292 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



If there is no probability of meeting the enemy, or if the advanced guard is at a great distance 

 (e. g., one-half a day's march) from the main body, then the wagons of the 2d class, belonging 

 to the advanced guard, may march immediately after it ; in like manner, if the general column 

 moves by echelon, with intervals of half a day's march, then the wagons of the 2d class, belong- 

 ing to each echelon, may march immediately behind it. 



But when an affair with the enemy is anticipated, all the trains of the 2d class, except the 

 ammunition wagons, follow the main body, at a distance of not less than one-half a day's 

 march ; so that in the event of a retreat, the wagons may not delay the movement. But in 

 such cases, the ammunition wagons follow immediately after the troops to whom they belong. 

 In a general retreat, the trains of the 2d class should be placed at least one-half a day's march 

 in front of the troops, i. e., at such a distance, that in no event can they impede or delay the 

 movements of the active troops. 



§ 41. Trains of the third class consist of those for which the troops have no immediate or pressing 

 necessity. They are composed of provision and forage wagons, wagons loaded with hospital 

 stores and equipments, ambulances for the sick who are in the general hospital, &c., &c. 



§ 42. Trains of the 3d class always march in a distinct train, separate from the troops, on the 

 principal road, and under the protection of a special escort ; the strength of which dej^ends upon 

 the extent of the train and the position of the enemy. 



§43. The number of wagons allowed in the 2d and 3d classes depends ujjon circumstances, 

 and special orders issued during the campaign. Commanders of separate detachments may be 

 allowed to vary the number of wagons in each class according to circumstances. 



§ 44. In the march of a large number of wagons, any obstacle to a section, or a single wagon, 

 delays all that follow, and thus extends to the whole train. To avoid this difficulty, large 

 trains are divided into sections of about 100 wagons each, which march about one-third of a 

 mile apart. 



§ 45. If, in addition to the ammunition wagons, there are some loaded with loose powder, 

 they are formed in sej^arate sections and placed in the part of the train least exposed to the 

 enemy. No foreign matter is to be placed on these wagons. 



§ 46. The head of each section must occasionally halt for a moment, that the rear may keep 

 closed up. 



§ 47. Detailed arrangements for the formation and march of trains should be made. 



ARTICLE 5. 

 The defence of trains. 



§ 48. The duties of troops detailed as the escort of a train are : 1st. To enforce the preserva- 

 tion of order. 2d. To assist their rapid and uninterrupted march. 3d. To defend them if 

 attacked. 



§ 49. A portion of the escort, detailed to watch over the order of march, distributes itself as 

 a chain along the whole length of the train. If the escort is small, a certain number of privates, 

 under the charge of a non-commissioned officer, are placed in charge of a section, or certain 

 number of wagons, and are responsible for their order of march. 



§ 50. When the roads are very bad some of the escort are dismounted, in order to be in readi- 

 ness to assist any wagons that may mire, break down, or meet with any impediment. 



§ 51. A working party marches at the head of the escort to repair the road. The strength 

 of this party will depend upon the number of wagons, the state of the road, &c. 



