N. and S. through the valley, bordered by four
or five farms with numerous orchards and cleared fields. Both
slopes of the valley are heavily wooded.

The patrol then moved S. W., until it struck the macadam pike
which runs N. and S., through our lines. Proceeding S. 400 yds. on
this pike to a low hill a farmer, on foot, was met. Said he lived
one mile further S.; was looking for some loose horses; that four
hostile cavalrymen, from the east, stopped at his farm at noon,
drank some milk, took oats for their horses, inquired the way to
Dixon and rode off in that direction within fifteen minutes. He
said they were the first hostiles he had seen; that they told
nothing about themselves, and they and their horses looked in good
condition. Farmer appeared friendly and honest.

The patrol then returned to our lines following the pike about two
miles. Road is in good condition, low hedges and barbed wire
fences, stone culverts and no bridges in the two miles. Bordering
country is open and gently rolling farming country and all crops
are in. A sketch is attached to this report. None of our patrols
was seen.

Respectfully submitted,
Wm. James,
Sergeant, Co. A, 6th Infy.

Problem in Patrol Leading and Patrolling

=1017.= In studying or solving tactical problems on a map you must
remember that unless you carefully work out your own solution to the
problem before looking at the given solution, you will practically
make no progress.

It is best, if your time permits, to write out your solutions, and
when you read over the given solutions, compare the solution of each
point with what you thought of that same point when you were solving
the problem, and consider why you did just what you did. Without this
comparison much of the lasting benefit of the work is lost.

In some of these problems both the problem and solutions are presented
in dialogue form so as to give company officers examples of the best
method of conducting the indoor instruction of their men in minor
tactics. It also gives an example of how to conduct a tactical walk
out in the country, simply looking at the ground itself, instead of a
map hanging on the wall. The enlarged Elementary Map referred to in
Par. 954, is supposed to be used in this instruction as well as in the
war g