they are placed very near or in sight of the enemy, they fall back at night on posts selected farther to the rear.
609. In broken or mountainous countries, and particularly if the in habitants are ill disposed, intermediate posts must be established when it is necessary to post the grand guard distant from the camp.
610. Grand guards are chiefly to watch the enemy in front; their Ranks are protected by each other, and the camp must furnish posts to protect their rear and secure their retreat.
611. Grand guards are seldom intrenched, and never without the orders of the General, except by a barricade or ditch when exposed in a plain to attacks of cavalry.
612. The General of Division, if he thinks proper, changes the stations and orders of these guards, and establishes posts to connect the brigades or protect the exterior flanks.
613. After a grand guard is posted, the first care of the commander and of the field officer of the day is to get news of the enemy; then to reconnoitre his position, and the roads, bridges, fords, and defiles. This reconnoissance determines the force and position of the small posts and their sentinels day and night. These posts, according to their importance, are commanded by officers or non-commissioned officers; the cavalry posts may be relieved every four or eight hours.
614. The commander of a grand guard receives detailed instructions from the General and field officer of the day of the brigade, and instructs the commanders of the small posts as to their duties and the arrangements for defense or retreat. The commanders of grand guards may, in urgent cases, change the positions of the small posts. If the small posts are to change their positions at night, they wait until the grand guard have got into position and darkness hides their movements from the enemy; then march silently and rapidly under the charge of an officer.
615. In detached corps, small posts of picked men are at night sent forward on the roads by which the enemy may attack or turn the position. They watch the forks of the roads, keep silence, conceal themselves, light no fires, and often change place. They announce the approach of the enemy by signals agreed upon, and retreat, by routes examined during the day, to places selected, and rejoin the guard at daybreak.
616. Grand guards have special orders in each case, and the following in all eases: to inform the nearest posts and the field officer of the day, or the General of Brigade, of the march and movements of the enemy, and of the attacks they receive or fear; to examine every person passing tear the post, particularly those coming from without; to arrest suspicious persons, and all soldiers and camp-followers who try to pass out without permission, and to send to the General, unless otherwise directed, all country people who come in.
617. All out-guards stand to arms at night on the approach of patrols, rounds, or other parties; the sentinel over the arms has orders to call them out.
618. Advanced posts will not take arms for inspection or ceremony when it would expose them to the view of the enemy.
619. Grand guards are often charged with the care and working of telegraphic signals.
620. The sentinels and vedettes are placed on points from which they can see farthest, taking care not to break their connection with each other or with their posts. They are concealed from the enemy as much as possible by walls, or trees, or elevated ground. It is generally even of more advantage not to be seen than to see far. They should not be placed near covers, where the enemy may capture them.
621. A sentinel should always be ready to fire; vedettes carry their pistols or carbines in their hands. A sentinel must be sure of the presence of an enemy before he fires; once satisfied of that, he must fire, though all defense on his part be useless, as the safety of the post may depend on it. Sentinels fire on all persons deserting to the enemy.
622. If the post must be where a sentinel on it cannot communicate with the guard, a Corporal and three men are detached for it, or the sentinels are doubled, that one may communicate with the guard. During the day the communication may be made by signals, such as raising a eap or handkerchief. At night sentinels are placed on low ground, the better to see objects against the sky.
623. To lessen the duty of rounds, and keep more men on the alert at night, sentinels are relieved every hour. To prevent sentinels from being surprised, it is sometimes well to precede the countersign by signals, such as striking the musket with the hand, striking the hands together, &c.
624. On the approach of any one at night, the sentinel orders" Halt!" If the order is not obeyed after one repeated, he fires. If obeyed, he calls -"Who goes there?" If answered-"Rott" or "Patrol," he says-" Stand: Advance one with the countersign." If more than one advance at the same time, or the person who advances fails to give the countersign or signal agreed on, the sentinel fires, and falls back on his guard. The sentinel over the arms, as soon as his hail is answered, turns out the guard, and the Corporal goes to reconnoitre. When it is desirable to hide the position of the sentinel from the enemy, the hail is replaced by signals; the sentinel gives the signal, and those approaching the counter signal.
625. With raw troops, or when the light troops of the enemy are numerous or active, and when the country is broken or wooded, the night stormy or dark, sentinels should be doubled. In this case, while one watches, the other, called a flying sentinel, moves about, examining the paths and hollows.
626. The commandants of grand guards visit the sentinels often change their positions when necessary; make them repeat their orders teach them under what circumstances and at what signals to retire, and particularly not to fall back directly on their guard if pursued, but tt lead the enemy in a circuit.
627. At night, half the men of the grand guard off post watch under arms, while the rest lie down, arms by their side. The horses are always bridled; the horsemen hold the reins, and must not sleep.
628. When a grand guard of cavalry is so placed as not to be liable to a sudden attack from the enemy, the General may permit the horses to be fed during the night, unbridling for this purpose a few at a time the horsemen being vigilant to prevent them from escaping.
629. An hour before break of day, infantry grand guards stand to arms, and cavalry mount. At the advanced posts, some of the infantry are all night under arms, some of the cavalry on horseback.
630. The commander of a grand guard regulates the numbers, the hours, and the march of patrols and rounds, according to the strength of his troop and the necessity for precaution; and, accompanied by those who are to command the patrols and rounds during the night, he will reconnoitre all the routes they are to follow.
631. Patrols and rounds march slowly, in silence, and with great pre. caution; halt frequently to listen and examine the ground. The rounds consist of an officer or non-commissioned officer, and two or three men.
632. Toward break of day the patrols ought to be more frequent, and sent to greater distances. They examine the hollow-ways and ground likely to conceal an enemy, but with great caution, to avoid being cut off, or engaged in an unequal combat; if they meet the enemy, they fire and attempt to stop his march. While the patrols are out, the posts are under arms.
633. Cavalry patrols should examine the country to a greater distance than infantry, and report to the infantry guard every thing they observe. The morning patrols and scouts do not return until broad daylight; and when they return, the night sentinels are withdrawn, and the posts for the day resumed.
634. When patrols are sent beyond the advanced posts, the posts and sentinels should be warned.
635. On their return, commanders of patrols report in regard to the ground and every thing they have observed of the movements of the enemy, or of his posts, and the commandant of the grand guard reports to the field officer of the day.
636. The fires of grand guards should be hidden by a wall, or ditch, or other screen. To deceive the enemy, fires are sometimes made on ground not occupied. Fires are not permitted at small posts liable to surprise.
637. The horses of cavalry guards are watered or fed by detachments; during which the rest are ready to mount.
638. If a body of troops attempt to enter the camp at night, unless their arrival has been announced, or the commander is known to, or is the bearer of a written order to the commander of the grand guard, he stops them, and sends the commander under escort to the field officer of the day, and warns the posts near him.
639. Bearers of flags are not permitted to pass the outer chain of sentinels; their faces are turned from the post or army; if necessary, their eyes are bandaged; a non-commissioned officer stays with them to prevent indiscretion of the sentinels.
640. The commandant of the grand guard receipts for dispatches, and sends them to the field officer of the day or General of Brigade, and dismisses the bearer; but if he has discovered what ought to be concealed from the enemy, he is detained as long as necessary.
641. Deserters are disarmed at the advanced posts, and sent to the commander of the grand guard, who gets from them all the information he can concerning his post. If many come at night, they are received cautiously, a few at a time. They are sent in the morning to the field officer of the day, or to the nearest post or camp, to be conducted to the General of the brigade. All suspected persons are searched by the commanders of the posts.
642. When an enemy advances to attack, unless he is in too great force, or the grand guard is to defend an intrenched post or a defile, it will take the positions and execute the movements to check the enemy, acting as skirmishers, or fighting in close I open order, as may be best. The guard joins its corps when in line, or when a sufficient number of troops have reached the ground it defends.

