“In the following cases a patrol should be employed: When information has to be sent in at intervals; when it is desired to capture prisoners; when concealment is deemed impossible; when the reconnaissance is to be extended over such a period of time that relief of scouts will be necessary; when an urgent mission has been assigned and it is necessary to push through the enemy’s covering troops.
“In some cases it may be advisable to employ a patrol for the first part of the reconnaissance and at a certain point break up into scouting parties of a single scout or pair of scouts.
“If possible, the individual preferences of the most efficient scouts should be considered. Some men lose self-confidence if attached to a patrol and are limited in their actions by the direction of the patrol leader; others dislike the responsibility of uncontrolled action.
“These are only general rules and cannot be followed blindly. The circumstances of each occasion must be taken into consideration in arriving at a decision.
“Now, considering the points I have stated, would you employ scouts or a patrol in the case under consideration, Captain Hastings?”
_Captain Hastings_: “I think a small patrol would be more suitable. There will probably be messages to send back and the patrol may have to remain out for a considerable length of time. I believe a patrol would be more suitable than individual scouts.”
_The Director_: “Let us then decide that we are to send out a reconnoitering patrol to secure the information we desire.
“Before going further with the problem, I want to say a few words about the patrol.”
_The Director_: “The first duty of a patrol is to get information, and information is greatly increased in value if the enemy does not know that it has been obtained. The patrol is required, primarily, to discover whether or not the enemy is in a certain locality. This information is only useful to the officer who sent the patrol out. It is, therefore, the next duty of the patrol to get the information back as soon as possible, especially when the enemy is met.
“Next of importance in the duties of the patrol is to continue to observe the enemy when once discovered, to follow him up and ascertain the direction taken if he retires, or to fall back if he advances in strength, endeavoring to keep even with him on a flank. The enemy is certain to send out scouts to his front, but may neglect his flanks.