226 MANUAL FOR NONCOMMISSIONED OPFICEES. 



offers the best opportunity for conditioning the horses and 

 hardening the men. 



978. Preparation: Responsibility for tlie timely ordering of 

 necessary preparations preliminary to leaving a permanent 

 camp or station rests with the commander. All probal)le needs 

 of the command for the service on which ordered should be 

 anticipated, instructions prepared, verified, and issued once in 

 complete form, and no departure therefrom permitted. The 

 march order proper for the actual movement of the command 

 conforms to the requirements of Field Service Regulations. 

 An order or memorandum of service calls will be issued and 

 distributed in ample time the night before beginning a march 

 stating the hour for reville, stables, and breakfast and such 

 other duties as can reasonably be anticipated. 



Except on account of imperative military reasons, Cavalry 

 should not leave camp for an hour or more after daylight. If 

 grazing is depended upon, this is especially necessary, since 

 horses as a rule graze more freely in the early morning when 

 rested. Ample time should be allowed after reville for groom- 

 ing and feeding and thereafter for the men to breakfast. Ali 

 stable duties should be done quietly and without hurry or con- 

 fusion under the immediate supervision of troop and squadron 

 commanders. In each troop a man is detailed to walk the 

 picket line while grain is being fed, to look out for the horses 

 generally and to take off the feed or the nose bag of a horse 

 as soon as he has finished feeding. 



The signals for striking tents (the general), for policing, 

 saddling, and beginning the march should be ordered per- 

 sonally by the commanding officer and only when the duties 

 pertaining to the previous signal are completed. 



979. The march, its length and rate: The average daily 

 march of a Cavalry column of the size, of a squadron, or 

 larger, is about 25 miles when horses are in condition ; when 

 starting on long-distance marches the rate per day for the first 

 few days should be less than 20 miles and gradually increased. 

 These rules may necessarily be modified, even when horses are 

 not in fit condition, by reason of emergencies, character of 

 roads or weather, proximity of watci*, grazing, etc., but, with 

 these exceptions, the question of the length of the daily march 

 is one of good .iudgment and experience on the part of the 

 commander. The gait and pace of the daily march are in- 



