THE COMPANY IN SCOUTING[13] AND PATROLLING
=1081.= The general principles of patrolling are explained in Par.
959; so we need not repeat them here.
Many of the principles of scouting are, in reality, nothing but the
fundamentals of patrolling, and the main function of scouting,
_reconnoitering_, is also the function of a certain class of patrols.
So, we see that scouting and patrolling are inseparably connected, and
the importance of training the members of the company in the
principles of scouting is, therefore, evident.
=1082. Requisites of a good Scout.= A man, to make a good scout,
should possess the following qualifications:--
Have good eyesight and hearing;
Be active, intelligent and resourceful;
Be confident and plucky;
Be healthy and strong;
Be able to swim, signal, read a map, make a rough sketch, and,
of course, read and write.
=1083. Eyesight and Hearing.= To be able to use the eye and the ear
quickly and accurately is one of the first principles of successful
scouting. Quickness and accuracy of sight and hearing are to a great
extent a matter of training and practice. The savage, for instance,
almost invariably has quick eyesight and good hearing, simply from
continual practice.
Get into the habit of seeing, _observing_, things--your eyesight must
never be resting, but must be continually glancing around, in every
direction, and _seeing_ different objects. As you walk along through
the country get into the habit of noticing hoof-prints, wheel-ruts,
etc., and observing the trees, houses, streams, animals, men, etc.,
that you pass.
Practice looking at distant objects and discovering objects in the
distance. On seeing distant signs, do not jump at a conclusion as to
what they are, but watch and study them carefully first.
Get into the habit of listening for sounds and of distinguishing by
what different sounds are made.
=1084. Finding your Way in a strange Country.= The principal means of
finding one's way in a strange country are by map reading, asking the
way, the points of the compass and landmarks.
_Map Reading._ This, of course, presupposes the possession of a map.
The subject of map reading is explained in Pars. 1859 to 1877.
_Asking the Way._ In civilized countries one has no trouble in finding
his way by asking, provided, of course, he speaks the language. If in
a foreign country, learn as soon as you can the equivalent of such
expressions as "What is the way to ----?" "Where is ----?" "What is
the name of this place?," and a few other phrases of a similar nature.
Remember, however, that the natives may sometimes deceive you in their
answers.
_Points of the Compass._ A compass is, of course, the best, quickest
and simplest way of determining the directions, except in localities
where there is much iron, in which case it becomes very unreliable.
For determining the points of the compass by means of the North Star
and the face of a watch, see Par. 1096.
The points of the compass can also be ascertained by facing the sun in
the morning and spreading out your arms straight from the body. Before
you is east; behind you, west; to your right, south; to your left,
north.
[Illustration]
The points of the compass can be determined by noting the limbs and
bark of trees. The bark on the north side of trees is thicker and
rougher than that on the south side, and moss is most generally found
near the roots on the north side. The limbs and branches are generally
longer on the south side of the trees, while the branches on the north
are usually knotty, twisted and drooped. The tops of pine trees dip or
trend to the north.
=1085. Lost.= In connection with finding your way through strange
country, it may be said, should you find you have lost your way, do
not lose your head. Keep cool--try not to let your brains get into
your feet. By this we mean don't run around and make things worse, and
play yourself out. First of all, sit down and think; cool off. Then
climb a tree, or hill, and endeavor to locate some familiar object you
passed, so as to retrace your steps. If it gets dark and you are not
in hostile territory, build a good big fire. The chances are you have
been missed by your comrades and if they see the fire, they will
conclude you are there and will send out for you. Also, if not in
hostile territory, distress signals may be given by firing your rifle,
but don't waste all your ammunition.
If you find a stream, follow it; it will generally lead
somewhere--where civilization exists.
The tendency of people who are lost is to travel in a circle
uselessly.
