A.L PlRTISi^ WiRFiSE 4.=-.- > mm George Washington Flowers Memorial Collection DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ESTABLISHED BY THE FAMILY OF COLONEL FLOWERS 1 tot ult,. M^tf^.*>Ul > •^ Mr OF MILITARY RECOPAISSANOSS,. TEMPORARY FORTIFICATION AND FOR • SlF MfflY^ffl PIY... C'ONTAINING: 1st. Military EEcoKNAiesAKCES ; 2d. Elements of Military Topogkapiiy ; ' • » 3d. Elements of Temporary Fortification ; 4tu. Partisan Warfare. IRANSLATED FROM THE FREXCII OF BY JOHN M. RICHARDSON J. S.I LATELY MAJOR OF THE 21ST REG'T N. C. TROOPS, C. S. A NOW, PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS IN THE GEORGIA MILITARY INSTITUTE, MARIETTA, GA. ATLANTA, GEORGIA : J. Mcpherson & co., publij-hers. 1862. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by JOHN M. EICHAKDSON, In the Clerk's Office of the Northern District of Georgia. Franklin Steam Printing House, Atlanta, Ga.--J. J, Took & Co. CERTIFICATES. HEAD-QUAIITERS SEVENTH BRIGADE, } AuMT OF Potomac, Jan. 28, 1862. \ Muj. Jno. M. Richardson, 21st North Carolina Reg't., Manassas : Bir:— I have read the "Manual of Military Reconnaissances and Partisan Warfare" submitted to me, ^yith much pleasure. It is an ex- cellent translation of the valuable work of General LeLouterel, and in my opinion will be extensively useful in the Army and in the Con- federate States, by the dissemination of the true principles of the art of war amonar the junior officers, and also the non-commissioned offi- cers and intelligent privates of the army, and to those who may hero- after embrace tiic military profession. g* . , As the South, to maintain her nationality, and command respect, must become a military people, too much attention cannot be bestowed on good elementary and general treatises on militjiry subjects. Works of this character are more extensively useful for their brevi- ty, like the one you have compiled." Wishing you every success, I am respectfully and truly Your obH servant, J. K. TRIIIBLE, Brig. General. Majoi: ntcnARi>t>ON : — I have read your observations on the subjecti of Intrenched Cami)?:. and find them" to contain important hints and true principles for defensive arinies. They will be a useful chapter in vonr " Memoir." Yours respcctfnlly, , Va., March 7th, 1862. Sir:— I have read the manuscript sent herewith, and find it very In- teresting. While full enough for all practical purposes, it explainfl with simplicity and clearness enough to meet ordmary intelligence, all the an-angements necessary to be taken by the field engineer, as also IV CERTIFICATES. the important duties of advanceil posts and pickets. Tho book may be read by all ■with decided advantasro, and its grenoral circulation vould tend jrreatly to aive a mure intelligent and efllcient tone to our army. The book ought to sell well, e.'^pecially if put into a convenient form for transportation, and at such a price as would induce privates, as well as officers, to purchase. I am, sir, respectfully. Your ob't serv't, K. n. CHILTON, A. A. G. To Mr. Morris, Publisher ,Pdchinond, Ya. STATE OF GEORGIA, 1 Adjutant & Inspector Gkneral's Office, y MiLLEDGEViLLE Ga , April 3, 1SC2. J Ma). John M, Richardson^ Geo. Military Institute, ilarietta, Ga. Majok : — I have examined the " ^Manual" carefuUj-, and it gives me pleasure to say, that it is well adapted to the purpose designed, and a valuable contribution to om- military publications. If closelj' studied by our oflicers, not only of Infantrj^ and Cavalry, but also by our vol- xmteer artillerists and staff, we will have an intelligent arm}-. Very respectfully, Your ob't serv't, IIENKY C. WAYNE, Adjutant & Inspector General. TABLE OF CONTENTS. ALPHAr.ETICAL INDEX. ARTICLE. AbaUis 109 Advanced Guards 120 AtJiueuls 69 Ambuscades 122 Angles, means of measuring 70 Attack of Po.sls .' 12S Auxiliary Defences 108 i3alloon.? 69 Basins 60 Bank Right 60 T'.ank Left 69 Bastion Fort 90 Batteries lU Battle of Pultowa lU Boml) Proofs 115 Bridges 126 Calouiation of Embankment and Excavation lOl Camps, Intrenched 118 Cantonments 117 Chains of Mountains. 60 Communications 12, 34 Counterforts 69 Confluents '. 69 Coupures S2 Considerations, Military 14, 41 Conclusion 130 Defences, Auxiliary 108 Defiles 69 Defilement of Works 03 Description of Works 82 Description, Physical 7, 24 Dispositions, Military 16,4;j VI CONTENTS. Details, Historical IS, 57 Definition of Topography G7 Dimensions of Worlcs 82 Distances, Means of Measuring 70 Emplacement of Works 93 Embankment, Calculation of. 101 Entrance of Work, Method of Closing 103 Epaulements S3 Escorts 121 Excavation, Calculation of 101 Examining Ground, Manner of 120 Extract from Mahan 59 Flanks 69 Fleches 84 Fort P>astion 90 Foraging Parties 125 Fords 126 Form of Works 82 Gaps 69 Geographical Terms used in Topography 69 General Principles of Partisan Warfare 117 Gorges 69 Guards, Advanced 120 Guards, Grand 119 Ground, Method of Examining 120 Historical Details 18, 57 Houses Ill Indented Line 88 Intrenched Camps 11, 61 Itineraries • 78 Left Bank 69 Line, Indented 88 liine. Rogniat's 113 Lunettes 86 Mahan, Extract from 59 Mamelons 69 Manner of Examining Ground 120 Map 2 Marauds, Organized 124 Maxims of Napoleon '..... 129 Means for Measuring Distances, Angles, Slopes 70 Memoir 2 Methods of Closing Entrance of Works 103 Military Considerations 14, 41 Military Dispositions 16, 43 Military Reconnaissances, Objects of. 1 Military Memoir, Model of. 19 Mure.: S9 Mountains, Chains of. 69 CONTENTS. VII Mouths of Rivers (39 Napoleon, Maxims of. 129 Observation 5S,1 16 Orders 5, 21 Organized Mjirauds 124 Palisades .* no Patrols 123 Parties, Foraging i 125 Partisan Warfare, General Principles of 117 Physical Description 7, 21 Poks, Picket » 119 Posts, Attack of. ]2S Priest Cap • 89 Proofs, Bomb -.115 Pultowa, Battle of , 113 Reconnaissances, Military .- 1 Redans • g5 Redoubts ■ 87 Rivers, MQUlhs of. 69 Rivers, Right Bank of.; 69 Rivers, Left Bank of. 69 ilogniat's Line ." 113 Roads 126 Sentinels 119 Slopes, Means of Measuring '70 Statistics.. .;. 9, 29 Surprises 127 Thalweg 69 Topography, Definition o.'. 67 Topography, Utility of. .* * 67 Topographical Terms.. 69 Trace of Works. 9S Utility of Topography 67 Valleys 69 ^"al!ons 69 Vedettes 119 Villages 112 Vv'^orks, Description of. 82 VI II roNTENTS. ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. RECONNAISSANCES. ARTICLE. Object of IMililary Reconnai.s.sancos 1 Map and Memoir. 2 Orders. •'> Phy.sical Dcscriplion 7 Statistics ^ !> CoinmunicatioiTS .' Vi Military Considerations*. 14 Military Dispositions ^ 10 Historical Details * IS Model of a I^'^ilitary Memoir.'.* 19 Ohser-v'ation •> . 08 Rxtracil from Mahan 09 CHAPTER II. IMILITARY TOPOGRAIMIY. Deiinition and Utility .,.* 67 Geographical Terms used in Topography 69 Chains of Mountains - , r>9 Ba'Uons ', .09 Flank? r 09 Counterfprts 69 Mamelon.«( , 69 Gaps '... 69 Gorges r. T 69 Defiles : 09 Valleys 69 Vallons 69 Basins , ^.. 09 Thalweg ; G9 Aftluenis 69 Confluents 69 Mouths of Rivers '. 69 Right Bank 69 Left Bank 69 Simple Means for Measuring Distances ( ^.j Slopes, and Angles \ Itineraries 7s CHAPTER III. . KLEaiENTS ^OF TEMPOKAKY r0RTIl'.U.:A'n0^4». ■ • Description, Form and Dimensions of Works 82 Coupures 8'^ CONTENTS. IX EpaulenuMUs 63 Fleches 84 Redans b5 Lunettes ,..,".... 86 Redoubts 87 Indented Line - 88 jMilre, or Priest Caj) .• .- 89 Bastion Fort 90 Emplacement and Defiiemenl of Works 93 Trace of Works 98 Calculation of Embankment and Excavation ..101 Methods of Closing the Entrance of a Work 103 Auxiliary Defences ; 108 Abattis ...109 J^alisades 110 Houses ■ Ill Villages 112 Rogniat's Line 113 T3;ui!e of Pultowa 113 Batteries 114 Bomb Proof...' 115 Observation 110 Intrenched Camps IIG CHAPTER IV. PARTISAN WAKFAKE. General Principles 117 Cantonments 118 Grand Guards 119 Picket. Posts 1 19 Sentinels 119 Vedettes 119 Advanced Guards 120 Manner of Examining the Ground 120 Escorts 121 Ambuscades 122 Patrols 1 23 Organized Marauds 124 Foraging Parties 125 Roads . r 1 26 Bridges '. '. 126 Fords 126 Surprises 127 Attack of Posts 12b. Maxims of Napoleon .• 129 Conclusion 130 PREFACE Gen LeLoulcrers Avork, (4th edition, Paris, 1850), of which this is, in the main, a translation, consists of live parts, viz : !<> Un aperou des Reconnaissances niilitaires ; 2o Des notions iudispensables de Geometrie ; 3'j i>es ele- ments de Topogiaphie militarie; 4o Des elements de For- tification passogerc ; 5o Des donnees sur Fart de la petite guerre, ou Guerre des postes. The first, with the exception of a few questions, is trans- lated in full ; some additions have also been made : tha second is omitted altoge'thcr: the third is given only in part/ though many important additions have been made to the portion translated : the fourth is given in full, but greatly enlarged : so also the fifth. In preparing this little %rork, Mahan, Jebb, Brabazon and Du Four have been consulted ; the article on Intrenched Camps is chiefly from Du Four, Tire chapter on Temporary Fortifications is not as exten- sive as Mahan's Field Fortification, nor is it intended to supercede that A'aluable work in the hands of professional engineers ; brief, clear and easily comprehended, it con- tains all that is necessary for infantry and cavalry officers, and, in an article on Intrenched Camps, supplies a serious deficiency in Mahan's treatise. The chapters on Reconnaissances, Topography and Parti- san Warfare, are regarded as superior to Mahan's Out-Post Duty, &c., because briefer, clearer, more explicit, better arranged, and not clouded by wordy flights. There is a vagueness, a cloudy indefiniteness, about this little work by Mahan, which greatly obscures what is really valuable in it. Nevertheless, it is a useful little book, and worthy of being' in every junior officer's library. This " Manual" gives to infantry and cavalry officers, and to Intelligent non-commissioned, officers and privates, all XII PREFACE. the essential information, which Mahan attempts to deal out in tvro volumes; and, it is no dicparagenicnt to Mahan, nor undeserved praise to Le Loutcrel, to say, that this work, in all that it aspires to, is superior to Mahan's. It is but justice to Mahan, however, to say, that he is unhesitatingly quoted in several important jiarticulars in the following pages, as the reader will sec for himself. It will be as useless as tedious for the translator to point out the various additions he has m.ade to Gen. Le Loutcrel's work ; what he has done, has been attempted in the spirit of the original. To Sergeant-Major Fole, of the 21st Rcgt. N. C. T., I am under obligations for assistance in copying the drawings. JNO. M. RICHARDSON. Camp Martin, near Manassas, Va., Jan. 30tu, 1S6'3. Georgia Military Institute, ) October, 1S62. j" This w^ork would have appeared some time ago, had it not have been for the great difficulty experienced in getting engravings executed, and for some unavoidable dc]a3's that have occurred in the press Avork. The engravings were ex- ecuted by amateurs^ and on ti/2^s metal plates. The style of the engravings (the lines only being sunken), and the cJiar- acter of the metal, give rise to great difllculties in printing Ahem, and it is trusted that this explanation will be a suf- ficient apology for any defects in the impressions of the diagrams. To Cadet T. F. Barnum I am indebted for much zealous assistance in getting the engravings finished. The small map of Sideville, and many of the other diagrams, were ex- ecuted by him. J. M. R. CHAPTER I. Rceoniiai§»iaiic€>s. GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 1. Military Reconnaissances have two distinct purposes in view : 1°, The study of the physical features and the improvements of a given district, with the view of learning its peculiarities of hill and dale, field, river and forest, mountains, passes, roads, bridges, fords, buildings, &c., and their relative po- sitions; or, in technical language, the topography of the district : 2°, The collection of the statistics of the district, showing its resources in men, horses, wagons, cattle, grains, forage, anks and bars found along the coast, or at the mouths of the rivers. Statistics. I). Describe, in the first place, the principal im- provements in the district reconnoitered ; follow this by particulars with regard to the height, com- plexion, character, manner of living and habits of the people, and their elementary instruction. 10. Describe the nature of the cultivation of the 4 MANUAL or soil and the productions ; whetlier they are suffi- cient, insufficient or superabundant for the wants of the inhabitants during the year ; the ratio be- tween the yield and the seeding. State, also, what obstacles or facilities may be found, in the civil administration of the district or the local habits af the people, in applying all the resources to the wants of troops on march or in cantonment. 11. In addition to this statement of facts, this article should be terminated by a numerical table showinij; the amount of the resources of every kind. (See No. 33.) Communications. 