| The front of the first line must be defended by the regiments
of infantry, and if a river be there, piquets must be posted on it's banks. The rear of
the camp is to be guarded by piquets from the second line. These piquets are to be covered
by redans, joined by slight entrenchments, by means of which the camp
will be entrenched after the manner of the Romans. We must occupy the villages which are
on the wings, or even to the distance of half a league from thence, if they serve to
defend any other passages. The cavalry guards are to be posted agreeably to the rules
laid down in my military regulation. We seldom had more than 300 maitres de garde*[Footnote
*Private dragoons on guard] amongst 80 squadrons, unless we were very near to the enemy,
as when we marched to Schweidenitz between the battle of Hohen-Freidberg, and again when
we marched into Lusatia in order to go to Naumbourg. These advanced guards should be
composed of all sorts of troops, for example, 2000 hussars, 1500 dragoons, and 2000
grenadiers. The general who has the command of bodies of men that are advanced, should be
a man of sound understanding, and as it is his object to gain intelligence, not expose
himself to action, his camps should be chosen with judgment, having in their front either
woods or defiles with which he is well acquainted. He must also send out frequent patroles
for the purpose of gaining information, that he may know at every instant what is going
forward in the camp of the enemy.
If in the mean time you employ the hussars who remain with you to patrole in the rear
and on the wings of the camp, you have taken all possible precautions to be guarded
against any hostile enterprises.
Should a considerable body of troops endeavor to slide in between you and your rear
guard, you may be assured that they have formed some design against it, and you are
therefore to hasten to it's support.
To conclude all that I have to say on this subject, it must be added, that if those
generals who canton their troops wish to be free from danger and alarm, they should only
occupy those villages which are between the two lines.
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