34 G MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



§ 55G. If the enemy attacks while the foraging is going on, the escort shoukl go to meet him 

 or defend itself in position, endeavoring to stop him nntil the foragers have finished their work, 

 and arc drawn out on the road for their return march ; then the escort commences its retreat, 

 acting as a rear guard, and endeavoring to keep the enemy as far from the foragers as possihle. 

 If it is impossihle to hold the enemy in check long enough to finish the work, they should at 

 least send forward and protect all the foragers who have packed their horses or loaded their 

 wagons ; the rest join the escort. If there is a probability of driving off the enemy by uniting 

 all the foragers to the escort, it is best to abandon the forage already packed, and to begin foraging 

 anew after having repulsed the enemy. It is j^ermitted to abandon the forage entirely only in 

 extreme urgency, when there is absolutely no other way of saving the foragers. 



§ 557. If the enemy is repulsed we must not be induced to pursue him any further than enough 

 to prevent a renewal of the attack, but must endeavor to complete the foraging. 



§ 558. The foraging must not be extended over any ground not guarded by the escort. If the 

 escort is too weak to cover the whole space designated for foraging, the ground is divided into 

 parts, and the foraging effected in the different portions successively. 



§559. If the foragers are attacked on their return march, the defence is conducted as jjre- 

 scribed in the preceding chapter. 



§ 5G0. If the foraging ground is at a considerable distance from the camji, it will be a proper 

 precaution to post a special detachment in sujijiort half way. 



§ 561. Foraging in places occupied by the enemy is undertaken only upon the entire exhaustion 

 of the ground occupied by our own troops. Such foraging is covered by ofi"ensive operations, so 

 that, having driven in the enemy's advanced troops or other parties, we may rapidly seize all 

 the supplies to be found in the vicinity. This is called forced foraging. 



§ 5C2. The strength and composition of a detachment for forced foraging must be such that it 

 can overwhelm the enemy's troops, and remain long enough in position to enable the accompanying 

 detachment of foragers to complete their work and retreat out of danger. 



§ 563. The main conditions of success in such an enterprise are suddenness, rapidity, and deter- 

 mination in the attack, promptness in the work of the foragers, and tenacity in holding the 

 positions taken from the enemy as long as necessary. Success will be greatly facilitated bj' 

 partial attacks made upon different points of the enemy's position while the foraging is going on. 



ARTICLE 2. 

 Of allacJcs ujwn foragers. 



§ 564. Attacks upon foragers should be sudden and rapid, in order, by not giving the escort 

 time to defend the points attacked, to produce confusion among the foragers and thus prevent 

 them from working. 



§ 565. The approach of the attacking party should be concealed, rapid, and compact; that is. it 

 should not send out parties to any great distance in front or on the flanks, and^ as a general rule, 

 should not divide its force prematurely, but only the moment before the attack. 



§ 566. The force of a detachment sent to attack foragers depends chiefly ujion the object of the 

 attack — that is, whether it is designed to ' capture the foragers, or only to prevent them from 

 foraging by alarming them, or to prevent them from carrying off forage already packed. 



§ 56*7. It is in all cases advantageous to begin with several simultaneous false attacks by small 

 parties, to perplex the enemy and oblige him to divide the escort ; then to direct the main party 

 of the detachment upon the principal point of tlie enemy's arrangements, overthrow his weakened 



