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  INSTRUCTIONS

  FOR OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED
  OFFICERS OF CAVALRY,

  ON

  OUTPOST DUTY;

  BY

  LIEUT.-COLONEL VON ARENTSCHILDT,
  First Hussars King's German Legion:

  WITH

  AN ABRIDGMENT OF THEM

  BY

  LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. F. PONSONBY,
  Twelfth Light Dragoons.


  J.W. RANDOLPH:
  121 MAIN STREET, RICHMOND, VA.
  1861.




  THIS
  VALUABLE DIGEST
  OF
  INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED
  OFFICERS OF CAVALRY ON OUTPOST DUTY,

  IS REPRINTED FROM THE LONDON EDITION
  BY ORDER OF
  BRIG'R GENERAL PHILIP ST. GEO. COCKE,

  WHILST COMMANDING POTOMAC MILITARY DEPARTMENT
  OF VIRGINIA,
  AND DEDICATED BY HIM TO

  CAPTAIN LAY AND HIS "POWHATAN TROOP"
  OF CAVALRY.

         *       *       *       *       *

  THIS DIGEST IS EARNESTLY COMMENDED TO THE ATTENTION
  OF THE OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
  OF CAVALRY OF VIRGINIA, AND OF THE
  CONFEDERATE STATES.




  OUTPOST DUTY.


  I.

  INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED
  OFFICERS:

  BY LIEUT.-COLONEL VON ARENTSCHILDT.


  II.

  AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE SAME:

  BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL THE HON. F. PONSONBY.




  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL VON ARENTSCHILDT'S
  INSTRUCTIONS ON
  OUTPOST DUTY.




 INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFICERS AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS ON OUTPOST
 DUTY.


 I. ON THE CONDUCT TO BE HELD BY AN OFFICER, OR NON-COMMISSIONED
 OFFICER, ON PICQUET.


 SECTION I. PARADING THE PICQUET.

 The Commanding Officer of a Picquet, as soon as the same has been
 given up to him, should take care to have the names of his men written
 down, as well as the Regiment and Troop they belong to; inspect their
 ammunition and fire arms; and order them to load. He likewise should
 inquire if the men are provided with provisions and forage, and in
 case they are not, it must be reported to the Regiment, in order that
 supplies may be sent after them. Inquiries are likewise to be made
 where the reports are to be sent to.


 SECTION II.

 MARCHING FOR HIS DESTINATION.

 On the march to the spot where the Picquet is to be placed, the
 Officer must pay great attention in examining the country, and
 particularly observe the places where he would make a stand in case
 the Picquet should be attacked by the Enemy: for instance, behind a
 bridge, a ravine, between bogs, &c., in order to keep off the enemy as
 long as possible. This is of the utmost importance to give the Corps
 time to turn out. The Commander of a Picquet who retires with his
 men at full speed, and the Enemy at his heels, deserves the severest
 punishment; he must retire as slow as possible, and constantly
 skirmish.


 SECTION III.

 IF NO PICQUET WAS ON THE SPOT BEFORE.


 _By Day._

 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. With these Videttes he goes on,
 and places them in such a manner that every one of them is able to
 see individually what is coming towards the Picquet, as well as the
 neighbouring Videttes. The remainder of the Picquet dismounts in the
 mean time, with the exception of one Sentry, who is to be placed a
 little in advance. The bridles are not to be taken off. In placing
 the Videttes the Officer will have acquired a sufficient knowledge of
 the country to be able to judge whether any of them are superfluous,
 (which is much to be avoided, as men and horses are unnecessarily
 fatigued by it,) or whether there ought to be more. Two-thirds of
 the Picquet now unbridle: it is to be recollected that the whole of
 a Picquet should never unbridle. 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.


 _By Night._

 It is