1G8 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE 



The officers must always march at their posts, and never collect at the liead or on the flanks 

 of the cohiinn ; in bad weatlier they may throw their cloaks over their shoulders, but they must 

 never replace the helmet by the forage cap. 



On the march, the commanders of subdivisions must see that the men quit their places under 

 no pretext, and that they do not feign fatigue. Some privates are sent with sick or tired men, 

 and turn them over to the battalion officer of the day, and return to their posts. The battalion 

 officer of the day then sends them, imder charge of some of the privates of the day, to the surgeon 

 of the day with the ambulances ; these privates of the day remain in rear until the first halt, 

 or the end of the march, if there is no halt. 



It is the duty of the advanced guard to inform the commander of all obstacles encountered 

 and to take the proper measures for their removal. 



The rear guard take up all stragglers, and at the first halt, or at the end of the march, turn 

 them over to the regimental officer of the day. 



That the men may rest, and set themselves to rights, a halt of 1 or 2 hours' duration is made 

 about midway in the march. 



If the march is long and difficult, two or more halts may be made. 



The places for halts must be dry, near water, and, in warm weather, in the shade of trees. 

 Halts should not be made in villages, but near them. 



Having halted, arms are stacked, without fixing bayonets ; the men take off their knapsacks 

 and belts, remove their helmets, and put on their forage caps ; the drums are piled, and the 

 colors leaned against them, (PL 13, figs. 2 and 3.) 



The parties of the day take off their knapsacks only ; in each company, one of their number 

 is posted over the stacks. 



During the halt, the patrols and sentinels are relieved every 15 minutes. 



When several regiments are marching together, the colonels, at the end of a halt, give the 

 order to take knapsacks, &c., in succession, so as not to disturb the men prematurely, but give 

 them more time to rest. 



In addition to the main halt, short halts, of about 15 minutes' duration, are made soon after 

 the begining of the march, and at 3 or 4 miles after the main halt, to allow the men to put 

 themselves to rights, and satisfy the calls of nature. During these halts the men remain in 

 the road, in the order of march, stack arms, and take off their knapsacks. 



It is a general rule to omit no opportunity of endeavoring to jDreserve the strength of the 

 men, by always taking advantage of any slight chance of relieving them of their load ; therefore, 

 in crossing a river, for instance, while the leading sections are crossing, those in rear should 

 stack arms and take off their knapsacks. 



The troops at the tail of the column being more fatigued than those at the head, the 

 regiments and battalions should alternate in their positions in the column during long marches. 

 This rule should be particularly observed when the roads are bad. 



Further details as to the conduct of marches, the duties of billeters, &c., are to be found in 

 the cavalry regulations. 



When the troops approach their quarters for the night, the officer commanding the billeters 

 goes out to meet them near the quarters, taking all his men with him, except one from each 

 company, who remain at the company quarters with the guidons. 



When foot artillery is marching separately from the infantry, it sends out its own advanced 

 and rear guards. 