643. Unless the army be acting on the defensive, no post should be ientrenched, except to cover the weak parts of the line, or at points which the enemy cannot avoid, or in mountain warfare, or to close a defile, or cover winter quarters.
644. Posts connected with the operations of an army are intrenched only by order of the General commanding-in-chief or a General of Division.
645. Any intrenchment that requires artillery is considered as a post, and a guard or garrison and commander are assigned to it.
646. The General who establishes an intrenched post gives to its commander detailed instructions in regard to its defense, and the circumstances under which the defense should cease.
647. The commander reconnoitres his post; distributes the troops; posts the officers and non-commissioned officers; forms a reserve; gives orders for all contingencies he can foresee; supposes an attack, and arranges his troops for defense, so as to prepare them for attack, day or night.
648. In dark weather he redoubles his vigilance, and changes the hours and direction of the rounds and patrols. He permits no flags of truce, deserters, or strangers to enter. If a flag ought to pass his post, he bandages his eyes. He refuses admittance to a relief or any other party until he has carefully examined them. In case of an attack, he does not wait for orders or hold a council. Having defended his post to the last extremity, or till the purpose of the defense, according to his instructions, is answered, he may then spike his guns and rejoin the army under cover of night, or by cutting his way through the enemy.

649. When a detachment is to be formed from the different regiments of a brigade, the Assistant Adjutant-General of the brigade assembles it, and turns it over to the commander.
650. When a detachment is to be formed from different brigades, the Assistant Adjutant-General in each forms the contingent of the brigade, and sends it to the place of assembling.
651. Detachments are generally formed by taking battalions, squadrons, companies, platoons in turn, according to the roster for such detail.
652. When the detachment is to consist of men from every company or troop, the first on the roster for guard are taken.
653. Officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers, whose tour it is to go on detachment, if employed otherwise at the time, are relieved frown the duty they are on, if they can reach camp in time to march with the detachment.
654. When detachments meet, the command is regulated while they serve together as if they formed one detachment. But the senior officer cannot prevent the commander of any detachment from moving, when he thinks proper, to execute the orders he has received.
655. On the return of a detachment, the commander reports to the head-quarters from which he received his orders.

