Infantry Drill Regulations, United States Army, 1911 Part 36

685. The _supports_ const.i.tute a line of _supporting_ and _resisting_ detachments, varying in size from a half company to a battalion. They furnish the line of _outguards_.

The supports are numbered consecutively from right to left. They are placed at the more important points on the outpost line, usually in the line on which resistance is to be made in case of attack.

686. As a general rule, roads exercise the greatest influence on the location of supports, and a support will generally be placed on or near a road. The section which it is to cover should be clearly defined by means of tangible lines on the ground and should be such that the support is centrally located therein.

687. The _outguards_ const.i.tute the line of small detachments farthest to the front and nearest to the enemy. For convenience they are cla.s.sified as _pickets_, _sentry squads_, and _cossack posts_. They are numbered consecutively from right to left in each support.

688. A _picket_ is a group consisting of two or more squads, ordinarily not exceeding half a company, posted in the line of outguards to cover a given sector. It furnishes patrols and one or more sentinels, double sentinels, sentry squads, or cossack posts for _observation_.

Pickets are placed at the more important points in the line of outguards, such as road forks. The strength of each depends upon the number of small groups required to observe properly its sector.

689. A _sentry squad_ is a squad posted in _observation_ at an indicated point. It posts a double sentinel in observation, the remaining men resting near by and furnishing the reliefs of sentinels.

In some cases it may be required to furnish a patrol.

690. A _cossack post_ consists of four men. It is an _observation_ group similar to a sentry squad, but employs a single sentinel.

691. At night, it will sometimes be advisable to place some of the outguards or their sentinels in a position different from that which they occupy in the daytime. In such case the ground should be carefully studied before dark and the change made at dusk. However, a change in the position of the outguard will be exceptional.

692. _Sentinels_ are generally used singly in daytime, but at night double sentinels will be required in most cases. Sentinels furnished by cossack posts or sentry squads are kept near their group. Those furnished by pickets may be as far as 100 yards away.

Every sentinel should be able to communicate readily with the body to which he belongs.

693. Sentinel posts are numbered consecutively from right to left in each outguard. Sentry squads and cossack posts furnished by pickets are counted as sentinel posts.

694. Instead of using outguards along the entire front of observation, part of this front may be covered by _patrols_ only. These should be used to cover such sections of the front as can be crossed by the enemy only with difficulty and over which he is not likely to attempt a crossing after dark.

In daylight much of the local patrolling may be dispensed with if the country can be seen from the posts of the sentinels. However, patrols should frequently be pushed well to the front unless the ground in that direction is exceptionally open.

695. Patrols or sentinels must be the first troops which the enemy meets, and each body in rear must have time to prepare for the blow.

These bodies cause as much delay as possible without sacrificing themselves, and gradually retire to the line where the outpost is to make its resistance.

696. Patrols must be used to keep up connection between the parts of the outpost except when, during daylight, certain fractions or groups are mutually visible. After dark this connection must be maintained throughout the outpost except where the larger subdivisions are provided with wire communication.

697. In addition to ordinary outguards, the outpost commander may detail from the reserve one or more _detached posts_ to cover roads or areas not in the general line a.s.signed to the supports.

In like manner the commander of the whole force may order _detached posts_ to be sent from the main body to cover important roads or localities not included in the outpost line.

The number and strength of detached posts are reduced to the absolute needs of the situation.

_Establishing the Outpost._

698. The outpost is posted as quickly as possible so that the troops can the sooner obtain rest. Until the leading outpost troops are able to a.s.sume their duties, temporary protection, known as the _march outpost_, is furnished by the nearest available troops.

699. The halt order of the commander, besides giving the necessary information and a.s.signing camp sites to the parts of the command, details the troops to const.i.tute the outpost, a.s.signs a commander therefor, designates the general line to be occupied, and, when practicable, points out the position to be held in case of attack.

