MANUAL FOR NONCOMMISSIOITED OmCERS. 203 



Occasionally it is advisable for the leader to conceal his 

 patrol and continue the reconnaissance with one or two com- 

 panions. 



Patrols far from their commands or in contact with the 

 enemy often remain out overnight. In such cases they seek a 

 place of concealment, proceeding thereto after nightfall or 

 under cover. 



When the enemy is encountered it is very necessary to locate 

 his main force. Information is particularly desired of his 

 strength, whether he has infantry, cavalry, and artillery, the 

 route and direction of hfb march, or the location of his camp 

 and line of outposts. 



Dust clouds indicate moving bodies. Infantry raises a low, 

 thick cloud ; cavalry a high, thin cloud ; artillery and wagons a 

 broken cloud. The kind of troops, direction of march, and 

 approximate strength may thus sometimes be roughly esti- 

 mated. If from some position a body of troops can be seen 

 marching along in column, the exact time in minutes and sec- 

 onds it requires for them to pass a certain point should be 

 noted, together with the formation they are in, thus : Infantry, 

 column of squads, three minutes and twelve seconds ; cavalry, 

 columns of tv*^os at a trot, one minute and twenty seconds; 

 wagons, four-mule, five minutes. From this information the 

 strength can be determined by the following rule : 



Assuming that infantry in column of squads occupy half a 

 yard per man, cavalry in column of fours 1 yard per man, and 

 artillery and wagons in single column 20 yards per gun, cais- 

 son, or wagon, a given point would be passed in one minute by 

 about — 



175 infantry. 



110 cavalry at a walk. 



200 cavalry at a trot. 



5 guns, caissons, or wagons. 

 For troops in column of twos, take one-half of the above esti- 

 mate. 



Patrols should always observe the country marched over, 

 with a view to making a report on the same. The following 

 information is always of value : 



Roads, — Direction ; kind, whether dirt, gravel, macadam, etc. ; 

 width, whether suitable for column of squads, etc.; border, 



