Instructions in the Duties of Cavalry Reconnoitring an Enemy; Marches Outposts and Reconnaissance of a Country for the Use of Military Cavalry. (Chapter 1,2, and 3, Extr. from J.C. Russell's 'Cavalry Service'. Chapter 4 from L. Hale's 'What to Observe an (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 Excerpt: ...object to be sought is au uninterrupted view of their front; and the second a means of concealment to protect them from the enemy's notice. Thus the corner of a wall, a hedge, haystack, or a shallow ditch may be found very useful. If the best point of observation is on a rising ground, the vedette should be placed a little behind the summit, so that he may derive all the benefit from the height as a concealment without having his view impeded. The distance which a vedette should be posted in front of the picquet should be from 300 to 600 yards. It should, if possible, have good communication with the picquet, and should be visible from it. If this cannot be arranged, however, connexion must be kept up by another vedette to repeat signals, by a patrol, or sometimes by the reliefs of the vedette constituted as a small detached supporting post under a non-commissioned officer. The duty of a vedette is to watch with the strictest attention the movements of the enemy, if such enemy is within the range of his vision, to listen for the least noise, and notice the smallest incident which could be of importance to the picquet or detachment from which he is sent out. Anything like clouds of dust rising with regularity, glittering of arms, or distant firing should be immediately reported. When any suspicions or unusual circumstances occur near the post of a double vedette, one of the men may go and satisfy himself about it, while the other remains on the post. Both men should never leave the post at the same time, and in the case of a single vedette he must never move or change his position withont special orders. In rainy or stormy weather horses are apt to circle round so as to present their quarters to the wind. This may be done almost insensibly, and a vedette sho...