Remember this important rule: _Always notice the direction of the
compass when you start out, and what changes of direction you make
afterwards._
=1086. Landmarks.= Landmarks or prominent features of any kind are a
great assistance in finding one's way in a strange country. In
starting out, always notice the hills, conspicuous trees, high
buildings, towers, rivers, etc. For example, if starting out on a
reconnaissance you see directly to the north of you a mountain, it
will act as a guide without your having to refer to your compass or
the sun. If you should start from near a church, the steeple will
serve as a guide or landmark when you start to make your way back.
When you pass a conspicuous object, like a broken gate, a strangely
shaped rock, etc., try to remember it, so that should you desire to
return that way, you can do so by following the chain of landmarks. On
passing such landmarks always see what they look like from the other
side; for, that will be the side from which you will first see them
upon the return, trip.
_The secret of never getting lost is to note carefully the original
direction in which you start, and after that to note carefully all
landmarks._ Get in the habit of doing this in time of peace--it will
then become second nature for you to do it in time of war.
It may sometimes be necessary, especially in difficult country, such
as when traveling through a forest, and over broken mountains and
ravines, for you to make your own landmarks for finding your way back
by "blazing" (cutting pieces of bark from the trees), breaking small
branches off bushes, piling up stones, making a line across a
crossroad or path you did not follow, etc.
=1087. Concealment and Dodging.= Both in scouting and patrolling it
must be remembered not only that it is important you should get
information, but it is also fully as important that the enemy should
not know you have the information--hence, the necessity of hiding
yourself. And remember, too, if you keep yourself hidden, not only
will you probably be able to see twice as much of what the enemy is
doing, but it may also save you from being captured, wounded or
killed.
Should you find the enemy has seen you, it is often advisable to
pretend that you have not seen him, or that you have other men with
you by signaling to imaginary comrades.
As far as possible, keep under cover by traveling along hedges, banks,
low ground, etc. If moving over open country, make your way as quickly
as possible from one clump of trees or bushes to another; or, from
rocks, hollows or such other cover as may exist, to other cover. As
soon as you reach new cover, look around and examine your surroundings
carefully.
Do not have about you anything that glistens, and at night be careful
not to wear anything that jingles or rattles. And remember that at
night a lighted match can be seen as far as 900 yards and a lighted
cigarette nearly 300 yards. In looking through a bush or over the top
of a hill, break off a leafy branch and hold it in front of your face.
In selecting a tree, tower or top of a house or other lookout place
from which to observe the enemy from concealment, always plan
beforehand how you would make your escape, if discovered and pursued.
A place with more than one avenue of escape should be selected, so
that if cut off in one direction you can escape from the other. For
example, should the enemy reach the foot of a tower in which you are,
you would be completely cut off, while if he reached a house on whose
roof you happened to be, you would have several avenues of escape.
Although trees make excellent lookout places, they must, for the same
reasons as towers, be used with caution. In this connection it may be
remarked unless one sees foot marks leading to a tree, men are apt not
to look up in trees for the enemy--hence, be careful not to leave foot
marks. When in a tree, either stand close against the trunk, or lie
along a large branch, so that your body will look like a part of the
trunk or branch.
In using a hill as a lookout place, do not make the common mistake of
showing yourself on the skyline. Reach the top of the hill slowly and
gradually by crouching down and crawling, and raise your head above
the crest by inches. In leaving, lower your head gradually and crawl
away by degrees, as any quick or sudden movement on the skyline is
likely to attract attention. And, remember, just because you don't
happen to see the enemy that is no sign that he is not about. At
maneuvers and in exercises soldiers continually make the mistake of
exposing themselves on the skyline.
At night confine yourself as much as possible to low ground, ditches,
etc. This will keep you down in the dark and will enable you, in turn,
to see outlined against the higher ground any enemy that may approach
you.
At night especially, but also during the day, the enemy will expect
you along roads and paths, as it is easier to travel along roads and
paths than across country and they also serve as good guides in
finding your way. As a rule, it is best to use the road until it
brings you near the enemy and then leave it and travel across country.