12. Gather and detail all possible information with regard to paved, macadamized, planked and earthen public roads — also railways, canals, neigh- borhood roads, and important by-paths. With re- gard to each road, state its width, slopes and other accidents — the length and width of the defiles through which it passes; whether bordered by trees, ditches, hedges ; the nature and extent of the for- ests through which it passes, &;c.; the ease or diffi- culty of getting over it at diffi^rent seasons. Ascertain the distances between the most impor- tant places ; the time necessary to travel over those distances ; the difference, in broken and mountain- ous countries, between the time of going and that of returning; the means which the localities offi^r to maintain, improve, build and destroy, at will, the various roads. Roads parallel to the one reconnoitered, and those connecting them with it, should be indicated or described with a particularity proportionable tr> their importance in a military point of view. 13. Observations upon canals, rivers and creeks, MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. O considered with reference both to navigation and war, should have for their principal objects : tlie nature, elevation and slope of the rivers ; the con- stant or alternate command of one bank over the other; the most suitable points for establishing bridges and other means of passage ; the situation of existing bridges, their dimensions and the nature of their construction; the mills, dams, factories, &c., upon the water courses, and within reach of the [)rincipal roads ; the ferries and boats, the length of time they require to cross, and the number of men, liorses and wagons they can transport ; the fords their direction, the nature of their bottom, their ordinary length, width and depth, and the means of destroying them; the annual floods and height thereof. ]?Iilitary Considerations. 14. Describe all important military positions in tlie district reconnoitered ; their importance for the offensive as well as the defensive; the number of men necessary to defend or attack them ; the means of strengthening them by coupures, barricades, abattis or inundations ; the proper places to post a convoy or escort; the advantage to be obtained trom villages, hamlets, farm-houses, churches and cemeteries as places of protection and safety ; the localities whence provisions, forage, wood and water are to be obtained for each position. 15. On coasts, indicate the positions where landings can be effected, and describe the means which should be taken either to prevent them or to oppose the subsequent movements of an enemy. Military Dispositions. 16. Explain, as clearly and briefly as possible, G MANUAL OF as well for the offensive as the defensive, all that should be done to resist an enemy or conquer him, according to his movements, which wo should al- ways suppose to be what we would do were we in his place. 17. These questions should be treated in the conditional and upon supposition, as already stated. Avoid relating facts accomplished, and describing marches and combats useless for the purposes ot instruction, and which prove nothing since we can arrange our facts to suit ourselves. Historical Details. 18. State as nearly as possible the epoch at which history commences to make mention of the wars, ancient or modern, of which the country has been the theatre ; the fields of battle and the posi- tions of the armies on them; and, in parenthesis, cite the works, printed or written, whence the in- formation has been obtained. IVIodel of a Military Memoir. 19. Place upon the cover and on the first page of the memoir, the following as the title : FOURTEENTH MILITARY DIVISION. TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT OF THE LINE. Martin, Sergeant- Major. 20. The copy of the order, in virtue of which the work is undertaken, will be entered upon the third pfige of the memoir, not counting the cover. MILITARY RBC«>NNAI8SANCJt8. 7 ORDER. 21. Sergeant-Major Martin is ordered to recoii iioitre and sketch the village of Sidevillo and its environs within a radius of 750 yards, so as to present a square of about 1,500 yards on a side. 22. He will suppose this village is destined to canton a detachment of fifty infantry, the rrgiment being at Octeville; he will suppose also, the eneniy master of Pieux and able at any moment to march upon Cherbourg. 23. The sketch will be accompanictl by a n)eiiioii- containing, in the following order: 1° A copy of the present order ; 2° A physical description of the district; 3° Its statistics ; 4° Its communications ; 5° Military considerations ; 6° Military dispositions, comprising : the estaW- lishment of the detachment in the village of Sidc- ville, the number of posts and advanced sentinels to establish in order to guarantee it against surprise, the instruction to be given them, the means to be employed to maintain their vigilance, night and day ; the place of assembling in case of an alarm : the assistance that can be drawn from the accidents of the ground and the buildings for the defence of the village in case of an attack, and the plan of in - treat to the regiment in case it is forced ; 7° Historical details with regard to the military operations, ancient or modern, of which the village .ind its environs have been the theatre. By command of Col. A. B., Comd'g 21st Regiment of the Line, C. D., Adjutant. MANUAL OF PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. '2i. The village of Sideville is situated in the .'Northern part of the county of Cherbourg; the i^un'ounding country is traversed by the river Di- \ ette, which empties into the harbor of Cherbourg. The mean width of this river is about five yards, its depth one yard: but during rainy seasons it oilen overflows its banks, and inundates the fields, ill the midst of which it gently flows over a clayey bottom, bordered w^ith willows and birches, form- ing u great number of sinuosities. 'li). The comitry is hilly, broken, furrowed by si nail streams of water and ravines, bristling with l)anks of earth, green hedges, and small groves of <-e(iars and elms. 26. The country is very much cut up into small lie! sis, each of w^hich is surrounded by banks of • artli and thick hedges of hawthorn. The village is composed of about fifteen houses grouped near together, and many others isolated and remote ; it contains a stone church, and has a fli)ur mill quite near it; all upon the left bank of liic Divette, and at the foot of a hill, the top of wliich is wooded, and about seventy yards above the. level of the river. 'Z7. The soil is generally fertile and well cultiva- ted ; the climate moist on account of its proximity t.' the ocean; the winter is mild, freezing weather bi'ing rare. Contagious diseases are almost unknown; the ])revailing winds are from the north and west; w^a- U'r good and abundant. 28. The country produces cedars suitable for l)uilding houses; and good quarries of granite, quartz, schistoze and slate rocks, are abundant. I MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. V STATISTICS. 20. The inhabitants are strongly constituted, ac- tive, laborious and very industrious; the navy gets many excellent recruits there. Their maimers ar-' simple, and their character is generally mild; how- ever, the men are somewhat addicted to diinkiiu: cider and brandy. 80. Elementary instruction is quite general ; and, as there are many primary schools, but few of tlie inhabitants are unable to read and write. 31. The soil produces cereals of every kind, ole- ;iginous and tuberculous plants, beans and peas, and an immense quantity of fruit, especially cider ap- ples ; the meadows are full of horses, oxen and cows of fine size. The productions are much more than sufficient for the support of the inhabitants, and annually they export to England large quanti- ties of eggs, forage, poultry, and many animals. 32. The culture of the ground occupies the in- liabitants nearly the whole year. An acre of ground requires about two bushels for planting, and vieMv 10 to 18. 10 MANUAL Ol- Numerical Statement of Resources. Names of. Number ■A'>. ViUagee, of Fami- Observe tlons. DESIGNATIONS. Niiiultt-r. Hamlets ! lies in and each Vil- Houses. lage, Ac. WHITE POPULATION. 1,000 SidevilK'. '20 D Males. 4G3 Females. osr Males between IS and 4o. i::> KliEE NEGROES. Males. Females, Males between 18 and 45. SLAVES. Males. Females. Males between 18 and "L5. I'ROFESSIONS AND TRADES. Doctors. Lawyers. Ministers. Aiaic Teachers. Female do Merchants, Carpenters. Musons. Blacksmiths. Oarring:e Makers. Shoo do. Tanncr-s. Tailor?. i;esources for LODGING. Hotels. Public Halls. Private Houses. Houses out of Villaifc. MILITAUV RECONNAISSANCES. 1.1 N^umcrical Statemeut of Resources. 1 DESIGNATIONS. Number. Names of Vila-es, Hamlets and Houses. Number of Fami- lies in each Vil- Jage, MANUAL OF Numerical Statement of Resources. ^**"' Names of Number - DESIGNATIONS. Number. Villages, namlets of Fami- lies in Observa- tions. and each Vil- Honses. lage, Ac. 1 PR0DU0TI0N8. i Maize. ' Wheat. Oats. i^y^- i Barl.'V. j Sweet Potatoes*. Irish do. 1 Turrips. Hay. Bean*. Peas. Whiskey. Brandy. MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. lr> COMMUNICATIONS. 34. One public and live neighborhood ro;i,ds tra- verse the district of Sideville. 35. The public road of Pieux is confounded with that from Cherbourg to Bricquebec, to a poin about 250 yards beyond Martinvast Bridge, where tliey separate under an an<^le of 55 degrees, the Bricquebec road turning south, the Pieux, southwest, going along the right bank of the Divette to Saint Christopher le Foe, and then enters the basin of the Douve. 36. This road, whicli connnunicates by a branch with the Teurthcville-Hague, is made of rock, and IS solid and practicable at all seasons, though a lit- tle muddy in winter on ac(;ounUschistoze character of the stone of which it is built ; its mean widtii is about 10 yards. It is drained by two ditches, one on each side, a yard in width. 37. The Boulee road unites with the road from Pieux on the other side of Martinvast Bridge and leads to the Teurtheville-IIague road about 200 yards above the village of Sideville ; it is from four to five yards wide, and although very muddy in wmter, the inhabitants of Teurtheville-IIague ]u-efer it to the road from Pieux because it is short^'r, A stage starting from Sideville would make the trip to Octeville in 50 minutes, whilst it would' i-equire 60 by the public road ; the return trip ifi- shorter by five minutes on account of the descend- ing grade to Martinvast Bridge. There is anotiier small road, parallel to this, without name, which starts from the Sideville Chnrch, and joins the Boulee before it reaches the Pieux. 38. The Teurtheville-Hague road branches at right angles from the public road at a point oppo- site Sideville, and at about 500 yards from it, and B \ 1-i MANUAL OF about 5,000 yards Irom Octcville. It crosses the Divette on a stone bridge of three arches, eacli () yards long and 4 wide. The parapet is about *> I'eet high. This road is four yards wide, well kept up, and solid at all seasons, although generally included be- tween dykes of earth, surmounted by hedges. Af- ter having traversed the village, it rejoins the Pieux rojid near Saint Christopher le Foe. 30. The Couperic road is narrow and deeply cut; small streams of water wash it into gullies throughout its length ; it is steep and broken ; and starting from the Teurtheville-Hague road, with which it connects, it leads to the top of the hills along the old road from Pieux, which appears to have been an ancient Roman road. 40. The Houguet road is the old one from Va- lognes to Beaumont ; it intersects the roads from Pieux and Bricquebec, crosses the Divette upon a bad w^ooden bridge, about 700 yards from Side- ville, is lost for some distance in tho Teurtheville- Hague road, leaves it beyond the hamlet of La Yacheux, and leads to the road from Beaumont, near the village of Saint-Croix-Hague ; this road, which is about four yards wide, is badly kept up. very boggy, and but little used. MILITARY CONSIDERATIONS. 41. The ground upon which Sideville is situated, has on the right and left of the road from Pieux to Cherbourg, a hill from 50 to 60 yards high ; that at the foot of which Sideville is located is too dis- tant from the road to defend it w^ell without ai-- tillery : the opposite^ one on the contrai-y, termi- nates at the road, and behind the dykes and hedges of that position 300 infantry could defend the MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 15 passage against an enemy inarching from Pieux upon Cherbourg so mueli the better because the prairies through which the Divettc Hows, are ini- j)raoticable on account of the ditches arr' hedges which bound each property, and which W(Hild force liini to keep the road. 42. One hundred men phiced in the three houses between Sideville and the road, the houses being l()0p-h(jled and placed in apropei- condition for de- fence, would contribute powerfully to arrest the march of an enemy along the road, as he would then be exposed to a cross fire from the lionsos and the opposite height. MILITARY DISPOSITIONS. 