Alexander Carl Friedrich von Arentschildt

“ It is of the highest importance to instruct the night Videttes, that, in case the Enemy should rapidly attack them, they are not to retire towards the Picquet, but a hundred and fifty yards to the right or left of it, firing constantly in the meantime, and trying by these means to mislead the Enemy, and draw him after them. The Picquet hereby gains time to mount, and to fall in the Enemy's flank and rear, with a great noise, who will certainly suspect to have fallen in an ambush, be puzzled, and perhaps lose some prisoners. ”

“ A great deal of responsibility is left to a non-commissioned Officer on outpost duty: he has frequently the command of Patrols, Picquets, &c.; it is therefore necessary for him to obtain a thorough knowledge of his duty. Unless he has authority to keep up the strictest discipline, and [Pg 66] to make the men under him pay the greatest attention to all Orders, he is not fit for his situation, and he is to recollect that the safety and honor of his Regiment may frequently depend upon the manner in which he executes his duty. ”

“ A Patrol, in returning, should look often to the rear, as the Enemy frequently succeeds in following a negligent Patrol. The Non-commissioned Officer should be particularly careful not to allow the men to fatigue their horses; if it should be necessary to feed, it should never be done in a village, but in an open country, and a Vidette should be placed during the time. No man should be permitted to leave his horse for a moment, and any man who attempts to use an inhabitant of the country ill, or to take anything from the town by force, must be severely punished. ”

“ If the Enemy is so near the Videttes that they are obliged to gallop to the Picquets for their own security, they should fire their Carbines or Pistols. By night, if the Videttes hear a suspicious noise, even at a great distance, such as the rattling of Carriages, barking of dogs, or if they observe any fire, one of them should instantly report the circumstances to the officer of the Picquet, in order that it may be inquired into by a Patrol. If any one should approach the Videttes, they must challenge, and desire the person or persons to halt till the Officer is informed. ”

“ If an Officer, two non-commissioned Officers, and twenty-four Privates, form the Advanced Guard, the Officer should post himself about five hundred yards in front of the columns, with thirteen men, a serjeant and eight should be detached five hundred yards in advance of him, and three men five hundred yards in advance of the whole. The principle upon which an Advanced Guard, Rear Guard, or Side Patrol is sent out, is to give time to the column to make dispositions to attack or retreat, should an Enemy be discovered. ”

“ A rule is, that the Advanced Guard should take up so much ground, that when it discovers the enemy, the column has sufficient time to form and make dispositions, either for attacking or retiring. The several divisions of the Advanced Guard must always keep their support in sight, and be careful to preserve the same distances. When the column halts, the Advanced Guard does the same, but the three men at the head instantly occupy the neighbouring heights, in case the enemy should be within four or five hundred yards. ”

“ A Dismounted Sentry who is able to see the movements of the several Videttes, and who can acquaint the Picquet with them, is a measure so necessary for the safety of the Picquet, that it never ought to be omitted.
One-third or one-fourth of the horses are always bridled up and ready to advance; the men must never take off their swords and belts; one-half of them may sleep in the middle of the day, the other in the afternoon, that they may be all perfectly alert at night. ”

“ When the Enemy is close, the following measures not only contributes to insure security, but is the best way to learn when the Enemy is on the move. A few men are to patrol during the night every hour beyond the chain of Videttes, in different directions, and to go as close to the Enemy as they can, unperceived. As soon as they are far enough, one man dismounts and listens with his ear on the ground; he will be enabled to hear at a considerable distance when Troops march. ”

“ It is therefore necessary to show the men in the day the road which the Videttes are to take, when they are attacked in the night, and likewise whereabout they are to rejoin the Picquet. The other part of the retreat is nearly the same as in the day, with this difference only, that there cannot be skirmishers in front, but only two or three men at the head. It is necessary to fire as much as possible, but wherever a stand can be made, an obstinate defence is desirable. It is unnecessary to remark that a report is to be sent as soon as attacked. ”

“ When feeding the horses, it must go off the road into a bush or wood, and one man climbs up a tree to keep a look-out. If anything hostile approaches, the Patrol escapes without noise, and chooses another place of concealment until it can proceed by roundabout ways without danger. A fire can only be lighted with great caution, but it [Pg 50] is better to avoid that entirely. If an inhabitant accidentally meets with the Patrol at night, he must remain with it until the march is continued. Should a Secret Patrol be discovered by the Enemy, notwithstanding all precautions, it must fly ”

“ The Corporal divides his men in the same manner from the Right Flank of the Column to the Officer's Troop. If the Officer perceives that these two lines are not extensive enough to cover the ground towards his Troop, he detaches a sufficient number of men to the right and left to form a perfect line, which line must be careful never to get at the head of the Column. ”

