REPORT OF CAPT. GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN. 347 



escort, aud penetrate to tlie road of retreat, so as either to cut oif and destroy a part of the escort 

 and foragers, or to force them to abandon their work and fly, by threatening to cut them off. 



§ 5G8. If from the disproportion of force it is impossible to prevent the foraging entirely, the 

 attacking party confines itself to delaying the work ; its operations, therefore, should consist in 

 partial attacks upon several points, in order to alarm and disperse the foragers by breaking 

 through the outposts at several points. Upon meeting a considerable force of the enemy these 

 attacking parties should at once retreat, and renew the attack in a different place. In such 

 operations a portion of the attacking detachment should be kept togetlier and held in reserve, as 

 a support and rallying point for the small parties. 



§ 569. If they do not succeed in preventing the foraging, they may try to attack the foragers 

 on the return march ; observing in this case the rules laid down in the preceding chapter for 

 attacks upon convoys. 



GEOKGE B. McCLELLAN, 



Captain Ist Cavalry. 



Philadelphia, Decemher 31, 1856. 



