Frederick Russell Burnham

“ I dread to see savages become expert with the rifle while the average white boy does not know one end of a gun from the other. To shoot, properly with a rifle one must be trained to it from his youth up.
The scout nowadays must have many of the faculties that Daniel Boone had and a good military training in addition. Modern guns and modern ranges have changed the whole scope of his work. One reason why the trained scout will be in greater demand in the future is that nights are going to count for as much as, and perhaps more than, days in the warfare of the future. ”

“ There is as great a difference in horses, of course, as there is in men, and it behooves a scout to travel with an intelligent, quickwitted horse and to study him thoroughly, especially the language of his ears. ”

“ The general who moves in the night must be absolutely sure of himself and of his destination, and that is where scouting will count. We estimate in a night march a body of men normally makes half the progress it would in the daytime ”

“ But sometimes, when, so far as the human ear can tell, there is no sound, the horse holds his head high, with his ears pointed steadily in some particular direction, then it is time to make investigations. ”

“ We can get important lessons in scouting from the animals. The horse is especially worth watching. Many times, when out on the plains alone with my horse, I have laid down and gone to sleep in perfect security, while the horse grazed close at hand. ”