You will thus be able better to avoid the outposts and patrols that
will surely be watching the roads.
Practice in time of peace the art of concealing yourself and observing
passers-by. Conceal yourself near some frequented road and imagine the
people traveling over it are enemies whose numbers you wish to count
and whose conversation you wish to overhear. Select a spot where they
are not likely to look for you, and which has one or more avenues of
escape; choose a position with a background that matches your clothes
in color; keep quiet, skin your eyes; stretch your ears.
A mounted scout should always have wire cutters when operating in a
country where there are wire fences.
=1088. Tracking.= By "tracking" we mean following up footmarks. The
same as the huntsman tracks his game so should we learn how to track
the enemy. One of the first things to learn in tracking is the pace at
which the man or horse was traveling when the track was made.
A horse walking makes pairs of footmarks, each hind foot being close
to the impression of the forefoot. At a trot the tracks are similar,
but the pairs of footmarks are farther apart and deeper, the toe
especially being more deeply indented than at the walk. At a canter
there are two single footmarks and then a pair. At a gallop the
footmarks are single and deeply indented. As a rule, the hind feet are
longer and narrower than the forefeet.
In case of a man walking, the whole flat of the foot comes equally on
the ground, the footmarks usually about 30 inches apart. If running,
the toes are more deeply indented in the ground, and the footmarks are
considerably farther apart than when walking. Note the difference
between footmarks made by soldier's shoes and civilian's shoes, and
those made by men and those made by women and children.
Study the difference between the tracks by a gun, a carriage, an
escort wagon, an automobile, a bicycle, etc., and the direction in
which they were going.
In addition to being able to determine the pace of tracks, it is most
important that you should be able to tell how old they are. However,
ability to do this with any degree of accuracy, requires a vast amount
of practice. A great deal depends on the kind and the state of the
ground and the weather. For example, if on a dry, windy day you follow
a certain track over varying ground, you will find that on light sandy
soil, for instance, it will look old in a very short time, because any
damp earth that may have been kicked up from under the surface will
dry very quickly to the same color as the rest of the surface, and the
edge of the footmark will soon be rounded off by the breeze blowing
over the dry dust. The same track in damp ground will look much
fresher, and in damp clay, in the shade of trees, a track which may be
a day old will look quite fresh.
The following are clues to the age of tracks: Spots of rain having
fallen on them since they were made, if, of course, you know when the
rain fell; the crossing of other tracks over the original ones; the
freshness or coldness of the droppings of horses and other animals
(due allowance being made for the effect of the sun, rain, etc.), and,
in the case of grass that has been trodden down, the extent to which
it has since dried or withered.
Having learned to distinguish the pace and age of tracks, the next
think to do is to learn how to follow them over all kinds of ground.
This is a most difficult accomplishment and one that requires a vast
amount of practice to attain even fair proficiency.
In tracking where it is difficult to see the track, such as on hard
ground, or in the grass, note the direction of the last foot-print
that you can see, then look on ahead of you a few yards, say, 20 or
30, in the same direction, and, in grass, you will probably see the
blades bent or trodden, and, on ground, you will probably see stones
displaced or scratched--or some other small sign which otherwise would
not be noticed. These indistinct signs, seen one behind the other,
give a track that can be followed with comparative ease.
If you should lose the track, try to find it again by placing your
handkerchief, hat, or other object on the last footmark you noticed,
and then work around it in a wide circle, with a radius of, say, 30,
50, or 100 yards, choosing the most favorable ground, soft ground, if
possible. If with a patrol, only one or two men should try to find the
onward track; for, if everyone starts in to find it, the chances are
the track will be obliterated with their footmarks. In trying to find
the continuation of a track this way, always place yourself in the
enemy's position, look around the country, imagine what you would have
done, and then move out in that direction and look for his tracks in
soft ground.
