REPORT OF CAPT. GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN. 309 



§ 190. The object of the pickets and main guards being merely to receive the chain, they are 

 composed of small numbers of men. Therefore, a picket consists of about a platoon, and a main 

 guard of about a company. 



§ 191. The commander-in-chief determines approximately the general direction and extent of 

 the chain ; in conformity therewith, there are detailed the number of men necessary to guard the 

 space designated. The subordinate commanders carry out the details as follows : 



§ 192. A field officer, or captain, commanding two companies, conducts them to the place where 

 the main guard is to be posted ; leaving one company there, he takes the other to form the 

 pickets and videttes, and accompanies one of the platoons himself, to superintend the proper 

 posting of the videttes. Separating gradually — one moving to the right, the other to the left — the 

 two platoons continue to move on until the interval between them is about three-fourths of a 

 mile, and their distance from the main guard about the same ; they then halt. The commander 

 of each platoon, having cut off 6 men for patrols and carrying reports, divides the rest of his 

 platoon into 3 reliefs. 



He then conducts the first relief to the chain. The non-commissioned officer designated to post 

 the videttes accompanies the relief; if there is but one officer with the platoon, the senior non- 

 commissioned officer takes command of the picket until the return of the officer. 



The commander of the picket having conducted the first relief to one flank of the line he is to 

 occupy, posts the videttes so that they may be in full communication with the videttes of the 

 neighboring pickets. The captain of the company which furnishes the pickets will command 

 the more important of the two pickets. 



§ 193. Supposing each platoon to consist of 30 men, the main guard will consist of 60, and 

 each picket, deducting the 6 men for patrols, of 24 men ; each picket will thus furnish 4 pairs of 

 videttes, the two together 8 pairs ; supposing the intervals between the pairs of videttes to be 

 from 300 to 500 paces, the line occupied will be from 2,400 to 4,000 paces. In this manner two 

 companies, each 60 strong, will furnish a main guard and two pickets, which may watch a space 

 of about 2 miles. — (See Plate 5, Fig. 3.) 



ARTICLE 2. 



Duties of the videttes of the advanced chain. 



§ 194. In each pair of videttes, one is designated as the chief vidette. Both remain mounted' 

 the one in front has his carbine advanced, or pistol drawn ; the vidette in rear is permitted to 

 sling his carbine. 



§ 195. For the purpose of challenging all who approach the chain, the videttes are furnished 

 with the countersign ; they are to remember it and keep it secret. 



§ 196. They must be always vigilant and cautious; therefore, everything which may in the 

 least distract their attention is strictly forbidden, such as talking, smoking, whistling, sinking 

 &c. ; even horses that are much in the habit of neighing are not placed in the chain. 



§ 197. They must keep in view all the space between them, so that individuals may not cross 

 clandestinely. 



Therefore, one man in each pair should, in turn, look and listen carefully, lest anythinf occur 

 in the direction of the enemy or of the next pairs ; the other man places himself some paces 

 behind the first, to relieve the tension of sight and hearing. 



During the day, in open country, they merely look towards the neighboring pairs ; in a rough, 

 obstructed country, at night, or in a fog, when it is impossible to see the next pairs, one man, 



