300 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



§ 109. The commander of the advanced guard secures his camp by outposts. 



Bemarh. — All the duties prescribed for the commander of the advanced guard in offensive 

 marches apply equally to the commander of the flank guard during a march to the flank. 



§ 110. In a retreat, the commander of the advanced guard follows the same rules as in the 

 offensive, and takes great pains to remove all obstacles that might impede the march of the 

 train and the main body. To repair the road, he detaches mounted engineer troops or work- 

 ing parties, with the requisite tools, and pursues his march with the remainder of his command. 



ARTICLE 3. 

 Duties of the commander of the rear guard. 



§ 111. His princijial duties, during a pursuit by the enemy, consist — 



1. In indefatigable vigilance. 



2. In the preservation of the best order and most severe discipline. 

 '6. In sustaining the courage and spirits of his troops. 



§ 112. He should use every exertion to ascertain the movements and designs of the enemy, 

 that he may be able to take in time the measures necessary to thwart and oppose him. 



§ 113. He secures and guards his march as the advanced guard does on the ofiensive. By a 

 turning movement, the enemy may force the rear guard to accelerate its march, and thus throw 

 it into disorder ; for this reason, the commander should pay especial attention to his flanks 

 and to the cross-roads, by which the enemy might turn and attack him ; if necessary, he may 

 send out, instead of the usual small detachments, large and independent parties which can 

 resist the attack. 



§ 114. The rear guard should always be in a condition to form in order of battle ; therefore, 

 those portions near the enemy retreat by the rear rank, so that they have only to face about. 



§ 115. That he may be able to preserve order in the rear guard when retreating in sight of 

 the enemy, especially during the rigor of his pursuit, the commander ought not to conduct the 

 retreat with all the troops at once, but with one portion fighting to protect the other, which 

 latter in the meantime retreats, occujsies an advantageous position in rear, and tlien receives 

 the shock of the enemy in turn, thus allowing the first portion to pass by to the rear. 



§ 116. The portion of the rear guard covering such a retreat ought to avoid engaging in a 

 decisive combat, and merely check the enemy long enough to enable the portion in retreat to 

 gain its newly chosen position. 



§ 117. The commander of a rear guard, in a retreat, should resort to all means of retarding 

 the pursuit of the enemy ; for this purpose, he orders the roads to be broken up, bridges to be 

 destroyed, defiles to be blocked up, &c. 



§ 118. During an ofiensive march, if there is no danger of an attack upon the rear of the 

 column, the duties of the commander of the rear guard are as in peace ; he superintends the 

 preservation of order in the train, and picks up stragglers, &c. 



§ 119. In all cases, the commanders of rear guards ought to report to the commander of the 

 main body everytliing that occurs to their jjarty. 



ARTICLE 4. 



Duties of the commanders of advanced, flank, and rear detachments. 

 § 120. Tliey send out patrols, as laid down in § 14, to examine the greatest possible amount 

 of ground on all sides, and to obtain information of the enemy ; the number of the patrols must 

 depend upon circumstances and the nature of the country. 