PRACTICE
In order to learn the appearance of tracks, get a suitable piece of
soft ground, and across this have a man walk and then run, and have a
horse walk, trot, canter and gallop. The next day make similar tracks
alongside the first ones and then notice the difference between the
two. Also, make tracks on ordinary ground, grass, sand, etc., and
practice following them up. Finally, practice tracking men sent out
for the purpose. The work will probably be very difficult, even
disheartening at first, but you will gradually improve, if you
persevere.
Above all things, get into the habit of seeing any tracks that may be
on the ground. When out walking, when going through exercises at
maneuvers, and at other times, always notice what tracks are on the
ground before you, and study them.
The following exercises in scouting and patrolling afford excellent
practice and training:
=1089. The Mouse and Cat Contest.= 1. A section of country three or
four miles square, with well-defined limits, is selected. The
boundaries are made known to all contestants and anyone going outside
of them will be disqualified.
2. Two patrols of eight men each are sent out as "mice." They occupy
any positions they may wish within the boundaries named, and conceal
themselves to watch for hostile patrols.
3. Half an hour later two other squads, wearing white bands around
their hats, or having other distinguishing marks, are sent out as
"cats" to locate, if possible, and report upon the position of the
"mice."
4. An hour is fixed when the exercise shall end, and if within the
given time the "cats" have not discovered the "mice," the "mice" win.
5. The "cats" will write reports of any "mice" patrols they may see.
_Rules_
1. An umpire (officer or noncommissioned officer) goes with each
patrol and his decisions as to capture and other matters are the
orders of the company commander. The umpires must take every possible
precaution to conceal themselves so as not to reveal the position of
the patrols with which they are.
Each umpire will carry a watch, all watches being set with that of the
company commander before the exercise commences.
2. Any "cat" patrol coming within 50 yards of a "mouse" patrol,
without seeing the "mice," is considered captured.
3. When the time is up, the umpires will bring in the patrols and
report to the company commander.
=1090. Flag-Stealing Contest.= 1. A section of country of suitable
size, with well-defined limits, is selected, the boundaries being made
known to the contestants.
2. The contestants are divided into two forces of about 20 men each,
and each side will establish three Cossack posts along a general line
designated by the company commander, the two positions being selected
facing each other and being a suitable distance apart. The men not
forming part of the Cossack posts will be used as reconnoitering
patrols.
3. About three quarters of a mile in rear of the center of each line
of outposts four flags will be planted, in line, about 30 yards apart.
4. The scouts and patrols of each force will try to locate the
outposts of the other force, and then to work their way around or
between them, steal the flags and bring them back to their own side.
They will endeavor to prevent the enemy from doing the same.
5. One scout or patrol will not carry away more than one flag at a
time, and will have to return to their side safely with the flag
before they can come back and capture another.
6. Scouts may work singly or in pairs. Any scout or patrol coming
within 80 yards of a stronger hostile party, or Cossack post, will be
considered as captured, if seen by the enemy, and if carrying a
captured flag at the time, the flag will not count as having been
captured. Of course, if a scout or patrol can pass within 80 yards of
the enemy without being discovered, it may do so.
7. An umpire (officer or noncommissioned officer) will be with each
Cossack post, each patrol, and at the position of the flags.
8. The hour when the exercise ends will be designated in advance and
at that hour the umpires will bring in the Cossack posts and patrols.
The same requirements regarding watches obtains as in the Mouse and
Cat Contest.
9. At the conclusion of the contest the commander of each side will
hand in to the company commander all sketches and reports made by his
men.
10. Points will be awarded as follows:
Each flag captured, 5.
For each sketch and hostile report of the position of a Cossack
post, 3.
For each report of movements of a hostile patrol, 2.
The side getting the greatest number of points will win.
11. Umpires may penalize the contestants for a violation of the rules.
The same contest may be carried out at night, substituting lighted
Japanese lanterns for the flags.
FOOTNOTES:
[13] The best book on scouting that the author has ever seen, is
Baden-Powell's "Aids to Scouting," which was consulted in the
preparation of this chapter.