MANUAL EOB, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. .205 



try, keeping a given direction, botli by day and by nigbt, and by 

 observing landmarks he should be able to return to the starting 

 point either over the same route or by a more circuitous one. 

 This can easily be l,earned by a little practice. 



It adds a^reat deal to the value of a soldier if he knows how 

 to use a map to find his way. If he knows how to make a 

 rough sketch of the country, showing the position of roads, 

 streams, woods, railroads, bridges, houses, villages, fields, 

 fences, hills, etc., he has added to his value as a soldier very 

 much, indeed, because a rough sketch of a country will give 

 more and better information at a glance than can be obtained 

 by reading many pages of written description. 



Patrolling is one of the most important duties a soldier can 

 learn. Any enlisted man who understands thoroughly his du- 

 ties as a member of a patrol will understand also most of his 

 duties when with advance or rear guards or when on outpost 

 duty. Patrolling can not be learned merely by reading books 

 nor by work indoors. Thoroughness comes only by actually 

 going out in the country and acting as a patrol. 



In carrying out this idea the following scheme is recom- 

 mended : 



Let four or more men and a noncommissioned officer act as 

 a patrol. They assemble at a certain time, at a convenient 

 point on some country road. An officer, whom we will call 

 Captain A, acts as the director; the noncommissioned officer, 

 whom we will call Sergeant B, acts as patrol leader ; and the 

 others (Privates C, D, E, etc.) act as members of Sergeant 

 B's patrol. 



Assume that the troop (squadron, etc.) has just made 

 camp in this vicinity and that the inhabitants are friendly 

 (or hostile). 



Captain A indicates to the rest of the men where the camp 

 is situated and points out where the vririous sentinels are 

 posted. (This in itself affords an opportunity for much dis- 

 cussion and for teaching many valuable lessons.) 



Captain A then calls up Sergeant B and tells him — 



(a) Just what information Captain A has of the enemy, and 

 also any information of the country or of friendly troops In 

 the vicinity that might be of service to Sergeant B. 



(&) How many men he shall take for the patrol (this is 

 another problem for Captain A to solve). Any men present 