4o. My first care on arriving at the village of Side- ville, with the detachment under my coiiimand, and in case the enemy should not be in the envi- rons, would be to divide it into parties and recon- noitre the village and, neighborhood thoroughly : that over, as the houses are near together, I should billet my men by fours, and lodge myself in the (•■■'ntre, giving as a place of assembling; in case of ;;u alarm and for the daily calls for duty, the en- closure, planted with apple trees and surrounded l)y a hedge, in which the church is located. 44. In the nearest house to the church, where there is a primary. school, I would establish n, })ost of four men, with a corporal and drummer; more- over, I would establish three small advanced posts, consisting each of a corporal and three men ; the first, at the point whei-e the Teurtheville-TIague, the Boulee and Couperie roads unite, with a sen- tinel on the road from Teurtheville ; the second, on Simon's farm, with a sentinel at the point where tile direct path to Sideville branches from the IIou- 10 MANUAL OF L^nietroaJ; the third, in the nearest house to the I'ond from Pieux, with a sentinel on that road. 45. These three sentinels placed where they can see as far as possibk* and he at the same time well concealed, would have for their duty to observe closely Avhether any party of the enemy coming from Pieux, should advance towards Cherbourg, either by the main route, or by the country roads parallel to it ; in that case, the sentinel making the discovery, should hasten silently and at full speed, without m.aking himself visible, to his post ; the post should then fire to give information of the approach of the enemy, and go au pas de cours, U) the rendezvous of the detachment. 46. At night the sentinels should occupy secure places,, behind a hedge for instance, where the ene- my could not reach them, but from which they could have a good view all around, and go easily to their posts without being exposed. 47. The sentinel of the police guard should be stationed in the church tower, and be instructed to keep a good look out all around during the day. and to listen attentively at night ; at the first shot, or first cry of alarm, or rather at the first ringing of the church bell, the drummer of the picket post should beat the proper call. The sentinel in the church tower should give the alarm at the first sight of the enemy. 48. The sentinels would be instructed to arrest every one coming from or going towards the ene- my, and take him to their posts, to be questioned and examined : and, in case any thing suspicious should develop itself, he would be sent to Sideville to me, whence I would send him under guard to Octcville. 49. I would see that my detachment kept their arms loaded and in good condition, and all their MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 17 equipments in perfect order and recady for instant use; the men on duty would not be allowed to take off any portion of their equipments or cloth- ing at night, and the others required to keep on at least their pantaloons and every thing ready for Immediate adjustment, so that the entire detach- ment may be under arms at the indicated place within three minutes after the first alarm. 50. In order to secure the vigilance of the posts and their sentinels, I would visit them, and have them visited, frequently, and particularly at night ; and would adopt signals of recognition to replace the ordinary challenges, so as to avoid showing where the sentinels are posted — changing the lo- cations every night to prevent surprises. 51. If the enemy should march upon Cherbourg by the main route, I would hasten with my entire party to that road to reconnoitre ; if he is in force, I would divide my detachment into two equal parts, place one half on each side of the road in one rank, so as to offer less mark to the enemy's shots in my retreat to Octeville, and dispute his march, foot by foot, taking advantage of all trees and accidents of the ground to shelter my men, and enable them to deliver their fire with some certainty. 52. If I should be pressed closely by the ene- my's cavalry, I would cut across the fields with my entire detachment, skirmishing the whole way, however, and with the greater advantage, because the cavalry could not clear the banks and hedges, whilst they would offer but little obstacle to in- fantry. 53. If, on the contrary, the enemy should ad- vance by the country roads parallel to the main route, I would, at first, place my detachment in front of Sideville behind the banks and thick 18 MANUAL OF hedges found there, and from which we could do much injury to the enemy before being driven back ; in the same manner, I would dispute each field, foot by foot, until passing the village, when I would take the road leading from the church to the Bou lee, in order to retire to Octeville. 54. As soon as the enemy appears an officer, oi- some trusty man, would be sent at full speed to inform the commander of the regiment at Octe- ville, in order that he might have time to make his dispositions to receive him. 55. If the enemy should surprise my post near the road from Pieux, and, turning the village, cut off my retreat to Octeville by the main route and the Boulee road, I would retire by the Couperlc and gain the road from Beaumont to Cherbourg 1)\ Branville and Nacqueville. 5G. Finally, if the village of Sideville is to sup- port my detachment, I would collect the necessary provisions into magazines, in order that they might be distributed regularly and lawfully, allow- ing no pillaging, being well satisfied that order antl system are the best means to secure subsistence for soldiers for any length of time. On the con^ trary, if the provisions come from Octeville, I would frequently visit the lodgings of my men, to see that the citizens had not been put under contri- bution by them. HISTORICAL DETAILS. 57. The district of Sideville has never been the theatre of any military event. Ol>iservation. 58. Some oflicer, superior in rank to the one 57. The SFstrict of SideviTTelias never been the theatre of any military event. OI>servation. 58. Some officer, superior in rank to the one MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. l'.> charged with the reconDaissance, should, if possi- ble, examine his labors on the ground itself, satisfy himself as to the correctness of his statements, and make a report upon the merits of the reconnais- sance. The following Remarks are condensed from Mo- hayibs Treatise on Advanced-Guard, Oi(t-Poftf!<. d:c. Chap. V. 59. No more important duty can be assigned an officer than that of conducting a reconnaissance, or of collecting and arranging all necessary informa- tion relative to any district within the sphere of military operations. Maps, however detailed and perfect, can not convey all the requisite informa- tion for planning an ordinary march, much less, the operations of a campaign. These deficiencies of maps can only be supplied by an actual exami- nation of the ground, and by gaining all possibU' information from the inhabitants. 60. The qualifications of an officer entrusted with this duty, should be great; an intimate ac- quaintance with geography, statistics and topc)- graphy being essential to its successful dischari^o. Jle should be clear headed and truthful ; accus- tomed to see things as they are, and to tell briefly and clearly what he has seen. In making his re- port, he should separate what has fallen under his observation, from the information derived from others, adding circumstances of time and place with the utmost accuracy. 61. The officer selected for this duty, should ^^r certain in the first place precisely what he is re- quired to do, and what should be done in case of certain contingencies that maybe expected; and, in discharging the duty assigned him, and in mak- ing his report, he should keep clearly in mind tht» •20 MANUAL OK specific character of Ills mission, and introduce nothing irrelevant. 62. Before going to the fudd of his labors, he should provide himself with a map, a telescope, pen, ink and paper, pencil, drawing instruments and son¥) means for ascertainii)g distances and measuring angles; arriving there, or even before, lie should, if possible, secure the services of good guides, and gain all possible information from the inhabitants. 63 Hunters, carriers, smugglers, &c., make the best guides; if none such can be found, resort must be made to the local authorities. Every ef- fort should be made to enlist and retain the good \s'ill of those employed on this service ; at the same time, they should be watched closely, and any \ .'ittempt at treachery be punished severely. 64. A general view of the whole ground should lirst be taken, and then the' several parts studied in detail. Roads, ranges of hills and mountains, livers, creeks, defiles, woods, &c., should be parti- cularly examined ; all villages, hamlets, houses, mills, .&;c., along any given road, carefully designa led — isolated houses described by reference 'to their peculiarities,' and the side of the road they occupy. Important military positions should be sought for, and means of reaching, defending and attacking them given. Give the names of localities with the utmost ac- curacy, and ascertain the distances between them. 65. A reconnaissance in the presence of an ene- my is either to gain secretly a knowledge of his whereabouts and strength, or to force him to show his hand. In the first case the reconnoitering officer must be escorted by a troop of light cavalry, and every precaution should be taken to avoid being cut off. MILITAKV KECONNAISSANCKS. 'Jl • Under the protection of this escort, the reconnoiter- ing officer endeavors to ascertain the position of the enemy and his strength; and, at the same tinif. studies the ground intervening between the twM armies, with the view of determining its capabilitv for favoring an advance upon the enemy, C)r of re- sisting an attack by him. In the latter ease, the officer goes out under tia- protection of a strong detachment of all arms; and. by irritating attacks upon the enemy, endeavors in make him call out his entire force and develop his plan of defence or attack. Seizing a favorable moment, the reconnoiterini: officer notes the dispositions of the enemy's troops. the number of his guns in position or otherwise, the spirit of his troops as indicated by their alac- rity to advance, or disposition to hold back, the promptness of their manceuvres, the character of the officers, and any thing else that he may deem note-worthy. The detachment under whose protection the rc- connoitering officer makes these observations, should be held M^ell in hand, and not be allowed to be en- gaged so closely as not to be easily extricated: and .'IS soon as he has gained the desired information it should be drawn off promptly, but in good order. Reinforc6ments should be at hand to check, if ne- cessary, the pursuit of the enemy. MAN I -A I. OK (•llAiilCIJ li. <)i>. Not even an onijin- of MllirMvy Topo-jraphy 7. Topography is tiw ;irt of rej^resenting, by conventional signs, on a jilane, as a hoard, or a sheet of paper. ai:<1 according to any required SI ahv.% the surfaee ef tlie ground and all improve- ments on it, in sueh a inanner, that, at a single ghiiice, we can appreciate dista.nees, recogni/ie turn- pikes, railways, eanais. country roads, paths, ditelies,, iiedges, rivers, creeks, hrielges, fords, mountains, plains, valleys, forests, fiekls, marshes, ponds, cities, villages, hamlets, houses, mills, factories, &c., &c., which traverse or cox'er it. {)8. This definition may siTve to give aji idea of tlie subject, and show its importance relativc^h^ all military operations It is, indeed, indispensable for the snccessful prosecution of war; without it there can be no strategetical cori)])inations, no attack or ddence, with any probahie chance of success; he who fights upon ground that he does not thoi-ough- ly understand, is almost necessarily beaten, and the^re is no military enrerpri/e, whether tr) seize, attack, or defend a position, that does not requiic a preliminary reconnaissance or some topograph ical knowledge of the disti-ict in which it is located. MTLITAHV KECONN'AISSANCES. •-'.> C)Jeosfrapliii'al TeriBix iifxecB in 'ropojjraphy. » (>9. Chdins- of Mom/ '(/ins arc a scrit'S of moun- tains connected tog! tiler aii'i extending over r cniiniiiMting points are called |»eaivs; and these trike di.'lert nt na'^cs according to their forms: ticedkv^, if lliev are conicui ; teeth, if they are prismatic; '" I. aliens. "* if they are ghdui- iar. The sh)pes of tlie sidi s tVoiii to]) to base, are called Flanks. Chains of moinitaliis i..s^ ele\aled than the pr'.i; cipal, but parallel to th -in, are called Counterforts. 