Instructions for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of Cavalry, on Outpost DutyArentschildt, Alexander Carl Friedrich von
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Instructions for Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of Cavalry, on Outpost Duty
Arentschildt, Alexander Carl Friedrich von
Cavalry drill and tactics; Guard duty
Great part of what is said in sections I. and II. is likewise to be
applied here. As soon as the Officer is arrived at the Picquet that
is to be relieved, he forms at its left flank, or behind it, as the
nature of the ground requires, draws out a non-commissioned officer,
and as many Videttes as he has to relieve, (the remainder dismounts,)
and proceeds with the Officer commanding the old Picquet and his own
non-commissioned Officer to relieve the Videttes. The Officers should
be very particular in delivering the detail of their duties, and the
following is to be observed on such occasions.
1. All written orders or instructions must be delivered, and the
verbal orders written down and signed by the Officer who is relieved.
2. The outlines of the sketch belonging to the Officer commanding the
old Picquet are to be copied and filled up afterwards--
3. To whom the reports are to be sent.
4. Where the Picquets on the flanks are stationed; what roads lead to
them; how often Patrols are exchanged between them in the night. In
case the roads to them are little known, or difficult to be found, the
Non-commissioned Officer of the old Picquet must show them to that of
the new one, who takes another man with him.
5. Inquiries must be made as to the knowledge the Officer has of the
enemy, particularly where he patrols to; whether he thinks that the
Picquet has been well posted, at night as well as in the day, or
whether improvements can be made. If such an improvement is found to
be necessary by placing one or two more Videttes, they ought to be
posted immediately, but the same is to be reported without delay.
At the relief of the Videttes, both the officers of the old and new
Picquets should be present. They must listen to the delivery of
instructions from the old Vidette to the new one, and the latter is to
be desired to repeat what has been delivered to him, to prevent any
mistake. The principal points of these instructions should be: on what
roads and from what part of the country the enemy may be expected to
advance; where the neighbouring Videttes are stationed, in order to be
able to repeat their signals, which they may have particular orders to
make. The new Vidette must be very particular in occupying the same
spot that the old one did, as sometimes the difference of one yard
may be of great consequence in observing or being observed at a great
distance.
If the relief is not made with the above-mentioned exactness, all
orders that have been issued may be misunderstood or quite forgotten
in the course of two or three days.
After all the Videttes have been relieved in this manner, the spot
where the Picquet and Videttes have been stationed in the night are
to be pointed out to the Officer of the new Picquet.
The old Picquet now marches off, and the new one takes its place. The
horses may be then unbridled, except one-third or one-fourth.
SECTION V.
DURING HIS STAY ON PICQUET.
_By Day._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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