that
the commander should use careful judgment in determining the strength
of the outpost, and the chiefs of the various outpost subdivisions
should be equally careful in disposing their men so as to permit the
greatest possible number to rest and sleep undisturbed, _but at the
same time always considering the safety of the main body as the chief
duty_.

=1053. Composition.= The composition of the outpost will, as a rule,
depend upon the size and composition of the command, but a mixed
outpost is composed principally of infantry, which is charged with the
duty of local observation, especially at night, and with resisting the
enemy, in case of attack, long enough for the main body to prepare for
action.

The cavalry is charged with the duty of reconnaissance, and is very
useful in open country during the day.

Artillery is useful to outposts when its fire can sweep defiles or
large open spaces and when it commands positions that might be
occupied by hostile artillery.

Machine guns are useful to command approaches and check sudden
advances of the enemy.

Engineers are attached to an outpost to assist in constructing
entrenchments, clearing the field of fire, opening communication
laterally and to the rear. The outpost should be composed of complete
organizations. For example, if the outpost is to consist of one
company, do not have some of the platoons from one company and the
others from another, and if it is to consist of one battalion, do not
have some of the companies from one battalion and others from another,
etc.

FORMATION OF OUTPOSTS

=1054. Subdivisions.= As in the case of an advance guard, the outpost
of a large force is divided into elements or parts, that gradually
increase in size from front to rear. These, in order from the main
body, are the reserve, the line of supports, the line of outguards,
and the advance cavalry, and their formation, as shown by the drawing
on the preceding page, may be likened to an open hand, with the
fingers apart and extended, the wrist representing the main body, the
knuckles the line of supports, the first joints the line of outguards,
the second joints the line of sentinels and the finger tips the
advance cavalry.

[Illustration: Fig. 4]

In case of attack each part is charged with holding the enemy in check
until the larger element, next in rear, has time to deploy and prepare
for action.

=1055. Distances Between the Subdivisions.= The distances separating