'i he range nearest the principal chain, being mor<' elevated than the others, is of ther f.rst order: the next, of the aecond order, and so on. When mountains are not more than 200 or o(H> yards high, they are called Iiills. and their flank«< >iidrs ; those from 100 to '200 yards high, are called " mamelons.'^ The deep depressions which sometimes separate contiguous mountains ^A a chain, knd which serve as means of communication across them, are called Gaps, Gorjes, or Defiles. Valleys are intervals between the bases of high mountains; VuUohs narrow intervals between hills Every valley «»r vallon, through which flows a stream of water, is called a Basin. There are |>rincipr Hue of great€>it Hlo'pe. • All rivers or streams emptying into another arc called Affiueiits ; and the place of union of any two streams, a Conjiiienf. The Mouth of a river is the place where it emp- ties into some lake, sea, or ocean : the SourcCy its hiirliest spring. The rifjht hank of a river is that on the right iund as you go down the rivei- ; the left bank isj tl)en, the opposite side. Khnple I9Icaii«i for ^leaMiirins;: Di54tance«, l^lopejii and Angles. 70. When there is sufiicient time, and the neces- sai-y instruments are at hand, distances and angles can he measured with all necessary accuracy, but simpler means have to be adopted in a reconnais sauce. The officer charged with it should know the length of his ordinary step. This can ])e de- termined by walking over any given distance and dividing it by the number oi" steps he has taken. The greater the distance, the more accurately will he get the length of his step. If it is short, by N\ alking over it a great many times, and taking the mean of the results, he M'ill know the length of his step with much accuracy, lie should know, also, the distances that his horse passes over in a given time, at a walk, a pace, a trot, and a canter. 71. The distance, if considerable between two j)()ints, can be quite accurately determined by noting at one the number of seconds elapsing be- tween the flash and report of a gun fired at the other, and multiplying by 1,112, whidi is the ve- locity of sound. 72. Scales for estimating distances can be readi J MILITAKV KECONNAISSANCES. ^it Iv iii.i'io ))y iiinrkii)^^ off on a pencil, or small stick, held at arm's k'n^ith from the eye, the portions in- tcTcopted between the rays passing from the eye to the head and feet of a man of average size, placed at different distances from 100 to 1,000 yards. In tlie same mainiej- a scale may be prepared by ob- si'i-ving a horse, a cow, an apple tree, a poplar, a single-story or two- story house, &;c., at different known distances. 73. The best results are obtained from the stadia, wliich is made as follows : Having isosceles triangle :X plate of ivory or metal, cut out an holding this at arm's length, the ■2(5 • MANUAI, OF plate being vertical, look through the oprning ant I mark the points A and where the rays' ])a"^" To use this instrument, stand at any puint as ¥ :m(\ sight over ab, taking care so to hohl the instru- ment that the thi-ead of the plummet shall intersect be at e, and observe the point G, where the line of sight cuts the ground ; move to G, and in tlie same manner fmd the point 11 ; then K, L,'M? ^^- Now, if the eye is 5 feet from the ground, G is 5 feet above F ; H 10 feet; K 15 feet"^; L 20 feet ; M 25- feet, &c.; and measuring the distances FG, GH, vVc, the profile of the line FM is obtained, also the slope. 76. To measure angles on the ground : from A the vertex, measure with a tape, any convenient distance AB towards one of the objects M, and AC towards the other ; then, measuring BC, the sides of the triangle ABC are known, and can bo. laid off according to any scale. The method of delineating the surface of the ground and representing the various objects on it,, can not be described within the limits of this small work; it may be well to remark, however, that the work of sketching the district reconnoitered may be facilitated by referring all objects in it, when possible, to-vtwo lines drawn at right-angles to each other and connecting prominent points,, f'itlier within or without its limits. Itineraries. 78. Itineraries are accurate descriptions of roads giving distances between important points, thfr- changes of direction, heights of hills, width, depth and direction of streams crossed by fords or by bridges; describing, also, all objects of interest or importance along the road and within short distan- ces of it, its intersection with othe. measured by the barometer. The accompany- ing formula gives quite accurate results : Let x=difrerence in height of two stations in feci hr= height of barometer at lower station; h'= " " " at upper do then,x=55,000xh-h^ If the mean temperature of the two stations ex ceeds 55°, increase this result by the ~\- part of itself multiplied by the excess; if the mean temperature is less than 55°, diminish the resnli in the same manner. The Aneroid Barometer is more convenient in practice than the Mercurial, and is, perhaps, as ac- curate The heights of all points are referred to that <>l' departure — positive differences of altitude are en- tered on the right of the column representing tJir road ; negative differences, on the left. In the absence of a compass,' changes of direc- tion can only be indicated approximatively. Sec i'xample. H 1 siBGS^BBBi IH3Ha»HHi p^Bailp ^HnnflHHi BBHBMI— HmI jnH H ■ MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 31 CHAPTER III. ElemeHtis of Temporary Fortification. 79. Works thrown up in haste, and under dil- ferent forms, to defend the aj3proaches to soinr post, as a village, hamlet, bridge, ford, road, house. <.S^e., and which are to serve only some temporary purpose, are called Temporari/ Foriijicationti. They consist of essentially a bank of earth foi' tin r^helter of the defenders, and a ditch from which the earth is obtained. The ditch should, as a genera! rule, be on the side towards the enemy, so as to otler an additional obstacle to his progress ; but. under certain circumstances, especially when there is but little time for their construction, and it is important to get the troop.s under shelter as soon as possible, the ditch, or trench, as it is then called, may be on the inside. The advantage of this arrangement is, that for every foot of depth <;f the ditch, two feet of shelter are obtained for tli*- troops. When there are tools and men a plenty the ditch and trench may be dug both at the same time, and the dirt be used for making the bank oi breast-work between them. 80. The nature and extent of the works requin-fj for the defence of any post, will depend upon its importance^ the character of the ground, and th'.- strength of the detachment. They usually consist- of the following simple forms; P. Coxipures in- Travarse.s fur blocking up roads, closing the en- trance of a, redoubt, or protecting the defenders of ->'w MANUAL OF any other work from a fire in flank or reverse; 2'^. Epaulements at the forks of roads to cover a grand- i^iiard, or an advanced post. 3°; Fleches, to cover a bridge or ford, or to close a redoubt. 4"'. Redans^ for the same purposes as Fleches, but pi-eferahle to them as they allow a fire in the direction of their capitals ; (lines bisecting the angles of a work;) 5°. Luneties, which have the same objects as Fleches, but admit of a fire at right-angles to their capitals; 0°. Redoubtft, to defend posts which nw upen to attack on all sides ; 7°. Auxiliary defen- (•(vs — as barricades J abattis, chevaux-de-frisc, d:c. 81. Epaulements, Fleches, Redans, and Lunettes^ being open at the gorge ^ the side opposite to that at which the enemy presents himself, can not ])0 em- ployed to defend posts which are susceptible ol being turned or attacked in the rear; for, if the ene- }ay can take them in reverse, they are worth nothing. .'tnd the time spent in erecting them is lost. Description, Form and Disnensiois^ of WorkH. 82. Coupures consist of a simple parapet (Ijank of earth,) and a ditch, disposed at right-nngles to the road to be blocked up, their length (le})ending upon the width of the road ; the ditch should be from 2 to 4 feet deep, and as many wide ; the earth is thrown outwards without any other ar rangement than to form a kind of breastwork, })e- hind which the defenders may lire and be at shelter. Coupures should, if possible, be placed between houses, walls, hedges, or other obstacles, behind which sharp-shooters may be placed to defend the ditch and prevent the enemy from an escalade. Traverses for closing redoubts and protecting the defenders of a work from a flank or reverse^ MIMTARY KEC0NNAIS8AXCES. t^H jii'c', need not have any ditch, the dirt for their con- struction being supplied from the ditches of thr T(;douV)t, and should have a length, height and thickness, dependent upon the dimensions of the j^eneral work, and the special ol)ject of their con- struction. s;j, Epanlenients. tig. 6, are like coupures, cojn- posed of a ditch and parapet of similar dimensions: they arc rectilinear, and have two or three faces ac cording to the number of avenues of the pgst the\ cover. The length of each face depends upon the strength of the detachment. (See No. 92.) An advanced post should not construct an epaulc- rnent, unless it has to occupy the position for some time, is liable to be surprised l)v cavalry, and has its flanks well protected by impracticable ground. 54. FIcches, fig. 7, have two sides, and resembh^ an inverted V ; the angle should not be less that 70 degrees nor more than 100; the sides may be trom 20 to 60 yards long. 55. Redans, fig. 8, are fleches with the acute an- gle cut off by a short face, called a pan coupe ; the f-ices have the same length as fleches. 80. Lunettes, fig. 9, are fleches with flanks. Th/' •*A MANUAL OF ll I jiJigle of the taces is from 70 to 100 (Jcgivos ; tin!.- oi' the faces and flanks, i'vniw loO to 150 'W to 40. Th flanks may or may not Ix^ paraHr to the capitals, .S7. iviMhtiihts ;iri' usually sf^uarc, but inuy Ix- n MILITARY KKCOXXAISSAXCF.S. 86 MANUAL OF any figure. The square form is the simplest and most easily constructed. Fig. 10. Some times one angle is cut off by a pan coupe. and the adjacent faces broken for a short distance. 88. "The indented line, fig. 11, serves to convert the direct fire of a straight line, into a flank and cross MILITARY^ RECONNAISSANCES. 87 fire, cand is, therefore, frequently subs^tituteii for it." Mahan. 89. "The Mitre or Priest Cap, fig. 12, is a modifica- tion of the fleehe; the short sides make an angle of 90 degrees with each other, and are al)0ut 30 yards long; the long sides make angles of from 70° to 100° with the short sides, and are from (K) to 100 yards long." ^lahan. 00. " The bastion fort satisfies more fully the conditions of a good delence, than any other work; but, owing to the time and labor required for its construction, it should be applied only to sites of great importance, which demand the presence of troops during the operations of a campaign. Fig. \2, The plan of the fort may be a polygon of any number of sides ; but for field forts, the square and pentagon are generally preferred. To plan a work of this kind, a square or penta- gon is laid out, and the sides bisected by perpen- dicuhrs; a distance of one-eight of the side is set off on the perpendicular of the squai-e, and one- seventh, on the perpendicular of the pentagon; from the angles of the polygon, lines are drawn through the points thus found ; these give the direction "of the lines of defence ; from the salients of the poly- gon, distances, equal to two-sevenths of the side, are set off on the lines of defence for the faces ; drawing from the extremity of each face, a line at right-angles to the other line of defence, gives the Jfanks ; the interior extremities of the flanks are connected by the curtain. The side of the polygon is termed, the exterior side ; the line bisecting it, the perpendicular ; the angle at the salient, the fa nked anffle ; that between face and flank, the shoulder angle; that between flank and curtain, the angle of the curtain; the portion of the work included between two adjacent 38 M.WfAL OK MILITARY KZC0NNAISSANCE8. 39 capitals, is call^^d a bastion front, or simply, a front. Bastion fronts have neither dead angles nor sectors without Jire ; the salients and all the ground within reach of musketry, are swept by di- rect,- flank and cross fires. There is one point in this system, however, which demands special at- tention ; the ditches of the faces must be prolonged until they meet, and all the earth between them and the ditches of the f.anks and curtain, be removed, to prevent the formation of a. dead angle ahng each face near the shoulder T Malum. 