_The Director_: “The first duty of a patrol is to get information, and
information is greatly increased in value if the enemy does not know
that it has been obtained. The patrol is required, primarily, to
discover whether or not the enemy is in a certain locality. This
information is only useful to the officer who sent the patrol out. It
is, therefore, the next duty of the patrol to get the information back
as soon as possible, especially when the enemy is met.
“Next of importance in the duties of the patrol is to continue to
observe the enemy when once discovered, to follow him up and ascertain
the direction taken if he retires, or to fall back if he advances in
strength, endeavoring to keep even with him on a flank. The enemy is
certain to send out scouts to his front, but may neglect his flanks.
“Boldness must be tempered with caution. It is useless to obtain
information if you cannot get it back where it will do some good. A
little information sent in in time to be of use is clear gain to your
side. A patrol that finds out all about the enemy and ends up by falling
into the hands of the enemy is a dead loss not only in men but in time
as other patrols will have to be sent out to get the same information on
which important decisions may depend.”