REPORT OF CAPT. GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN. 303 



houses, woods, coppices, ravines, &c. In passing by such places, the patrols endeavor to 

 ascertain whether they are occupied hy the enemy, and then either occupy them themselves, or 

 pass by with the utmost precaution. Defiles, bridges, ravines, hollow ways, dikes, and rivers, 

 should be carefully examined ; having passed them, the front patroUers should at once place 

 themselves on the highest bank to observe the environs. 



§ 142. A special patrol of 2 or 3 men is sent to examine any remarkable object which is too 

 far off to be visited by the flank patroUers ; the rest halt, and await their return ; such patrols 

 should move at a moderate gait. 



§ 143. If it is necessary to pass through a village, the operation is conducted as follows : One 

 of the front patroUers approaches it. If it is in the day, he rides through several streets and 

 asks for the chief person of the place ; in the mean time the other front patroUers ride along the' 

 skirts of the village. Having found the chief person of the ^^lace, the front patroUer conducts 

 him to the commander of the advanced guard, which now approaches the village ; the patroUer 

 then rides through the village with his comrades, and halts on the further side in some elevated 

 position. There they await the arrival of the advanced guard. 



§ 144. If a village is to be passed at night, the front patroUers go quietly to the first house, 

 call out its master, take him away, and obtain the necessary information from him ; afterwards 

 they go for the chief person of the place. 



§ 145. Before entering a woods, the front patroUers must ascertain that the enemy does not 

 occupy the skirts, and one or two men should ride around the whole woods, if it is not too 

 extensive ; all the cross-roads should be examined to the distance of several hundred paces by 

 flank patrols, who afterwards overtake the patrol. Before entering open fields in a forest, 

 patroUers should ride all around the edges. 



§ 146. The patrols detain all persons met on the road, and send them to the commander of 

 the detachment for examination. The commander retains, under guard, all who are suspicious 

 characters, as well as those who have witnessed important movements, or whose testimony is of 

 such importance as to need verification. 



§ 147. Ui^on the appearance of hostile patrols and patroUers, flags of truce, or deserters, our 

 own patroUers, even if in considerable force, at once inform the commander of the patrol, who, 

 satisfying himself of the true state of the case, at once takes the necessary measures. 



If he sees a weak patrol of the enemy, or single soldiers straggling off for pillage, he quietly 

 endeavors to seize and disarm them ; he stops the flag of truce, blindfolds, and places him 

 under the charge of a trustworthy soldier, who, not allowing him to turn back, conducts him to 

 the commander of the detachment. 



§ 148. Whenever the commander of a patrol perceives, from a distance, the approach of the 

 enemy in strong force, he at once informs the commander of the detachment, and at the same 

 time endeavors to get nearer the enemy to ascertain his strength, &c. ; finally, he retreats upon 

 the detachment without exposing himself. 



Remark. — In this, and all similar cases, the party falling back should move as slowly and in 

 as good order as possible. 



§ 149. A patrol only gives notice of the approach of the enemy by firing when it is suddenly 

 driven in and has no time to send a report. Therefore, a patrol should be in no hurry to fire 

 when it discovers the enemy ; for it may happen that we see him before he discovers us, and then, 

 if we are only engaged in watching him, we should endeavor to fall back on the detachment 

 without being observed. 



§ 150. Upon the first shot fired by the patroUers, the whole patrol forms, and the commander 