91. All field works consist of a terre-plein — or the free interior place within them, some times called plso, the parade"; — a banquette, for the de- fenders to stand on ; a parapet, to protect them against the enemy's fire ; a berm, to prevent the earth of the parapet from falling into the ditch ; a ditch, to furnish earth for the banquette and para- pet; and sometimes a glacis, to bi'ing the ground directly in front of the ditch more completely un- der the fire of the defender^. The accompanying figure','*! 4, giving a section or profile of a work, will serve to make it better un- derstood ; A B is the terre-phin; B C, the slope of the banquette; C D, the tread of the banquette ; D E, the interior slope of the jmrapd ; E F, the plongee, or superior slope of the parapet; F G, the exterior slope of the parapet; G II, the berm ; H I R L, the ditch; II I, the scarp; I K, the bottom; K L, the counter scarp; L M, the bey-m of the glacis; M N P, the glacis. The iptersection of the interior and superior slopes of the parapet, forms the in- terior crest or magistral of the parapet ; the inter- section of the superior and exterior slopes, the ex- terior crest. 92. The tread of the banquette should be two feet wide for one rank of defenders, and four feet 40 MANUAL ()F A ^ MILITARY KECONNAISSANCES. 41 wide for two ; the height of the banquette is de- pendent upon the height of the parapet, the magis- tral being always four and a half feet above the tread. The base of the slope of the banquette should be twice its height. The parapet should not be less than eight feet high, nor more (except in the case of bastion forts) than twelve feet. The thick- ness of the parapet estimated along a horizontal line drawn perpendicularly to the exterior crest, should not be less than three feet, to resist mus- ketry, and not less than nine to twelve, to resist artillery. The exterior slope is that naturally assumed by the earth when thrown into a pile ; the superior slope produced, should not pass more than three feet above the counter scarp, unless there is to be a glacis ; nor should it pass below the crest of the counter scarp. Care should be taken in arranging the superior slope, not to make the interior crest too weak. The base of the interior slope should not be greater than one-third the height of the crest above the tread ; the earth being retained at this steep slope by a turf, hurdle, gabion or other revetment. The length of the magistral is deter- mined at the i*ate of one yard for overy man for one rank of defenders, (first deducting the reserve, which should be at least one-Huli of the whole;) or one yard for every two men, if there are to be two ranks, and five or six yards for every piece of ar- tillery. The berm should be as narrow as possible. The width and depth of the ditch are regulated by the quantity of earth required for the construc- tions, but should be at least two to four yards deep, and as many wide. The height of the glacis and the width of its berm, depend upon the slope of the plongee, and the excess of earth furnished by the ditch. The slopes of the scarp and counter scarp, 42 MANUAL OF should by as steep as the eartli will admit; and steeper, it" they can be revetted. Ill ench)sed works, the terre-plein slioidd be large enough to allow fifty or sixty scjuare yards for each gun, and one and a half or two square yards for each man ; alhjwanees should be made, also, foi' traverses and magazines. The parapi'ts of bastioned fjrts may be from 14 to 24 feet high, and the exterior sides from 125 to 600 yards long. EMiplaecmeait and Dcfiieiiieut <>1' Works*. 93. Every work should be so placed as to com- mand the ground or object which it is intended to covei- ; its elevation, or relief, such, that its magis- tral should be at least five feet above any ground the enemy might occupy, and eight feet above tlie terre-pleiii; and be at the same time exempt from enfihide and plunging tires. When this is the case, the work is said to be defiled. 94. In selecting positions to be fortified in broken and mountainous districts, care should be taken, that the "location be not overlooked by any emi- nence within cannon shot, that the enemy might occupy. If there are any such, they should be seized and foi-tified also. It some times happens, however, that locations commanded by lieights, which may be seized by, or be already in the pos- session of,' the enemy, have to be fortified. In such cases, the pi-incipal lines should be laid out, so as t(^ bring a direct and cross fire upon all avenues by which the eu'^my might advance, and so as to allow him only a direct fire against them. The utmof: • M points, !)ccanse really so at none. T!.: vigilance of the defenders, disirlbuL,.'. ttvA J un immense extent of ground, could rarely guard against a well concerted surprise ; while one single attack, if successful at MILITAKV KECONNAISSAKCES. 61 once, exposed the whole line of defence to be turned and taken in reverse. Far superior, then, to such a system, was that of detached works, first de- veloped by Peter on the field of Pultowa. His re- doubts, skilfully constructed, supported one another and the whole line, and far from cramping — as did continuous lines — the movements of the troops which they were intended to shelter, they rather facilitated them by affording so many pivots and flank defences, and equally covering their advance or retreat. His principles, always highly esteemed, were never more so than in our day. They are the principles of Torres Vedras, of Paris, of Sebas- topol ; principles, in fine, which have always been attended with success, and which in future it will be dangerous to neglect. * * * * Napoleon and Saxe considered redoubts the best description of field works." Batteries. 114. Battery usually means a collection of guns ; in fortification, it also means the arrange- ments made for firing over or through a parapet. A barbette battery, is one that fires over the para- pet ; an embrasure battery, is one that fires through openings in the parapet, called embrasures. The flanks and salients are the best positions for batteries, because from them the salients are best }>rotected and the ground swept. At these points batteries of several pieces should be collected ; for experience has shown that an efficient check can be given to an enemy's columns only by a heavy and well sustained fire. The barbette is a construction to allow a piece to- fire over a parapet. It consists of a mound of earth thrown up against the interior slope ; the top i» V 62 MANUAL OP level, 2 feet 9 inches below the interior crest for light guns, and 4 feet for heavy ; if behind a face, the width along the magistral is 15 to 18 feet, the length, 24 feet. The earth at the rear and sides receives its natural slope. The barbette is ascended by a ramp, or inclined plane of earth, 10 feet wide, with a base of 6 times the altitude. The earth at the sides has the natural slope. The ramp is placed at some convenient point in the rear, so as to take up as little room as possible. A barbette in the salient to allow a gun to fire in the direction of the capital, is constructed thus, %-i9: ;;, . , 62 level, ! light g the wi' length, receive by a r with a sides 1 some ( as litt] Ab in the fig. 19 A MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 63 A pan coupe of 11 feet is first made; from the foot of the interior slope at the pan coupe, set off a distance of 24 feet on the capital ; at this point erect a perpendicular to the capital 5 feet long on each side ; from the extremities of this perpendic- ular draw lines at right angles to the adjacent faces ; the hexagonal figure obtained is the surface of a barbette for one gun. The ramp is along, the capital. If 3 or more guns are placed in the salient, a pan coupe is made as before ; 24 feet are in like manner set off on the capital ; but instead of pro- ceeding as in the last case, a perpendicular is drawn from this point to each face, and the pentagonal space formed, is taken for the gun in the salient; from the perpendiculars last set off, as many times 16|- feet will be taken on the magistral of each face as there are guns required : this will give the width of the barbette on eacn face ; the length will be 24 feet, and the two will be united in the salient. One or more ramps will be made as most convenient. Fig. 20. ^ The advantages of the barbette consist in the commanding position given to the guns, and the wide field of their fire; on these accounts, the salients are the best positions for them. Their de- fects are, that they expose the guns and men to the enemy's artillery and sharp shooters. Light pieces, particularly howitzers, are the best for arming barbettes ; because the hollow projec- tiles of the latter are very formidable, both to the enemy's columns and his cavalry ; and when his batteries are opened against the salients, the light pieces can be readily withdrawn. The embrasure, fig. 21, is an opening made in the parapet for a gun to fire through. The bottom of the embrasure, or the sole, is 2 64 MANUAL OF MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 65 feet 9 inches or 4 feet, according to size of gun^ above the ground on which the wheels rest; it slopes outward to allow the gun to be fired under an inclination ; — the base of this slope should never be less than times its altitude ; the interior open- ing or mouth is 18 inches to 2 feet wide, according to calibre of gun, and rectangular ; the embrasure widens towards the exterior, which widening is called the sjilay ; the exterior line of the sole is equal to half the distance between the interior and exterior lines of the sole. The line bisecting the sole is the directrix ; the cheeksj or sides of the embrasure, are laid out by setting off two points on the exterior crest of the panipet, one on the right and the other on the left of the sole, so that the hori- zontal distance between them and the sole, shall be equal to one third of their height above it. Lines are then drawn on the exterior slope from these points to the exterior points of the sole; in the same manner, on the superior slope lines are drawn from those points to the upper points of the mouth on the interior crest. These 4 lines form the boun- daries of the two cheeks on the exterior and supe- rior slopes. When the directrix is perpendicular to the direction of the parapet, the embrasure is direct; when nut perpendicular, the embrasure is oblique. Oblique embrasures are laid out in the same manner as direct. The mouth increases in- width with the obliquity; the exterior line of the sole, is one half the directrix. The muzzle of a gun should enter the embrasure about 6 inches, to prevent the blast from injuring the cheeks; this limits the obliquity of the direc- trix to about 60 degrees for long guns. The height of the cheeks should not be more than 4 feet for the same reason. The mass of earth between two embrasures, is called a merlon. •66 MANUAL OF The advantages of embrasures are, that men and guns are better protected than in barbettes ; but they have a limited field of fire, weaken the para- pet, and present openings through "which assailants might enter. Owing to their limited field of fire, they are chiefly used to protect particular points — as a ditch, a salient, a road ; — the flanks are the best positions for them. Guns should rest on platforms, for the ground is soon worn into ruts under them. The platform is rectangular, 9 to 10 feet wide, 15 to 17 long, consisting of three pieces of scantling 6 inches square, and 2 inch plank. Between the platform and the parapet a piece of scantling is placed, projecting about 6 inches above- the platform, to prevent the wheels from running against the revetment and to give the gun its proper direction at night ; it is called a heurter. The earth under a platform should be well rammed and the sleepers imbedded in it. A platform may be made of 3 pieces of scant- ling ; one under each wheel and one under the trail. Bomb Pi'oofs. 115. A good bomb covering for embrasure bat- teries can be obtained thus : Make a flat roof, of convenient height, and suf- ficient length and width, of two or three layers of large logs, and then add 4 to 8 feet of earth well rammed. The logs of alternate layers should lie the same way. The sides can be protected by walls of logs. For magazines : — Sink a pit 10 feet w^ide, 16 long and 6 deep ; cover with one or two layers of logs 12 inches in diameter, and throw over them MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 67 the earth taken from the pit to the depth of 8 feet. The entrance is dug at one end. Observation. 116. The construction of revetments, bastion forts, batteries and all complex works, should be under the supervision of a professional engineer or artillerist; but all infantry and cavalry officers should have sufficient elementary information on the subject, to enable them to provide for the safety and protection of their men \vhen on detached ser- vice. Intrcnelied Campn. 