MAWTJAL FOE, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 215 



A picket is a. group consisting of one or two sections, ordi- 

 narilj' not exceeding half a company, posted in tlie line of 

 outposts to cover a given sector. It fiirnislies patrols and 

 one or more sentinels, sentry squads, or cossack posts for ob- 

 servation. Pickets are placed at the more important points 

 in the line of outgnards, such as road forks. The strength of 

 each depends upon the number of small groups required to 

 observe properly its sector. 



A sentry squad is a squad (eight men) posted in observation 

 at an indicated point. It posts a double sentinel in observation, 

 the remaining men resting near by and furnishing the reliefs of 

 sentinels. In some cases it may be required to furnish a patrol. 



A cossack post consists of four men. It is an observation 

 group similar to a sentry squad, but employs a single sentinel. 



As a rule not more than one-third of the support should be 

 on outguard duty. As soon as they are sent out to their posi- 

 tions the support commander selects a defensive position on 

 the line of resistance ; gives instruction for intrenching same ; 

 establishes a sentinel to watch for and transmit signals from 

 outguards ; sends out patrols to reconnoiter the country to the 

 front of his section and, if on the flank of the line, the flank; 

 and then proceeds to make a careful reconnoissance of the sec- 

 tion assigned him, rectifying the position of outguards if neces- 

 sary, seeing that they understand their instructions in case of 

 attack or when strangers approach their posts, and pointing 

 out their lines of retreat in case they are compelled to fall 

 back on the support. 



When the outguards are established, the members of the sup- 

 port may stack arms and remove equipment except cartridge 

 belts. Part of the horses may be unsaddled and groomed and 

 fed at one time. All girths should be loosened. No fires will 

 be built or smoking permitted unless specially authorized, or 

 no loud talking or other noise. All patrolling to the front will 

 be done, as a rule, from the support. The support commander 

 should locate the position of the adjacent supports and make 

 arrangements with the commanders for the joint defense of 

 the line of resistance. At nights all roads and trails should be 

 carefully covered and the country to the front and between 

 adjacent outguards well patrolled. Horses should, as far as 

 possible, be permitted to rest, unsaddled, at night. 



