The reverse of this blank has a rectangle 5 by 6 inches, printed in half-inch squares, for sketching.

The margin on the left is for binding.

The blank should be printed on strong paper.

Envelopes 3 by 6 inches will be of suitable size. The day and hour of departure, the rate of speed, and the address should be marked on the envelope. The recipient will return it to bearer after noting thereon the time of arrival.

58. Although the perfection of modern maps has diminished the value of sketches, they will still be required when no maps of the theater of operations are available, or to supplement poor ones.

They are of great assistance in elucidating details of plans of operations, and are, in most cases, a necessary part of reports of engagements and campaigns.

Sketches must be made rapidly, often on horseback. All needless conventional signs should be omitted. Artistic effect should not be scught, but rather the application of the simplest forms to the case under consideration.

The back of the message blank is ruled in squares, so that it can be used to make simple sketches of positions on reconnaissance or on outpost duty.

The value of a war diary depends upon its recording events as soon as possible after their occurrence. A record of events of this kind should be kept at every headquarters.

ARTICLE III.

THE SERVICE OF INFORMATION.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES.

59. Military information may be considered under two general heads-namely, that which is collected, classified, and made available in time of peace, and that which is sought for by the troops after outbreak of hostilities. The former relates to the terrain, resources, and communications of various countries, and to the numbers, organization, armament, equipment, and instruction of their armies; the latter to the nature of the theater of operations and to the strength, position, morale, etc., of the different arms of the enemy in the field.

The information collected by the General Staff in time of peace assists in deciding on the size of an army or expedition, the proportion of the different arms, the character of the clothing and equipment, the kind and amount of transportation and of supplies of all kinds. The commanding officer of a force already in the field requires fresh intelligence about the enemy and more detailed information in regard to the country to enable him to make plans for operations with the means at his disposal.

60. The service of information in the field naturally divides itself into the duties performed at a distance from a command and the work in its immediate vicinity. The latter forms part of the service of security and its results find tactical application in combat.

61. The commanding officers of independent forces and of separate columns should utilize all available means to secure necessary information concerning the enemy and the ground over which operations are to take place. It is the duty of all persons connected with the military service to report any new information concerning the enemy to their superiors at once.

For reconnaissance at a distance special instructions are usually necessary, but all the measures for the immediate protection of a command should be taken by commanders without orders.

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62. The service of reconnaissance is primarily the duty of the cavalry.

When cavalry is not available, or when conditions do not permit of its useful employment, a more restricted exploration will have to be undertaken by infantry. The latter will also be used when additional search seems necessary, principally in the protection of a command, and also before and during an engagement.

63. The judicious employment of spies often affords a valuable means of gaining information. The examination of prisoners, deserters, and inhabitants of the country should not be neglected. It is important to secure some prisoners at an early stage in the operations.

In hostile territory influential individuals, especially those supposed to be active in the enemy's cause, may be seized and their persons and places of residence searched. Letters and newspapers in post-offices, and the files in telegraph offices, should be carefully examined and anything of importance carried off for the use of higher authority. Local maps, especially if of recent date, may become useful immediately.

Correspondence and printed matter not needed should be returned, but when time is lacking, as will often be the case with patrols, the whole may be sent to headquarters.

When the enemy has adopted guerrilla warfare, the search for information acquires special importance. An efficient secret service under keen officers should be organized without delay.

Discussion of the military situation, plans, movements, etc., by officers and enlisted men, in the presence of civilians of whatever age, sex, or nationality, is strictly prohibited, unless orders have been issued to spread false information.

INDEPENDENT CAVALRY.a

64. Exploration and reconnaissance in the front and on the flanks of forces of all arms are usually carried out by bodies of cavalry. These may vary in size from a squadron to a cavalry corps, but in large commands they generally appear as cavalry brigades or divisions, with batteries of horse artillery as part of the organization. Their duty is to clear up the military situation and at the same time to screen the position or movements of our own forces.

NOTE.a-Cavalry detached from and operating at such a distance from a command that tactical contact therewith is severed is known as independent cavalry.. Its commander must often act on his own initiative in carrying out orders which emanate from the commander of the whole force and render him temporarily independent of subordinate commanders.

65. The first requisite is to find the enemy's lines, columns, or camps, and then to preserve contact-that is, continue in observation. The commander should keep the bulk of his forces well in hand in order to be ready at all times to fight the enemy's cavalry, whether the object be to break down resistance to our own exploration or to prevent reconnaissance by the enemy.

The main object being to observe the enemy, combat should be avoided, except as a means to this end. A few scouts, or small groups of mounted men called patrols, are best suited for observation, because they have great mobility, are readily concealed, and do not draw heavily on the fighting strength of the command.

The number and strength of these patrols are determined by the commanding officer, bearing in mind the object to be attained, the resistance likely to be encountered, the nature of the country, and the necessity of keeping up communication. It is a cardinal principle to send out only such patrols as are required to insure effective reconnaissance, in order to avoid useless fatigue and reduction of fighting strength.

66. When the extent of the ground to be explored or other reasons make it impracticable to organize the system of patrols from the main body, or when fighting may be necessary to secure information, it will be advisable to send out larger detachments known as contact detachments or contact troops, a troop being the usual maximum. These detachments reconnoiter along the lines or in the sections assigned to them, detailing the necessary patrols for this purpose.

67. By sending out a number of patrols and contact detachments on a line perpendicular to the general direction of advance a network of exploration called the "cavalry screen" is organized. The reports received corroborate and amplify each other and, in connection with what is already known, permit a general conception of the enemy's position.

68. The question whether the cavalry should advance in one or more columns will depend upon the direction and condition of the roads, the nature of the country, and the probable activity of the enemy.

As a rule, only very general instructions are issued to commanders of independent cavalry. It will usually be sufficient to designate the region to be explored, to invite attention to specially important points, and to indicate the extent of the daily advance.

The main body, if possible, advances uninterruptedly, but its advance is generally by successive dashes; that is, when necessary, it