MILITARY TACTICS. 



271 



it, deducting one-third of the whole space, for the 

 spots upon which nothing grows. Practice renders 

 this task very easy, and will enable one to determine 

 the qmi'itv, as well as the extent, tolerably well, 

 merely l>v me eye. 



An ord'-r is then issued to the array, or to that part 

 of it which is intended to forage, to have their foragers 

 ready -.i a certain time and place, in order to forage 

 for o many days. When there is to be a general 1'nri- 

 gin^ of the whole army, it must first be ascertained 

 that nothing is to lie apprehended from the enemy, 

 while the people are out. Otherwise the army forages 

 by flanks, in order that they may be prepared to resist 

 the attack of the enemy in the camp. 



When foraging is carried on under cover of the ar- 

 my, nothing more is necessary than to see that order, 

 temperance, and proper discipline are preserved, which, 

 however, requires great attention. The foraging itself 

 is conducted in the following manner : When the 

 forage is green, a particular spot is assigned to every 

 regiment, when their forager* dismount, and set to 

 work by fours, while one holds the horses. The for- 

 msr reap the corn, bind it up, and place it on the horse*. 

 The rider then mount*, ana when they are all ready, 

 they inarch off by regiments ; first the artillery, and other 

 trains, then the 'infantry, and last of all the cavalry. 

 In dry foraging, the villages are assigned to the regi- 

 menu, from which they are to forage ; and it is best 

 when tlu* peasants are made to bring together oul 

 of the village what they are required to provide, which 

 ii then dinded ; by which means all excesses are more 

 easily prevented 



If nn attack upon the foraging party is apprchrn 

 they must be covered by a force proportioned to that 

 of the enemy ; the extent of th foraging ground, and 

 the mean* of defence which it afford*. It should con- 

 sist of heavy and light horse, with infantry. The rela- 

 tive proportion of these troop* must be regulated ac- 

 cording to the nature of the ground. 



The covering force should march on the previous 

 evening, and occupy the ground whirli is to be foraged. 

 The chain is afterwards formed in the innming, while 

 the foragers leave the camp. When the ...,. i n^ force 

 marches at the same time, and at the head of the fora- 

 gers, no man should be allowed to dismount and com- 

 mence reaping, until the chain is formed, and the or- 

 der is, given by the commanding officer. 



' ioon a* the light troop*, preceding the party, ar- 

 ;pon the foraging ground, they carefully reconnoi- 

 tre the MifUxmrnaod, to ascertain whether there be 

 any place* where the enemy migli 1 ilttl, such 



as wood*, villages, ravines, tc. Bridges, and other 

 approaches must be occupied by a strong parry. Ca- 

 valry and infantry ports art then placed, who must 

 form a chain of sentries, who allow none to pas* the 

 limit* for thr puqxMe of foraging, and give immediate 

 notice of every thing that approaches. These posts 

 are established on the same principles as those roun<l a 

 camp ; and this is called the chain, which, howr\ 

 only formed in thw manner, in grv _. \\ In n 



the light troops and posts give notice th.it die enemy 

 is nowhere to be seen, the commander order-, the forn- 

 gers to dismount. He places himself with his corps 

 either at the mot important station, or if more than one 

 attack is apprehended, in such a situation, as will ena- 

 ble him conveniently In oppose the approaching ene- 

 my at every point. When the ground is of considera- 

 ble extent, he<livides his corpx into division*, whi. 

 places at UM most dangerous points, so that tlu-y can 



always afford assistance to each odier. But when he Of for* 

 hears or perceives that an attack is made in any quar- 8'"?- 

 ter, he ought not to hasten thidier immediately with s "~ ^v~~* 

 his whole corps, but must only engage so far as is ne- 

 cessary to oppose the force employed by the enemy ; 

 because the attack may be merely a feint. So long as 

 the enemy does not appear in superior force, the com- 

 mander must always endeavour to complete his fora- 

 ging ; but when die enemy is too strong, the foragers 

 must l)e immediately sent to the rear without their 

 forage; the chain must !>< drawn together, aiul the 

 whole covering force make its retreat in the best pos- 

 sible order. In dry foraging, the dispositions are much 

 the same, only that it is unnecessary to form any pro- 

 per chain, as the forage is brought to one spot, and the 

 men, therefore, are kept batter together ; and, indeed, 

 the whole business is much less complicated. 



Seer. IV. OfMarckct. 



As it is extremely difficult even for a single battalion or M jr . 

 to march to any distance straight forward in order of c (,' e 

 battle, this may be considered as impossible in the case 

 of a whole army. It is necessary, therefore, to break 

 the order of battle when setting out on a march, and 

 to proceed in many files behind each other, with as 

 small a front as convenience, or the nature of the road 

 may require. This is called marching in columns. If 

 nothing were apprehended from the enemy, this mi^ht 

 be performed without any great nicety. But as it is 

 necessary to be prepared against every possible attack, 

 ami the enemy can be resisted successfully only u In u 

 etl in order of battle, diere are certain rules which 

 must be observed in marching. In the first place, the 

 march must be so arranged, that the troops may be at 

 any time placed in order of battle, in the most rapid 

 manner passible. Secondly, all precautions must be 

 taken, according to the description and number of the 

 troops, and the nature of the ground, that the enemy 

 may not be able to attack us before we are prepared to 

 receive him in order of battle. According to these 

 principles, the disposition to all marches, whether of 

 large or small bodies of men, must be regulated. 



The ultimate principle of these movements will be 

 found in the evolutions of a single battalion, or what is 

 called petty tactics. Petty tactics are nothing else than 

 the an of placing a battalion or squadron, as rapidly as 

 possible, in order of battle, out of every given position ; 

 ami in that order which the nature of the Around, and 

 the position of die enemy requires. A short review of 

 these rules is a necessary preparation for the science of 

 nun lies. 



In most services, the battalion is divided into four di- p elt j 

 visions, and eight platoons; ami this division is the tic. 

 foundation of all movements. VN hen under arms, each 

 man occupies a space of ulxnit two feel in rank and file, 

 and the whole are placed in three rank-. Hut upon a 

 march, it is impossible to proceed in such condensed 

 order. Each man then requires tli* space of three 

 on all sides. All step out with the i-ame r.i.t. and 

 march regularly. The length of every step, from heel 

 to heel, is generally thirty inches ; nnd, in ordiiutrv 

 M \eiit} -live of these steps are to be t.iken in uiir 

 minute. In quick time, one hundred and eight sucli 

 paces are taken in the minute ; and in double quick 

 time, one hundred and twenty. U hen the w<>,-d i 

 given to step out, the length of the step is about thirty - 

 Uirec inches. Experience, proves that a quick march 



