Part 189

Whenever detachments exceed 200 men, or upwards, a surgeon or surgeon’s mate is to be sent from the corps of the officer who commands. On particular duties, the attendance of a surgeon or mate may be requisite with smaller detachments. Detachments of cavalry, of 50 or upwards, will be attended by a farrier.

As soon as an officer commanding an outpost, or advanced picquet, (whether of cavalry or infantry) arrives on his ground, he must endeavor to make himself master of his situation, by carefully examining, not only the space he actually occupies, but the heights within musquet-shot; the roads and paths leading to or near his post, ascertaining their breadth and practicability for cavalry and cannon. He should examine the hollow ways that cover the approach of an enemy; and, in short, consider all the points from which he is most likely to be attacked, either by cavalry or infantry. He will, by these means, be enabled to take measures to prevent the possibility of being surprized; and should he be attacked during the night, from the previous knowlege he has obtained of the ground, he will at once form a just estimate of the nature of the attack, and make his arrangements for defence with promptitude and decision. In order to convey the same alacrity to his men, and to prepare the most inexperienced for sudden and unexpected attacks, an officer upon an outpost will do well to put them upon the alert, by skilfully occasioning false alarms. But these must not be often repeated, nor when practised be made known to his men as having proceeded from himself; since supineness and inactivity might by degrees be the consequence of such a discovery.

An intelligent officer upon an outpost, even unprovided with entrenching tools, will materially strengthen his post, when the unobserver would remain inactive.

A tree felled with judgment; brushwood cut to a certain distance; pointed stakes, about breast high, placed on the points most assailable by an enemy, may be attended with the greatest advantages, and can be effected with the common hatchets, which the men carry to cut fire-wood. In short, every impediment which an officer, acting on the defensive, can throw in an enemy’s way, ought to be scrupulously attended to. Independently, therefore, of the means which he adopts for the immediate protection of his posts, he must look beyond that point; and as nothing checks the ardour of troops more than an unexpected obstacle, within an hundred yards, more or less, of the place attacked, he must, on his arrival at the outpost, throw up some temporary impediment at that distance. See AM. MIL. LIBRARY.

Mounting GUARDS. It is indispensibly necessary, that every officer should know how to mount and come off guard.

All guards parade with ordered arms, and unfixed bayonets, without any intervals between them, the ranks open. The officer brings the guard to a shoulder; and the officers with their swords drawn, and non-commissioned officers commanding guards, are formed about forty paces in front of the centre, in two ranks, facing the line, where they are to receive the old parole and such orders as may be given them.

The major or commanding officer gives the word of command.

“Officers and non-commissioned officers--Take post in front of your respective guards!--Outward face--March!”

As soon as they have taken post, fronting their respective guards, the word of command will be given--

“Officers and non-commissioned officers--to your guards--March!--Front!--Halt!”

“Officers and non-commissioned officers, inspect your guards!”

The several officers and non-commissioned officers then inspect their guard as quick as possible. When there is a captain’s guard, each officer is to take a rank, the serjeants accompanying them.

As soon as the inspection is over, the adjutant goes down the line and receives the report of each guard; the officers return to their posts; and the major, or commanding officer, commands--“Fix bayonets!--Shoulder!”

When the colours are brought on the parade, the drum is beat; and the drummer’s call on the right.

The captain will face inwards, and the lieutenant and ensign will face to the right, and march, quick time, to the head of the grenadiers. The captain goes to the head of the right of his remaining men. The field officer then orders the grenadiers to close their ranks, and to march off in quick time, the lieutenant being three paces advanced in front of his men, and the ensign one. The colours are received as usual. And the color party on their arrival on the left flank of the guards, will file at the slow time, through the ranks: the lieutenant, and the colors, in front of the front rank. The guards are to march off at the slow time, and by divisions, taking care, that when they open their ranks, the front rank of each keeps its exact distance from the front rank preceding it. When there are more officers than one belonging to the same guard, the second in rank is to take post, and to march past the commanding officer on the parade, at the head of the last division, instead of being in the rear of it. When there is an officer, senior to the field officer of the day, on the parade, the guards are to march by and salute him: the field officer of the day, in that case, marching at their head.

GUARD-rooms. The following articles should properly come under the heads of furniture and utensils.

Cavalry and infantry GUARD-rooms are allowed a water bucket, candlestick, tin can for drink, and drinking cups; they are also allowed fire irons, and coal tray.

The rooms of the quarter-masters and serjeants of cavalry, and the serjeant-major and quarter-master serjeant of infantry, to be furnished with the necessary bedding and utensils in the same manner as is allowed to the soldiers’ rooms.

GUARD, in fencing, implies a posture proper to defend the body from the sword of the antagonist.

The word guard is seldom applied among small swordsmen to any position but those of carte and tierce, the other motions of defence are stiled parades. See FENCING.

GUARDS of the broad sword. The positions of defence adopted with that weapon are generally termed guards, and may be comprised under the inside guard, half-circle guard, hanging guard, half-hanging guard, medium guard, outside guard, St. George’s guard, and spadroon guard. See BROAD-SWORD.

Prepare to GUARD, in the cavalry sword exercise, is performed by bringing the extremity of the sword-hilt up to the pit of the stomach, with the back of the hand outwards; the blade of the sword to be carried perpendicularly, with the flat in front of the left eye. From this position the guard is taken by darting the sword hand smartly forward towards the left ear of the antagonist.

GUARD, in the cavalry sword exercise, is used to denote one particular position, which consists in homing the sabre nearly horizontal across the face, the point rather higher than the hilt, the sword-hand directed towards the left ear of the antagonist. Although this be peculiarly denominated guard, yet it is not to be considered as a position calculated to meet every sort of attack, or an eligible position to charge an enemy; but as the central point from which the requisite change for attack or defence may be effected. The other position of defence in the cavalry exercise are stiled PROTECTS.

GUASTADOURS, Fr. Turkish pioneers. Armenians and Greeks are generally employed in the Turkish armies, to do the fatigue-work that is necessary for the formation of a camp, or for conducting a siege.

GUDDA, an Indian term for a fool, a small fort erected upon a hill or eminence; it means literally an ass, metaphorically a fool.

GUDGE, an Indian measure 24 inches long.

GUERITE, Fr. Centry box, small turret. In fortified towns there are several small turrets of this denomination, which are sometimes made of wood and sometimes built with stone. They are generally fixed on the acute points of bastions and centinels are posted within them, for the purpose of watching the ditch, and of preventing any surprize in that quarter.

Those used upon the continent of Europe, particularly in France, contain from 3 to 4 French feet diameter within, and are 7 or 8 feet high. Their general shape or figure is round, pentagonal, hexagonal, &c.