116'. Vauban proposed intrenched camps as a means of strengthening fortified places; ?axe pro- tested against fortifying towns and cities altogether, on account of the great sufferings to which non- combatants, as invalids, women, and children, must necessarily be exposed during sieges ; Louis Phi- lippe, following the inspiration of Napoleon and others, fortified the heights around Paris, but at such a distance from it, that the citizens must ever be exempt from the horrors of blockades and bom- bardments. Nature, said Saxe, is stronger than art ; select, therefore, such points, other than towns and cities, where the natural obstacles are greatest, and strengthen them by earth works, using masonry only when absolutely necessary. But, to carry out Saxe's humane proposition, would be to abandon all towns and cities to the rav- ages of the enemy, and to give up to him all the vast stores of every kind which naturally accumu- late there. Moreover, it would tend to draw a 08 MANUAL OF line of demarcation between the civilian and the soldier, the ultimate result of which would be, to isolate the citizen completely, and to make him, per- haps, a mere spectator of a game of chess, and utterly indifferent as to the issue. Louis PhiJlipe fortified Paris in such a manner as to accomplish the objects of both Vauban and Saxe, viz: — to give to the city the support of an army intrenched, and to exempt the inhabitants from all the horrors of a siege. Intrenched camps, are not, as a general rule, constructed until war has been declared, and only at such places favorable for resisting an invasion or to prevent the capture of an important town. TTowever, the more important works for the de- fence of a capital, arsenal or navy yard, especially if they are to be of masonry, should be constructed before hand, and an accurate plan of all the others necessary to copiplete the defence, be kept con- stantly on hand. Every advantage, in locating and erecting the works, must be drawn from the ground, in order to diminish ub .tcll their number as their extent and relief. As it would be impossible to defile an intrenched camp, it should be so located as not to be dominated by adjacent heights. The bastion trace is the best, though the broken line and the line of redans may also be employed with advantage, especially on adjacent lines forming reentering angles. Fig. 22 gives Vauban's idea of an intrenched camp. It is connected with the for- tified town, or fortress, and consists, as much as possible, of continuous works along long lines, j?o as to diminish the points of attack. The parapet is 9 feet high, and 18 feet thick ; the ditch, 15 feet deep; the whole surrounded by a goo'd glacis ; the naWexxt^ /raised or palisaded. [A /raise consists of stakes, trunks and branches MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 69 of trees projecting from the benn over the ditch, to prevent an escalade.] Fig. 23 gives the phin of an intrenched camp separated from the fortified town, the interval being such as to be easily swept by the tire from both town and camp. By this arrangement, the circumvallation or sim- ple blockade of the place, becomes much more dif- ficult, because the place and camp occupy so much more room ; moreover, being separate from each other, the capture of one does not necessitate that 70 MANUAL OF of the other, ail' I the besiege* 1 beinjx masters of the communicntion, c other at will. m send assistance from one to the MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 71 Fig. 24 gives the plan of an intrenched camp, the lines not being continuous. The angles of the polygon are occupied by small but strong forts, heavily armed, and the right lines joining them by fleches, redans, lunettes or redoubts, as the configu- ration of the ground may require. Lines with intervals are more favorable for offen- sive defence than continuous lines ; and, when pro- tected by heavy, and especially well drilled troops, are to be preferred. In such a camp, that of Buntzelwitz under the cannon of Schvveiduitz, the Great Frederick with an army of 40,000 men bade defiance to the allies with three fold forces. His camp was traced and constructed in four or five days. Fig. 25 shows to what extent one wing of an army, supported by a strong fort, may be weak- ened with safety. [See Note.] Pivoting on such a fort, all the cavalry and artillery may be with- drawn from the wing thus supported in order to strengthen the other, and enable it to make an over- whelming attack upon the enemy, if the wing ad- vanced is sufficiently strong to take the offensive. The wing thus advanced, however, is always sub- ject to one great danger, that of being out-flanked, and attacked in front and reverse. If, therefore, the wing thus advanced is not protected by strong natural obstacles, .field-works will have to be erect- ed. But a change of direction on the part of the enemy, will require a corresponding one on the part of the defensive army, the abandonment of the works first constructed, and the erection of new ones for the protection of the wing exposed. It is desinible, then, to have in the vicinity of fortresses and important towns, points of support to ftivor the manoeuvres of a defensive army, and between which it can change front without danger, in order 72 MANUAL OF to face the enemy from whatever direction he may come. Gen. Rogiiiat resolves the problem thus : Es- tablish four small but strong torts around the place to be defended ; it being in the centre of the large square thus formed. [Fig. 26.] These forts closed on all sides, should be placed on the most advan- tageous heights, about 2,500 to 3,500 )'ards from the place, and 6,000 to 8,000 yards from each other. The space between any two forts would form a field of battle capable of receiving an army of 50,000 to 100,000 men, and might be regarded as impregnable ; the forts armed with heavy can- non, would support the wings perfectly, and the line could be strengthened at intervals by field works thrown up as occasion might require. These four forts circumscribing the place to be defended, would with it form a vast intrenched camp, pre*- senting four fronts or four diflerent fields of bat- tle ; so that fiom whatever side the enemy might come, the defensive army could face him. The ordinary guard of such a camp would be reduced to that of the four forts, or not more than 800 men, and perhaps 200 or 400 at the place itself in order al- seiiting four Ironts or four dill cmTrnei as oi Da^ tic; so that from whatever side the enemy might come, the defensive army could flice liim. The ordinary guard of such a camp Avould be reduced to that of 'the four forts, or not more than 800 men, and perhaps 200 or 400 at the place itself in order MILITARY KECONNAISSANCES. 73 to protect the supplies aecumulfited there for the support and reoriiJiiiization of armies. It is easy to vary the arrangement of the fortifi- cations, so as to adapt them to the location, and to profit by all the advantages which nature otters. If ;he town is on ;i river, as often happens, there should be numerous communications between the banks above and below, so that several columns :nay cross from one to the other at the same time. If the country is flat, then on each bank there should be two forts so as to command the river, ;aid the other two thrown forward so as to form the summits of two triangles having the river for a common base. IJivers, however, are usually accompanied by heights more or less distant, upon which the forts must necessarily be constructed. The range of projectiles is now so gi-eat, that for the better protection of an important town, it would be well to surround it by live or six forts so as to increase their distance from the town, and at the same time leave a field of battle between any two contiguous ones. Troops that allow themselves to be cooped up in towns, are invariably despised by the citizens. The advantages of these intrenched camps are many and great ; they cannot be left behind by the enemy, because his communications and supplies would thereby be endangered ; nor cixn he mask them by an inferior force ; nor attack them with- out greatly superior forces. ^Vhen he does attack them, he will have to do so by regular approaches, which, on account of the extended lines of the be- • sieged, will be subjected to all the disadvantages' of a concentrated fire from numerous batteries. The power of concentrating a heavy fire from nu- merous dispersed v/orks, has hitherto been the prerogative of the bcsi.egers ; hencle^ ud avoid receiving any from him. Never exhibit a rash valor loithout nccefisity ; it ^s• always prejudicial to the success of enterprises. True valor exhibits itself on the proper occanion to d£cide an a fair ; temerity is foolish, and rarely succeeds. Men being the soul of vxir, their preservation should be the principal object of their chirf. As he :hould know when to sacrifice them to gain a triumph, so he should avoid engaging them for neg- _ ative results. Never fire except when, certain of hitting : this rce is of c*av- alry, should be kej)t at hand, one half remaining saddled and liridled, so as to be i-eady to repulse an attack. I'i the enemy is at some distance, the men. are billeted by twos and fotirs in the houses nearest the .place of assembling. In both cases, a police guarsts placed on the communications by which the enemy might debouche; these posts furnish. one or twr sentinels. During the day, the posts may be calleer- sons and ju'operty are protected ; take measures ^Vith the local authorities for securing subsistence for his troops, and make the distributions regularly and legally. In an enemy's country, he should jnagazine pro\isions and forage procured by re- quisition or otherwise, and have" the cattle and sheep parked. Above all things, he should remem- MILITARV RECONNAISSANCES. 77 ber that order is the onhj means to maintain Jam- self for a long time loith limited resources, ivhilst pillage inevitably prepares cruel privations for the future. Before the enemy, he should himself reconnoitre to a great distance all the roads and especially those leading to his cantonment, destroying most of them for some distance with coupures, barricades and abattis, to avoid placing posts on them; but he should have them watched by flying sentinels or vedettes. If he has received orders to hold the place to the last extremity, he should loop-hole the most solid and best situated houses, so as to gain cross fires upon the point or passage to be defended, and collect every thing necessary to construct bar- ricades in the promptest manner. We speak here only of small detachments can- toned in villages and hamlets, and of small parties of the enemy that may be out reconnoitering, for- aging, marauding, &c. ; for from the moment that these points become of any great military impor- tance, they will be occupied, defended and attacked with means not at the command of the chief of a small detachment. The capture and recapture of a village located on an important communication, has often been tlie occasion of fierce and bloody combats. The chief of a detachment should have all the artisans necessary for maintaining it in good condition, and the transportation necessary foi* a precipitate departui-e, and for procuring and send- ing off provisions. Grand Canard*, Piekci Pot^t'*, SenSiiiels siii€l Vedettes. 119. Grand Guards having to furnish the picket i 'osts placed upon the communications in front, as 7W MANUAL OK well as the patrols necessary to explore the coun- try, should be placed where the communicatior.s commence to radiate, and at 1,200 or 1,500 yard-, in advance of the main body, on a main route, at the fork of several roads, in a field enclosed with walls, ditches, or hedges, at the edge of a forest, the head of a bridge, oi* under some shelter that A\'ill conceal them frojii the sight c>f the enemy. The small or picket posts arc placed at the forks of the i-oads, 400 or 500 }'ards in advance of the grand guards, behind some house, bank of earth, wall, hedge, oi' I'idge. The sentinels or vedetets are placed 100 (m- 150 yards in front of their posts, along the roads, paths and other communications that lead to them, and imder the shelter of some object that will conceal them from the sight of the enemy, but will, never- theless, allow them to look all around; they shouM not be placed too near any covered ground which the enemy might slip up to, and surprise them. The chief of a ]>icket ])Ost should conform strict- ly to the instructions given him by the chief of the grand guard. As soon as the chief oi' one of these advanced posts has ai-rived at the place assigned h.im, he should thoroughly I'cconnoitre its envii-ons, the routes, roads, paths and other communicatio)is lea and paths indicated in advance. However, there, are cases, when protected on their flanks and num- bering oO men or more, they are ordered to main- tain their posts at all hazards. They should then intrench themselves as well as possible, behind n coupure, an epaulement, a barricade, or an abatti.'