, varying in size from
four men to a platoon, to watch the country in the direction of
the enemy. These groups are called outguards. For convenience
they are classified as pickets, sentry squads, and cossack posts,
and should be sufficient in number to cover the front of the
section occupied by the support and connect with the neighboring
supports.

A picket is a group consisting of two or more squads, ordinarily
not exceeding half a company, posted in the line of outposts
to cover a given sector. It furnishes patrols and one or more
sentinels, sentry squads, or cossack posts for observation. Pickets
are placed at the more important points in the line of outguards,
such as road forks. The strength of each depends upon the number
of small groups required to observe properly its sector.

A sentry squad is a squad (eight men) posted in observation at
an indicated point. It posts a double sentinel in observation,
the remaining men resting near by and furnishing the reliefs of
sentinels. In some cases it may be required to furnish a patrol.

A cossack post consists of four men. It is an observation group
similar to a sentry squad, but employs a single sentinel.

As a rule not more than one-third of the support should be on
outguard duty. As soon as they are sent out to their postions
the support commander selects a defensive position on the line of
resistance; gives instruction for intrenching same; establishes
a sentinel to watch for and transmit signals from outguards;
sends out patrols to reconnoiter the country to the front of
his section and, if on the flank of the line, the flank; and
then proceeds to make a careful reconnoissance of the section
assigned him, rectifying the position of outguards if necessary,
seeing that they understand their instructions in case of attack
or when strangers approach their posts, and pointing out their
lines of retreat in case they are compelled to fall back on the
support.

When the outguards are established, the members of the support may
stack arms and remove equipment except cartridge belts. No fires
will be built or smoking permitted unless specially authorized,
or no loud talking or other noise. All patrolling to the front
will be done, as a rule, from the support. The support commander
should locate the position of the adjacent supports und make
arrangements with the commanders for the joint defense of the
line of resistance. At nights all roads and trails should be
care