REPORT OF CAPT. GEORGE B. M-'CLELLAN. 315 



the picket attacked retreats, they regulate their movements on it, so as to keep up the communi- 

 cation and not be cut off, and at once inform the next picket on the opposite side. 



§ 246. After every skirmish the commanders of the pickets make an inspection to ascertain 

 whether any of their men are captured or missing ; if there are any such cases, they at once 

 inform the commander of the main guard. Until the countersign is changed, the commanders 

 of the pickets forbid the videttes to allow any one to cross the chain, even with the old counter- 

 sign; this they do in all cases when a man is missing from the videttes or pickets, even if there 

 has been no skirmish. 



ARTICLE 4. 



Duties of the commander of the main guard. 



§ 247. The main guard is commanded by a field officer or captain; there must always be a 

 trumpeter with him. 



§ 248. He communicates to the commanders of the pickets the parole, watchword, and 

 countersign. 



§ 249. Having reached the position designated for the main guard, its commander details 

 and sends forward the platoons that are to supply the pickets and videttes. Having turned 

 over the command of the main guard to the next in rank of those remaining with it, he goes 

 himself to the advanced chain, to superintend the posting of the pickets and videttes; he gives 

 all the parties their instructions, how they are to act upon the appearance of the enemy, and 

 how in case of retreat; he carefully examines the 'ground. The main guard remains mounted 

 until the videttes and pickets arq posted. 



§ 250. If it is impossible for the commander of the main guard to be present at the original 

 posting of the pickets and videttes, he should at least ride over all the ground committed to his 

 charge. 



§ 251. If in any of the pickets one relief is short of men, the commander of the main guard 

 supplies the deficiency from it ; if a picket has more men than enough, he either directs the 

 superfluous men to join the main guard, or sends them to reinforce another picket which has not 

 men enough, or, finally, directs the picket which has the most men to occupy a greater portion 

 of the chain than its neighbors. 



Remarh. — In these cases, it is absolutely necessary to bear in mind that the parties sent to the 

 outposts must be units, so that their interior organization may not be disturbed ; especially that 

 two companies of the same regiment must furnish a main guard and the corresponding pickets 

 and videttes. From this there will result greater unity in the conduct of the outposts, and each 

 officer being with his own men, can assign them to the particular duty best suited to the 

 character and capacity of each. 



§ 252. In the disposition of the videttes and pickets, the commander of the main guard should 

 look to the connexion of the whole chain and all the pickets under his charge, and particularly 

 to the facility of communication with the neighboring main guards. 



§ 253. Having returned to the main guard, its commander arranges it as follows : the guard 

 dismounts ; during the day one-half, by turns, unbit and feed their horses, holding them by the 

 reins ; the rest of the men remain with their horses, in perfect readiness, some 20 to 50 paces in 

 front of those who are feeding. During the night all the horses must be bitted, and one-half 

 the men perfectly ready to mount. 