700. The outpost commander, upon receipt of this order, should issue the outpost order with the least practicable delay. In large commands it may often be necessary to give the order from the map, but usually the outpost commander will have to make some preliminary reconnaissance, unless he has an accurate and detailed map.

The order gives such available information of the situation as is necessary to the complete and proper guidance of subordinates; designates the troops to const.i.tute the supports; a.s.signs their location and the sector each is to cover; provides for the necessary detached posts; indicates any special reconnaissance that is to be made; orders the location and disposition of the reserve; disposes of the train if same is ordered to join the outpost; and informs subordinates where information will be sent.

701. Generally it is preferable for the outpost commander to give verbal orders to his support commanders from some locality which overlooks the terrain. The time and locality should be so selected that the support commanders may join their commands and conduct them to their positions without causing unnecessary delay to their troops.

The reserve commander should, if possible, receive his orders at the same time as the support commanders. Subordinates to whom he gives orders separately should be informed of the location of other parts of the outpost.

In large outposts, written orders are frequently most convenient.

After issuing the initial orders, the outpost commander inspects the outpost, orders the necessary changes or additions, and sends his superior a report of his dispositions.

702. The _reserve_ is marched to its post by its commander, who then sends out such detachments as have been ordered and places the rest in camp or bivouac, over which at least one sentinel should be posted.

Connection must be maintained with the main body, the supports and nearby detached posts.

703. The _supports_ march to their posts, using the necessary covering detachments when in advance of the march outpost. A support commander's order should fully explain the situation to subordinates, or to the entire command, if it be small. It should detail the troops for the different outguards and, when necessary, define the sector each is to cover. It should provide the necessary sentinels at the post of the support, the patrols to be sent therefrom, and should arrange for the necessary intrenching. Connection should be maintained with adjoining supports and with the outguards furnished by the support.

704. In posting his command the support commander must seek to cover his sector in such manner that the enemy can not reach, in dangerous numbers and un.o.bserved, the position of the support or pa.s.s by it within the sector intrusted to the support. On the other hand, he must economize men on observation and patrol duty, for these duties are unusually fatiguing. He must practice the greatest economy of men consistent with the requirements of practical security.

705. As soon as the posting of the support is completed, its commander carefully inspects the dispositions and corrects defects, if any, and reports the disposition of his support, including the patrolling ordered, to the outpost commander. This report is preferably made by means of a sketch.

706. Each _outguard_ is marched by its commander to its a.s.signed station, and, especially in the case of a picket, is covered by the necessary patrolling to prevent surprise.

Having reached the position, the commander explains the situation to his men and establishes reliefs for each sentinel, and, if possible, for each patrol to be furnished. Besides these sentinels and patrols, a picket must have a sentinel at its post.

The commander then posts the sentinels and points out to them the princ.i.p.al features, such as towns, roads, and streams, and gives their names. He gives the direction and location of the enemy, if known, and of adjoining parts of the outpost.

He gives to patrols the same information and the necessary orders as to their routes and the frequency with which the same shall be covered. Each patrol should go over its route once before dark.

707. Every picket should maintain connection by patrols with outguards on its right and left. Each commander will take precaution to conceal his outguard and will generally strengthen his position by intrenching.

PART IV.--CEREMONIES AND INSPECTIONS.

CEREMONIES.

_General Rules for Ceremonies._

708. The order in which the troops of the various arms are arranged for ceremonies is prescribed by Army Regulations.

When forming for ceremonies the companies of the battalion and the battalions of the regiment are posted from right to left in line and from head to rear in column, in the order of rank of their respective commanders present in the formation, the senior on the right or at the head.

The commander faces the command; subordinate commanders face to the front.

709. At the command _present arms_, given by the colonel, the lieutenant colonel and the colonel's staff salute; the major's staff salute at the major's command. Each staff returns to the carry or order when the command _order arms_ is given by its chief.

710. At the _a.s.sembly_ for a ceremony companies are formed on their own parades and informally inspected.