KEPOET OF CAPT. GEORGE B. M°CLELLAN. 301 



In open country they are small, and at great intervals apart. In a rough, broken country, 

 in foggy or very rainy weather, in night marches, the number of patrols is increased, and they 

 remain near their detachments. Patrols are not sent out in very dark nights, unless it is 

 absolutely necessary. 



§ 121. The commanders of detachments upon sending out patrols should instruct them in 

 what direction to march, what intervals to preserve, and to what objects and places their atten- 

 tion should chiefly be directed. 



§ 122. If there are defiles, woods, villages, &c., in front, the advanced and flank detachments 

 should examine them by patrols before entering them, lest they should be suddenly attacked 

 and cut off. 



§ 123. On approaching a village, the commander of a detachment orders his patrols to seize, 

 in some way or other, some of the inhabitants for interrogation, as to whether the enemy is 

 concealed in the village, or its vicinity ; whether he has passed through it ; if he has passed, 

 in what force, with what kind of troops, when, and in what direction. The inhabitants seized 

 should not be dismissed until the whole detachment has left the village. 



§ 124. Commanders of advanced, flank, and rear detachments, upon receiving reports from their 

 patrols, should endeavor to verify them in person, particularly in important cases, and ought not 

 to make their own reports until fully satisfied of the truth of those of the patrols. 



§ 125. Commanders of detachments should endeavor to maintain a constant communication 

 with the parties on their flanks by means of patrols. Flank detachments should not be long 

 separated from their corps by imj)assable places, such as woods, marshes, lakes, &c. ; but if 

 these obstacles are not very extensive, the detachment and its patrols march on the outer side of 

 them, in order to examine the country more fully. 



§ 126. If the enemy appears, or attacks in force, the commanders of the advanced, flank, and 

 rear detachments call in their patrols, and, without accepting combat, retreat upon their column 

 under cover of skirmishers, merely endeavoring to delay the enemy as long as possible. If, 

 however, an opportunity offers to capture one of the enemy's patrols, without delaying its own 

 march, the detachment should undoubtedly avail itself of the chance. 



CHAPTER III. 



DUTIES OF PATROLS DUEING THE MAECH. 



§ 127. Patrols are parties of various strength detached either from troops on the march to 

 examine the country, or from troops in position to obtain news of the enemy. 



In this chapter, patrols of the first kind are alone treated of ; the duties of patrols sent out by 

 troops in position will be given in Part II, Chapter IV. 



§ 128. The principal duty of patrols is to discover the enemy betimes, and thus secure the 

 detachment to which they belong, as well as the rest of the army, against sudden attacks. 



§ 129. Patrols should not consist of less than 12 or 15 men ; for they ought to be able to 

 attack the enemy's patrols by surprise, without too much risk. 



§ 130. The men composing a patrol should not keep too close together, but stretch out as much 

 as the ground and the force of the patrol will permit ; never forgetting that it is very important 

 that they should not all be captured at once. 



§ 131. Patrols on the march move at a fixed distance from their detachment, keep up their 

 communications, never lose sight of each other if they can avoid it, and form a continuous pro- 

 tective chain around the army. 



