_The Director_: “The next phase of our problem deals with the matter of
covering the posting of the outguards. In the posting of the outguards
there will unavoidably be more or less moving around and exposure to
view of the enemy’s patrols, should any be lurking in the vicinity. The
non-commissioned officers will be seeking out the best positions for
their outguards, selecting observation posts for their sentinels and
making arrangements for defense. The officers will be moving from point
to point along the line making inspections, pointing out errors,
rectifying the position of the various elements and making a sketch of
the sector covered.
“In order that all of this may be accomplished in security, it is
necessary to have covering detachments well out to the front to prevent
small parties of the enemy interfering with the work in hand or making
observations that would enable them to form an estimate of the position
occupied by the outposts.
“There are two methods by which the covering force may accomplish its
mission:
“1. It may deploy as a line of skirmishers at greatly extended
intervals.
“2. It may cover the front with a number of small patrols.
“No hard and fast rule can be laid down that will provide for all
contingencies. The first method has the disadvantage of being most
difficult for the non-commissioned officers to control the action of the
men. The second method possesses the great advantage of having each
group directly under the control of a leader, so that in case the
enemy’s patrols are encountered and it is necessary to drive them back,
there can be concert of action instead of dependence on the decisions of
individual men as to what is to be done in the emergency. The method to
be employed will depend upon circumstances, the nature of the country,
the number of men available for the duty and the proximity of the enemy.
It may be advisable to use a combination of the two systems.”