fully covered and the country to the front and between adjacent
outguards well patrolled.

The line occupied by the outguards is called the LINE OF OBSERVATION.
Outguards move to their positions providing for their own protection
and so us to conceal the movement from the enemy. These positions
are intrenched and are numbered from right to left in each support.

The duties of the outguard are to observe the enemy, to guard
the outpost from surprise, and to make a preliminary resistance
to the enemy's advance. The strength of the outguard will vary
according to its object. When an important road which at night
will afford a line of advance, or a bridge is to be covered, or
when several posts are established from an outguard it should
be of considerable strength, two squads or a platoon. When mere
observation and alarm are all that is required four men will
suffice. A squall is a good unit to use as an outguard; this
will allow one double sentry post of three reliefs and one man in
addition to the commander, who may be used for messenger service.
The outguard should be carefully concealed.

The utmost quiet should be observed, and there should be no cooking
or smoking. The intervals between outguards will depend upon
the situation and the terrain. The line of observation is not
necessarily continuous, but all avenues of approach must be carefully
guarded. The distance of the outguard from the support likewise
is governed by the terrain, but in general may be said to be
from 300 to 400 yards. In thick country or at night outguards
patrol along the line of observation between posts. Communication
between outguards and the support is by signal and messenger, in
special cases by wire. Members of the outguard retain possession
of their weapons and do not remove their equipment.

Sentinels from the outguard are posted so as to avoid observation,
but so that they may have a clear lookout and be able to see,
if possible, by day, the sentinels of the adjacent outguards.
Double sentinels are always posted near enough to each other to
communicate easily in ordinary voice. Sentinels are generally
on post two hours out of six. For every sentinel and every patrol
there should be three reliefs, and outguards should be of a strength
sufficient to allow this. The position of a sentinel should be
selected with reference to observation. It may be advantageous
to place a sentinel in a tree. Sentinels furnished by cossack
posts or sentr