+, according to locality. The chief of an advanced post should sleep only during the day, remaining awake during the entire night, and keeping always half of his men on the watch. They, however, should be relieved every o or 4 hours. Every evening, he should inspect the arms and ammunition, see that the men place them where they will not be injured by moisture, and can be readily seized in case of an alarm ; and that the men take ofl' no part of their equipments and clothing. An hour before day he should have all his luen under arms, and send a corporal and 3 or 4 men to examine the ground several hundred yards in advance of the sentinels, to discover any attempt, of the enemy at a surprise. He will omit sending out his patrol when the grand guard attends to thi^ duty. A sentinel or vedette should always be ready to lire, holding his musket, carbine or pistol ready for that purpo5?e. He shoiild avoid giving unnecessary alarm, and onlv tire when he sees the enemv dis- 80 MANUAL OF tinctly. Even when resistance on his part is use- less, he must fire ; and if surprised, seized and un- able to fire, he should cry out, to give the alarm. The safety of the post, and that of the troops en- camped or bivouacked in the rear, may depend upon it. If a sentinel's post is so far that he can not be heard, two should be stationed there, in order that one may come to bear any intelligence, whilst the other stays and watches. During the day, the approach of the enemy may be announced by signs previously agreed upon — as a handkerchief, or other object, held up in a particular manner. At iiight, sentinels are placed in low places rather than on heights, in order that they may distinguisli against the sky objects moving about. They should always be posted behind some object, (in order that they may observe without being seen,) and their position changed every night. They should know the road and the way through fields and woods to rejoin their posts in case of an approach of the enemy. To prevent seiit!::i is and vedettes from being •surprised, signals m.iy advantageously precede the challenge or the c-niiitersign. if they precede the challenge, the soiitiael gives the first — the chal- lenged pai-ty answentinel, the chief of the post, with a guard, im- mediately goes to ascertain the cause of it. Cavalry posts and patrols are usually some dis- tance in front of the infantry. They observe the same precautions as the others. The following method of posting grand-guards, vSjc, has its advocates, and is perhaps the best : Divide the belt of country in front of the army, and for a considerable distance on each flank, into a series of out-posts, and to each assign a battalion of sufficient strength to furnish the requisite nuni- •ber of advanced posts and yet have a good reserve left. This battalion should be drawn from, a sin- gle regiment, and not be composed of detachments from several. The reason is obvious — the men and oflicers all know each other. The accompanying diagram will explain moj-e clearly than words, the disposition of the sentinels, iiie advanced or picket posts, &c. (1.) is the chain of sentinels placed at suitable distances apart. (2.) the line of picket posts, con- sisting each of a non-commissioned officer, and o to () privates. (:3.) is 100 yards or so, in rear of (1.) (•>.) is the line of picket post reverses, each S- MANUAL OF ther may give the alarm by firing and rejoining "he advanced guard. Whatever may be the num- ber of scouts, not more than one half should be employed to examine any suspicious ground, &;c.; ho other half remaining at some distance and watching: foi', if all should enter any forest, house. Jiamlet, or village, they might all be seized by the .'uemy, and no one would then remain to give the alarm to the advanced guard. On reaching a ham- let or village, the scouts examine the houses and 'Uiclosurcs one by one; those who remain watching, keep on the alert, and each one takes care not to lose sight of his companion. Those who enter, •question the inhabitants on the march of the ene- my, his strength and kind of troops; they should, also, closely watch the changes of countenance of the inhabitants; observe whether the horses, oxen, wagons, &c., are in their accustomed places, &c. When, in examining a hamlet or village, the scouts arc sufficiently numerous, a chain of them should be thrown around it, to prevent the escape of any one in the direction of the enemy, should he be in the environs. When two scouts wish to examine a house, one ('nters, the other holding himself near at hand and on the alert; if, at the end of several minutes, the latter does not see his comrade, he calls him, and if he does not answer, he hastens to inform the ad- vanced guard, or makes the proper signal if the 84 MANUAL OF enemy is in sight: if, however, his comrade re- appears, they go on and examine each house, en- closure, &;c., in the same manner. When a wood or ravine is to be examined, tlio scouts keep at a good distance from each oth<^r ; the most advanced, examine all the accidents of the ground before them, whilst the others keep a good look out in every direction. If a scout discovers an ambuscade, and is at the same time seen himself by the enemy, he fires and hastens to the advanced guard ; if he is surprised and seized, so as to be able neither to tire nor cry out, his comrade, not seeing him reappear, will hasten to inform the advanced guard. The scouts should observe every thing and in every direction — clouds of dust and their direc- tion — the barking of dogs in a general and extra- ordinary manner — the flight of birds from any single direction — the tracks of men and horses in the dust and mud — all indicating the presence of bodies of troops. Flat and open grounds should not be neglected, because the shallowest ditch or ravine, bushes and growing crops 2 feet high, or even less, ma}^ conceal a detachment in ambuscade, lying flat upon the ground, and waiting fur the mo- ment to act. When the scouts on the flanks find roads or paths leading to the route followed by the detachment, they examine them for some distance, to see that the enemy cannot suddenly dobouche from them, and attack the flanks of the column ; they frequent- ly climb trees to reconnoitre the ground for a long distance around ; they question all the inhabitants they meet, and retain those Avho appear suspicious, or who attempt to escape in the direction of the enemy. On meeting the enemy, when wishing to indicate M T L rr A ti V K K C O N .V A I f S .\ N «: Ef^ *f their position, of to notify the advance*! ir-Qard tjo halt, or march on, they make the proper signal, j The satety of the detachment depeiidinLj upon the ^u'tivity of llie scouts, and the vii^rihinee of the chief of the advanc<}d ^uard, tlic latter marcJies with the utmost circums]}ection ; studies the progress and signals of the scouts ; keeps silence in ranks ; does not permit his men to scatter, go int<.> houses to et^t or drink, or into fields, orchards, and vineyards, tso gather fruit ; he takes advantiige of localities wheife there is nothing to fear, such as lieights and opcji fields, to relieve his scouts by others less l;itigueads numerous, he t^Tkcs a guide at eacli hamlet Or .ilhige, whom he obliges to go with him, and at. each branch ot the road, he le.aves a soldiei- to ija- form the commander of the column of the rouHo taJvcn, or leaves some sign previously agreed up«»n, to direct him. On meeting the enemy, lu^ assembles the ad- vanced guard, and sends an intelligent man to the rear, to give information of it. lie then reconnoi- tres the enemy, and, if he finds ho has to do wit^^. superior forces, he falls bade slowly, without skit- mishing, to rejoin the column. If pursued by the enemy, and atta,cked, he divides his men into two equal party, places one-half in one rank on eadi side of the road, so as to offer less mark to the et- emy, and continues his retre&t, stopping only wheh his men can deliver an effectual volley, at short dis- tance, from some good shelter. If he discovers t.h$t he cannot join the column before being attacked by the enemy's cavalry, he will unite his men, throw out skirm.ishers, and endeavor to reach the flankss or rear of the column by cuttir^g across the fields.| If the country is so level and open that the cav- alry can pursue him, he will form his men in a ci}- a ■ 1 86 MANIAL OK cle around him, and i-csist the attack as best he can, taking advantage of every opportunity to place his men in a ftivorable position — on an eminence, across a ditch, under trees, &c. — and to continue his retreat. The march of every army, isolated column, or detachment, should he protected by a cloud of scouts and skirmishers, so arranged as to envelop it completely ; and this cordon should be so tar from the main body, and be, at the same time, so con- nected with it, by means of supports, patrols, &:c., that it may always receive timely notice of all movements of the enemy within striking distance. The dispositions of an advanced guard, when feeling for the enemy, and of a rear-guard, when retiring before him, may be conceived from the diagram for out-post duty. Under the circumstances mentioned, advanced and rear guards should consist of troops of all arms, but the proportion of light cavalry should be considerable — so considerable, indeed, that the country, for a considerable distance in front, and on both flanks, may be completely inundated by this class of active and most ethcient troops. A great superiority in this class of troops often de- cides a campaign. Figures 27 and 28 show the march of advanced patrols of "fifteen and thirty men respectively : % /■ -' C M I L T T .\ n V n K C >r x .*. T S '^" a x ■ E =: . Escorl*. 12]. Tiie chief of a detachnicMit charged with es- corting a convoy in an enemy's country, will make the following dispositions : Before cojiimencing the march, he will inspect the arms and have them loaded in his presence, and di- vide his detachnient into f(jur pai-ts : one-fourth for ^ MA MAI, OK (lii atlvancod ^uurd, one-tburth for a n>ai-;4u:irJ, (M^i>- f^urth on each side of the convoy. ; ir the road is sufficiently wide, he will arran^^o the wagons in two or three ranks, and the pack ^ijorses in 5 or 0. The advanced guard will inarch 400 yards in front ; the rear guard, the ^>anne dis- tance behind. I The advanceresenls itself, the convoy will be halted un- ijl it has been minutely examined by the scouts, and the signal ''All ^afc " made, when it will resume th6 exarch. ^ ; The convoy should never be halted upon eovcnx.1 and broken ground; the teams should never be tfiken from the wagons, nor the pack horses ladoaJ ed, except at •' grand halts," and they .should be i]jear water. At "grand halts," the wagons or packs are formed into a s^juarc, so that, in ciise of attacl:, tKey may used as a sort of breast work or barri- cade, In resisting the attack. Some skirmishers v.'ill be placed in front at sonn^. dlstan^ce, who will inform .the convoy at the fn-st signal. As soon as the enemy makes his appearance, the skirmishers will open i'liv, and endeavor to delay him as much as possible; during this time, the teams will be hitched to the wagons and the pack horses loaded; and tlie convoy will then advance or retreat, accord- ing to circumstances, protected by its skirmishers and escort. If tlu' CTiemy is too strong for the ad- va.nce or retreat to be continued, the convoy wili be halted on some strong position and pai'ked. The skirmishers will not enter the square until the last moment ; the}' should even be reinforced or relieved, for it is important to keep the enemy at a distance U'fnn the coii\-ov as ]n\)i i\s rios-sible. I.-iLiTAKY RECONNAISSANCES. 