326 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



sent out by troops on the march ; these measures are equally applicable in the present case, and 

 the following are prescribed in addition : 



§ 364. If a patrol leaves in its rear defiles by which it is intended to return, a few men should 

 be left to hold them — in preference the men having the worst horses. If these men are driven 

 off by a superior force, they can, by means of preconcerted signals, (such as rockets, lighted straw 

 on poles, &c.,) inform the patrol of the fact, so that it may seek another line of retreat. 



§ 365. As these patrols are iisually intended merely to discover the enemy and examine the 

 country, they should generally avoid a combat unless success seems certain. 



§ 366. That he may be able to avoid the enemy when still unperceived by him, the commander 

 of a patrol pays special attention to the ground, so that in case of necessity he may avail him- 

 self of its accidents for concealment. 



§ 367. Upon meeting the enemy in superior force, the patrol should at once commence its 

 retreat if already discovered. 



§ 368. If a patrol suddenly stumbles upon the enemy in the night it is best to attack at once ; 

 in the night the advantage is always on the side of those who attack first, for to the habitual 

 disorder following a sudden attack is added the uncertainty as to the strength of the attacking 

 party. In such cases, decision and the advantage of the initiative insure success. When the 

 enemy is beaten off and retreats, he ought not to be pursued far, lest we fall into an ambuscade; 

 and it is best, not being allured by success, to avail ourselves of it, and retreat in good order. 



§ 369. The guides of patrols ought to be chosen for their thorough knowledge of the country 

 and fidelity, but their suggestions should not be blindly followed ; to verify them, constant 

 inquiries shoidd be made of the inhabitants, and of all persons met on the road ; for greater 

 security, the guides should be detained until the patrol is in perfect safety. 



§ 370. To rest and feed the horses, the patrol avails itself of some covered place off 

 the road, as a forest, ravine, &c. During the halt, the patrol secures itself by means of 

 videttes, small patrols, and the precautions described for independent pickets. In these cases 

 the use of fire is rigorously forbidden, no matter how well concealed the place may be. If any 

 inhabitants are found on the spot, they must be detained until the patrol departs. During the 

 winter, halts are made at isolated houses, or small hamlets, taking care that none of the inhabit- 

 ants pass beyond the chain of sentinels established by the patrol. 



§ 371. Patrols being in small force, in order to avoid the danger of being cut off, should 

 never remain long in any one place. 



§372. All patrols, especially those intended to examine the country, should, if possible, 

 return by a different route from that by which they advanced ; besides, thus increasing their 

 own security, they examine a greater space, and bring back information concerning two roads 

 instead of one. 



§ 373. It is very desirable that the commander of a patrol sent to examine the country should 

 make sketches of the ground passed over, or at least describe in great detail all the objects met 

 with of any importance in a military point of view, such as roads, rivers, forests, and defiles. 

 Whether the roads are practicable for all kinds of troops ; the nature of the road bed ; whither 

 the roads lead ; and whether they are the shortest. The extent of the forests ; whether they 

 are dense or open, marshy or dry. The size of the villages; whether they are situated on 

 heights or in hollows ; whether they contain churches and mills ; whether a stream runs through 

 them in one channel, or in several branches, or aroimd them ; whether the inhabitants have 

 many cattle and much provisions. With regard to rivers, he observes their depth, fords and 

 bridges ; whether the bottom is boggy or hard ; the declivity and height of the banks ; which 