656. Near an enemy, daily reconnoissances are made to observe the ground in front, and to discover whether the advanced guards of the enemy have been increased or put in motion, or any other sign of his preparation for march or action.
657. They are made by small parties of cavalry and infantry, from the brigade, under direction of the General of Division or the General of a separate brigade, and to less distance by the patrols of the grand guard, and are not repeated at the same hour or by the same route. On the plain, reconnoissances are made by cavalry; among mountains, by infantry, with a few horsemen to carry intelligence.
658. Reconnoitring parties observe the following precautions: to leave small posts, or sentinels at intervals, to transmit intelligence to the advanced posts of the army, unless the return is to be by a different route; to march with caution, to avoid fighting; and see, if possible, without being seen; to keep an advanced guard; to send well-mounted men ahead of the advanced guard, and on the flank of the party; to instruct the scouts that no two should enter a defile or mount a hill together, but to go one at a time, while one watches to carry the news if the other is taken.
659. Before daybreak the advanced guard and scouts are drawn closer; the party then march slowly and silently, stop frequently to listen, and keep the horses that neigh in the rear. The party should enter no wood, defile, village, or inclosure, until it has been fully examined by the scouts.
660. Special reconnoissances are made under the instruction of the General in command, by such officers and with such force as he may direct.
661. Offensive or forced reconnoissances are to ascertain with certainty points in the enemy's position, or his strength. They are sometimes preludes to real actions, and sometimes only demonstrations. They drive in his outposts, and sometimes engage special corps of his line. They are only made by the order of the General commanding-in-chief, or the commander of an isolated corps.
662. In all reports of reconnoissances, the officer making them shall distinguish expressly what he has seen from the accounts he has not been able to verify personally.
663. In special and offensive reconnoissances, the report must be accompanied by a field-sketch of the localities, the dispositions and defenses of the enemy.

664. The operations of partisan corps depend on the nature and theatre of the war; they enter into the general plan of operations, and are conducted under the orders of the General commanding-in-chief.
665. The composition and strength of partisan corps and detachments of flankers depend on the object, the difficulties, the distance, and the probable time of the expedition.
666. The purpose of these isolated corps is to reconnoitre at a distance on the flanks of the army, to protect its operations, to deceive the enemy, to interrupt his communications, to intercept his couriers and his correspondence, to threaten or destroy his magazines, to carry off his posts and his convoys, or, at all events, to retard his march by making him detach largely for their protection.
667. While these corps fatigue the enemy and embarrass his operations, they endeavor to inspire confidence and secure the good will of the inhabitants in a friendly country, and to hold them in check in an enemy's country.
668. They move actively, appear unexpectedly on different points in such a manner as to make it impossible to estimate their force, or to tell whether they are irregular forces or an advanced guard.
669. These operations require vigilance, secrecy, energy, and promptness. The partisan commander must frequently supply by stratagem and audacity what he wants in numbers.
670. These detachments are sometimes composed of different arms, but the service belongs more particularly to the light cavalry, which can move to a distance by rapid marches, surprise the enemy, Attack unexpectedly, and retire as promptly.

671. Stormy weather, fogs, extreme heat, and the night above all, are favorable to the success of ambuscades; when the enemy are careless, the break of day is the best time. A partisan commander should communicate to his second in command his secret orders, the direction and object of the expedition, and the diffent points of junction with the army.
672. Guides of the country and spies are often necessary to the partisan. They are examined separately, and confronted if their accounts differ. When there is but one guide, he marches with the advanced guard, guarded by two men, and bound if necessary. Peddlers and smugglers are specially suitable for spies.
673. A fit time to attack a convoy is at a halt, or when they begin to park, or when they are watering, or passing a wood or a defile; at a bend of the road, a bridge, or steep ascent.
674. The attacking party may be principally cavalry, with some infantry. The first object is to disperse the escort. A part of the detachment attacks the main body of the escort, another the wagons, and a third is in reserve; skirmishers line the road, and try to cut the traces, and to seize the front and rear wagons, and turn them across the road, to prevent the train from advancing or retreating.
675. If the convoy is parked, the cavalry surrounds it, assails the escort, and tries to draw it away from the train. The infantry then engage the troops remaining at the park, slip under the wagons, and get into the park. When the cavalry is alone and the enemy are shaken, they dismount a portion of the men to supply the want of infantry.
676. If it is a large convoy, the principal attack is made on the centre; the most valuable wagons are also selected, and additional horses are put to them if the attack is successful. Those that cannot be carried off are burned.