8*J If, being 15) that position, aiRl having exhausted the greater part of his ammunition, the chief dis- covers that he can resist no longer, he will kill the horses, set five to the wagons and packs: and, all hav- ing been destroyed, form his men in close column, and open a way through the enemy at the point of the bayonet. All that has just bem saicLwiil apply to the es- cort (jf a genera! otncei- oj- a bearer of dispatches ; if the escort is atiack<'d, it will form in square or circle around the (jfriccrs, and continue the march in advance or in retreat, as the ca^e may be — halting and charging the enemy, whenever necessary. If it is impossible to resist, and there is no chance of safety, the dispatches must be destroyed before surrendering. There are two inetliods of pai'king wagons: 1°, by placing them so, that the tongues will be per- pendicular to the side of the square, and either within it or without ; 2^, by placing thein so that the tongues will be parallel to the side of the square. The latter is the best, gives opportunity for a larger square, and better protects the men and horses. Intervals between adjacent \yagons, sufilciently wide for one ma'i to pass, must occasionally be If^il. 122. Conceding ordinary intelligence and caution to the enemy, it is easily seen that it is ^i dlfiicult matter to post an ambuscade so that it c;ia:iot be discovered, and that it may have the dcsit-rd suc- cess. The problem to solve is' this : post an am- buscade so that the enemy can neither discover it, nor escape it when he }jas once fallen into the snare,, and at the same time, secure ;i retreat in case he is succored by ii strouL;- reinforcement. m The proper pLuvs tor }H)Sling an niribu^icade are — llic toot of hills, ddiles formod ])v iorestv'*, isolatod houses, haiTilots, vilhiges, ciK'ioseiir(\s, thick herks of roads, fields, covered with growing crops of siiflicient height, die, y the centre, the coopera- tion of the head and tail, and fuially to the reunion of the detachment and the retreat, in case of fai hire. Ambuscades siiouid be placed as near as possible tb the road which the enemy is to follow ; but if the enemy's tntops are veterans and well skilled in war, it will 1k^ brsfc to post them farther olf, but -Still suHiciently near to be able to take position on the road after his scm^uis have passed and Ixjfore his main ])ody Was come up. To do this, the ground must be thoroughly studied, and some woods or ridges should he plac(^d betwt.x!n tliedetachnu^ntand the road, to conceal its |x)sition from th<> enemy. Some men slioitld )h^ sent up trees to ol)serve every thing, and gi\e notice, by means <)f proper signals, iff the movcjr.ent.s of the enemy. A)inbi;v;r:-< shcMiM. if r.ossibhs Ik- »m)s',ut in diflerent directions so that they may cross each other, they can readily make themselves known by the proper signals and challenges. If a party of the enemy is met, one iialf of the patrol will iiro, and then all will hasten to the grand ij^uard, Ujt patrols are not intended to light the ene- my, but merely to learn his position. All senti- nels hearing the alarm, will return to their posts. f)4 jManual of The chief of the patrol will send a messenger at full speed to inform the nearest advanced post and grand guard, and the latter will, in the same man- ner, notify the main body. The advanced post united to the patrol, will await the enemy in order to reconnoitre him, and, deploying as skirmishers, will delay his advance as much as possible in order to give the grand guard and principal body time to assemble and make their dispositions to receive him. Troops camped or bivouacked before "the enemy, should take arms an hour before day, and not break ranks until after the return of special patrols sent to the front some time before day, to examine the ground in front of the sentinels and vedettes, in order to discover whether or not the enemy has made any arrange- ments for a sudden attack about day light. 124. it often happens during war, that Jai-ge dij^- tricts are entirely deserted by their inhabitants at the approach of an invading army; this e.\trem( measure, counseled by fear or by the forces defend- ing the district, deprives the arm.y of its resources for subsistence, because the inhabitants conceal or destroy all that they cannot can-y olT with them. The expedition to Portugal, in 1810, suifered mucii from this measure, which was not only advised bui enforced by the English army. Now, to subsist the army, if it is not followed by long provision trains, and it is impossii)le to have them in sufTisient numbers for a large army for any length of time, recourse has to be had to maraud- ing parties; they are regularly organized, and sent out to scour the country and gather up every thing that will do to sustain life in man or beast. MILITARY KECONKAI53ANCES. 95 Before setting out, the chief should supply him self with a sufficient number of wagons and teams, or pack horses, and in his march will conform to all that has been prescribed for the conduct of the escort of a convoy, as well as what follows. Arriving near a wood or forest, the chief halts the convoy, parks it, and sends half of his men to surround the wood, whilst others are sent in to ex- amine it. These searches frequently discover not only horses and cattle concealed in the woods, but men placed there to guard them, and who can make known other places where cattle and provisions are secreted. Reaching a village, hamlet or town, the convoy is halted again ; the advanced guard enters and examines it carefully as a precaution against ambuscades. When the place has been thoroughly examined, and is pronounced clear of the enemy, the detachment enters and takes military possession of it. (See Cantonments.) The chief divides his command into parties of 8 or 10, placing a sergeant or corporal in charge of each, and sends them out to gather every thing that can be found. These small parties examine the houses from top to bot- tom, — sounding the walls to fmd concealed doors of closets, &c., — the out-houses, walls, hedges, wells, gardens, d:c., &c. Places under houses, in yards (►r gardens, where the earth has been lately moved, should be carefully examined. The supplies found are carried to some place se- lected for the purpose, deposited on the ground, and the pack horses and wagons are immediately load- L*d ; for it is important not to waste a moment of time, but to get back to the main body as soon as possible. The chief should see that his men do not load themselves with booty to the exclu- sion of the provisions sought for. The army in Portugal supported itself in this 96 MANUAL DF way from the ist of October, 1810, to the beginning of 'Mnrcn, 1811. Each corps had to send out ma- raudiiii,^ partie;?. Many of these were cut olf by the inhabitants, the Portugese and English troops, as well as all men \^•ho m antlored otT singly or in small numbers. Fora^sring; f^arlleis. 125. Detachments going out to gather green for;^^e consist of those who nv(t to gatlier the forage and load the wagons, and those who are to protect the operation. The troops for the protection of the forageri= proper, should re^ch the indicated place by day break, and in advance of the wagons ; they imme- diately seize and guard all the avenues by which the enemy might dcbouche — small posts are estab- lished on the roads; sentinels, vedettes and patrols thrown out. The main body then occupies some central position, known to all the small posts, the wagoas arc stationed on the road leading to the camp, and the operations begin. The foragers cut the grass, clover, greeii oats, wheat, corn, &c., iL< the case may be, load one wagon at a time, and start it immediately off; then another, and so on. In this way, should the enemy make his appearance, a part of the forage may be saved, whilst all may be lost by waiting for the entire convoy to start off together. At the first signal, all the unloaded wagons leave for the camp. The sentinels and vedettes are so places.! as to l>e able to see to a great distance, and to communicate, pn^mptly with each other, their posts and the main body by means of signs previously agreed upon, A suitable signal announces the approach of th(^ <5n- emy. As soon as heard or soen, the forages pre- MILITARY RECONNAISSANCES. 07 pare to depart; the sentinels and vedettes join their posts; these hasten to the main body at the indicated place, and the cliief immediately makes his arrangements to resist the enemy and protect the convo}^ ; which in the mean time files rapidly to the rear. One third to one-half of his force, is thrown out as skirmishers, who, protecting them- selves as well as they can by all the accidents of the ground, endeavor to keep the enemy at a dis- tance ; in this manner he conducts the retreat, fighting the whole way and disputing every foot of ground, until the convoy lias got sullicicntly far to the rear to be safe. The skirmishers may then be called in, and the retreat conducted more rapidly, but still in order, and with every precaution to re- sist an attack, or to make one, according to circum- stances. If the convoy has to pass through a defile in its retreat, the escort will maintain its ground until the entire convoy has entered, and not enter itself un- til all the skirmishers have been rallied ; if, how- ever, the flanks of the defile are not inaccessible, the skirmishers will hold them instead of entering the defile, and will join the escort at the exit. The remainder of the escort will enter the defile, and fire by platoon or company in retreat, if closely pressed ; or will deploy as skirmishers, if the enemy has artillery, and retire by ranks. Dry forage is collected in the same manner and with the same precautions, as green. Detachments tor this purpose are usually sent to farm houses, hamlets and villages. If few or no inhabitants are met, the party acts as if on a maraud. The escort of a foraging party acts as an ad- vanced guard in going, and as a rear guard on the return. Every precaution should be taken to ijuard against a surprise or an ambuscade ; and, if I 1>^ MANIA I. ():• llu'iv is any (lani:[er of a Hank attack, going or re- turning, the escort sliould take all the proc-ini-i'^.' s i'.lready detailed. Blou«l^, Bri<]i;€M and Ford«». 1 :2i'K \n selecting the emplacement of a post, canr should be taken so to locate it, that the enemy's li'ont must be contracted as he approaches it ; that it shall not be coniinanded by neighborinir heights ; and that it shall oiler the greatest number of natural means of defence. If placed upon a road or causeway with imprac- ticable flanks, obstruct the passage with coupnres, ;:battis, (Sec, as a cover for the men. When the emplacement is determined by any cause whatever, the natural defences must be strengthened by a redoubt if the position can be turned ; and, in any other case, by a fleche or lu- nette, loopholed walls and houses if sufficiently near, barricades, abattis, palisades, &c. The defence of a l)ridge depends upon the locali- ties : if the river is fordable, a redoubt should be thrown up at the most suitable place for disputing the passage, and for protecting the defenders from the enemy's skirmishers; if not fordable, a fleche or other work be thrown up in front of the bridge, houses near the bridge be placed in a state of de- fence, and the passage of the bridge obstructed by Ijarricades. When a fluche or other work is throwi lip in front of the bridge, all auxiliary means of de fence must be adopted to obstruct the advance o; the enemy, as coupurcs, abattis, palisades, &:c. If the bank next tho enemy commands the othei-. (he bridge cannot l)e defended, and should be de- stroyed — if of stone, by blowing up some of the middle arches; if of wood, bv cuttiui? several i» MlLlTAIiV KKCONXAISSANCKS. \)\> the spans, or buriiiug it ; isunie tinu-s, it is siif- ficieDt merely to remove tli(3 floorings: of a wooden bridge. All mak'rials on the side of the enemy for mending the bridge, all boats, flats and other means of crossing the river, slionld be destroyed or re- moved. Skirmishers should be placed aloiig the bank to prevent tlie enemy's swimmers from secretly cross- ing the river to get the boats that have l)een taken from his side. Materials f«jr rcl)nilding the bridge shonld l>e concealed or destroyed, if the position has to be abandoned. A ford may be defended in the same manner as a bridge, if the enemy's side is open and flat ; but if much broken and especially if it com- mands the other, the ford should be destroyed by deepening it, or sinking and securing the trunks of trees — their branches sharpened — in it. Eveu when destroyed in this manner, a ford should be watched by a small post. If the river is very crooked, forming numerous sharp elbows, fords may be formed above or below the one known, by cutting ditches across some of the narrowest elbows. To prevent this, or to be informed of it, small patrols siiould scour the l)ank of the river night and day. 127. The capture of an advanced post and its sentinels or vedettes, is a common occurrence in war, and one that frequently has important results ; these coups de main are entrusted to intelligent and enterprising officars in charge of small detachments of infantry. The oflicer charged with a mission of this kind, should study the ground to be passed c safe, if offi- cers are allowed to lay down their arms on the field of battle, by virtue of an agreement favorable to themselves and the troops under their command, but in opposition to the safety of the remainder of the army. To withdraw from peril themselves, and thus render the position of their comrades more dangerous, is manifessly an act of baseness. Such conduct ought to be proscribed, pronounced in- famous, and punishable with death. The generals, officers and soldiers, who, in a battle, have saved their lives by capitulating, ought to be decimated. lie who commands the arms to be surrendered, and they who obey him, are alike traitors and deserve capital punishment." Troops that break raaJcs and ji»j^ nhonld (dso hv decimated. .Is" a mere question of personal, indi- v'idiCal sofeti/j it is always better to stand by one's colors than to alxuidon them iynominioiisly. Re- treat, when necessary, should be conducted in an or- derly manner, and in constant readiness to turn upon t.\e foe. " It w