MAITUAL FOS NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 211 



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 prox- 

 imity of the enemy and character of the country; for a regi- 

 ment it will generally consist of from two troops to a squad- 

 ron, for a squadron of one troop ; for a troop of from a sec- 

 tion to a platoon. The advance guard commander is responsi- 

 ble 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 infor- 

 mation 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 re- 

 serve and a support; where it consists of less than a squad- 

 ron, 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 pa- 

 trols 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 dismount- 