“ The men must not be allowed to go into houses or villages in the neighbourhood; such straggling leads to irregularities, and on being rapidly attacked by the enemy the horses will be lost.
When the men water their horses, they must bridle them up, and take everything with them; none but inexperienced and negligent Officers will allow the men to water their horses at any distance with merely the halter on, and leaving the bridle with the Picquet. ”

“ The Officer then reconnoitres the country. Every one ambitious to do his duty well will make a little sketch, in which the following are to be marked;
1. Roads; 2. Rivers; 3. Bridges and Fords; 4. Morasses, cavities, hollow roads, and mountains; 5. Wood; 6. Towns, Villages and their distances.
If the Officer does not acquire such an exact knowledge of the country, he cannot be responsible for the security of his Picquet, and of the corps to which he belongs.
By this time he will have had opportunity to fix upon the spot where his Picquet and Videttes ought to be placed at night. ”

“ If the enemy is near, no fire is to be lighted, and the spot where the Picquet stands should be changed very often; one-half of the Picquet should be mounted, the other stand with the bridles in their hands. ”

“ Should these men in patrolling the village find no inhabitants, they are to look into the windows, ride into the yards, and examine carefully if perhaps the Enemy concealed himself; those going round the village look at the entrances to see if Troops marched into the village. ”

“ If the Picquets on the flanks should not be attacked at the same time, they should endeavour, without exposing themselves to be cut off, to act upon the Enemy's flanks. In general, it is a rule for the Picquets not attacked to retire in a line with those engaged. ”

“ The principal rules for posting a Picquet at night, are to advance it two or three miles in front of the main body, behind a bridge, ravine, wood, or bog, through which the road may pass, to place Videttes in front, and on the flanks, and to send out Patrols of two or three men each at half an hour's interval. Sometimes a man should dismount and listen with his ear to the ground, by which means he will hear the march of Troops at a great distance. ”

“ As they are discernable at a distance, but cannot be known to be deserters, a proportionate number from the Picquet must already have advanced to the line of Videttes when they approach. Deserters generally make themselves known by flourishing the cap about their head, and calling out "Deserter!" ”

“ At a clear moonshine they ought to be near a tree or bush, to prevent their being seen by the enemy, as in a close country it may happen that he approaches them unperceived, notwithstanding all their attention. ”

“ Being arrived at the spot chosen by himself, or pointed out to him, he forms his Picquet, and takes out as many men as he thinks he has occasion for as Videttes. To fix upon the number of Videttes, is much facilitated by riding on the top of a hill, and observing the number of roads and hills in front. ”

“ There are few occasions when it is necessary to send a verbal report, and it should, if possible, be avoided, as it is very difficult to find Non-commissioned Officers, and Soldiers, who will deliver it correctly. ”

“ Under the head of Infantry Camp Duty we are instructed in out guards, patrols, vanguard, side-guard, rear guard, ambuscade, surprise, and transports. In Field Fortification we have instructions on fortifications, regularly constructed forts, attack and defense, fortresses, and a description of the principal parts of fortified works. ”

“ Should the wood be too large, the Officer must send two men to the right, and as many to the left, round it, who are carefully to examine whether they can see the traces of troops marched into the wood, which is to be immediately reported. ”

“ The column halts until this is ascertained.
Generally only two men march at the heads, but this is wrong; there ought to be three, whose duty is the following: Is a height in front, the centre man of the three trots on until he can look over it; if there is one to the right or left of the road, one of the other two men does the same. Near an enemy this must always be done, supposed even that the hill is 1500 or 2000 yards distance. ”

“ Does the bearer of the Flag of Truce only bring letters, they are to be taken from him, and a receipt given for them; if he insists upon being allowed to proceed, permission must be asked, which being obtained, the person proceeding is blindfolded; a Non-commissioned Officer leads his horse, and brings him to the General's quarter. ”

“ But however favorable the ground may often be, it appears sometimes surprising to see that the nearest Picquets frequently do not undertake anything on such occasions, and behave exactly as if the whole business did not concern them at all. ”

“ Buckholtz, because of my pressing duties, yet I am satisfied that, if printed, much valuable information to our citizen soldiery will be furnished.
The popular works upon military matters, now before the public, are confined to ordinary drills and parades. ”

“ This sometimes succeeds beyond expectation. A well-informed and clever officer is particularly required for this kind of duty; who speaks the language of the country, and has a knowledge of the customs, habits, hopes, and fears of the inhabitants. Such a one will be secure close to the Enemy, and be able to give the most certain and best intelligence.
It is to be remarked, that if the Leader of a Patrol, when returned, cannot answer the following questions about the roads he passed, viz ”