Part 4

The total deductions, for purposes of protection, from the fighting force of the column, therefore, amount to:--infantry, two battalions three companies; artillery, two sections; sappers and miners one company; and there remain, for disposal, infantry, two battalions five companies, artillery, one section, cavalry, one squadron, besides various administrative units.

No serious opposition being expected to the march of the column, the comfort of the troops may be considered in regulating the order of march.

As before, and for the same reasons, the cavalry, and the B. echelon 1st line transport of the advanced and rear-guards, and of the picquetting troops, may march at the tail of the main body.

It should hardly be necessary to place, in addition, a body of infantry at the end of the column, but, if desired, the remaining four companies of the battalion furnishing the rear-guard may move immediately in front of, or behind, the cavalry. The rest of the fighting force can march at the head of the main column, followed by the reserve ammunition, hospitals, B. echelon 1st line transport, with the 2nd line transport, and then the supply column.

In circumstances where little or no resistance is expected to the forward movement of a column, but serious opposition to the withdrawal of picquets, and to the march of the rear-guard, the following modification will be necessary in the order of march just dealt with.

The strength, composition, and time of march of the advanced guard need only be altered by the deduction of, say, one section of sappers and miners, and perhaps, too, the withdrawal of the mountain guns.

The escorts, etc., of the non-fighting portions of the main column may remain as before suggested, as may the strength and composition of the rear-guard.

The order of march of the main column will, however, require transposition somewhat as follows:

Since the principal opposition will take the form of pursuit by the enemy, the bulk of the fighting troops should move in rear of the main column, so as to be in position to undertake the offensive if required.

The units may, therefore, march as follows:

Two companies of infantry; the supply column; the B. echelon 1st line transport, (except, of the advanced and rear-guards,) with the 2nd line transport; the hospitals; the reserve ammunition; B. echelon 1st line transport of the advanced and rear-guards; the rest of the infantry, less four companies; the remainder of the artillery; one section of sappers and miners, the cavalry, and finally four companies.

FOOTNOTES:

ACTION OF THE ADVANCED & REAR-GUARDS, AND OF ROAD PICQUETS.

Speaking generally, the procedure followed by an advanced guard may be somewhat as follows:--

Both on account of considerations for its own security, and because hills will thus be more rapidly secured, it is desirable that the positions to be occupied by road picquets should, so far as it is practicable to do so from the valley, be decided some time before the main guard arrives opposite the various localities. It is also understood that considerable latitude is allowed to the picquet commander as to the position occupied, and that he is at liberty either to demand reinforcement, or to return redundant men to the advanced guard, as occasion may demand.

The advanced guard may move in the following order.

First a vanguard of one or more companies, preceding the remainder by about half a mile, and adapting its formation to the ground.

Then the mainguard, at the head of which should be the advanced guard commander, his staff officer, the battalion commander of the unit furnishing the leading company, and the company commander.

As the troops march up the valley, the advanced guard commander should decide what localities are to be held, and in what strength. He should issue his orders to the battalion or company commander, as the case may be, when the picquets should move direct to their positions. Meanwhile, the staff officer should make, in sections, a rough sketch of the positions occupied by the various picquets, which should be numbered consecutively as they move out, the sections of the sketch being sent, as completed, to the officer commanding the rear-guard.

In addition, to insure that no picquet is overlooked by the rear-guard, a double sentry, with a paper showing the number of its picquet, should be placed in the roadway beneath the height occupied, and it is the duty of the picquet commander to keep in touch with this sentry post.

In this manner the roadway should be picquetted, until the locality is reached where the column is to halt, when the advanced guard commander should take the usual measures for the security of the camp, for safe-guarding the water supply, etc.

It has been suggested that an advanced guard should be divided into two portions, advanced guard, and the picquetting troops, each under a separate leader, the object being to free the advanced guard commander from the work of picquetting, so that his whole attention can be devoted to tactics. The advanced guard is to clear the hills, which are then to be occupied by picquets.

This system does not appear sound, for it necessitates two men doing the work of one, and, in practice, the advanced guard usually either meets with little or no resistance, or with such serious opposition that picquetting is in abeyance.

Each picquet, when it reaches the position selected by its leader, should intrench, taking especial care to provide head cover, so that the enemy may not be easily able to observe the moment of its final withdrawal.

Before the last troops of the main column have quitted camp, the rear-guard commander should have arranged his force in a series of successive positions, calculated to enable the units to mutually support one another's retirement, as well as to assist, if necessary, the withdrawal of picquets.

The guns should, for reasons already given, be kept well back, and this system of successive positions should be continued throughout the march.

It is, of course, understood that the main column keeps contact with, and regulates its march by that of the rear-guard.

It is sometimes advocated that the camp picquets should, before the column marches off, be relieved by the rear-guard, with the object of enabling the picquets to rejoin their units.