p.

rods from our camp
There are four stations, and from each
station there are two outpost of eight men
each, making eight outposts in our half
circels, and they are about thirty rods in advance
of the station, and from them four sentinels
are thrown out about the same distance, and
they stand about twenty rods apart, although
this varies to suit the character or location of the
ground, as it is desirable to leave the sentinel
as little exposed as possible and the shelter of
some tree or fence is made use of when
practicable, where they can see and not be
seen and here where there is so much timber
they are able to avail themselves, in most
cases of this protection, but it is often the case
that the sentinel is obliged to stand out in
the open field in plain sight for miles
arround, - In case of the approach of any
force of the enemy, the sentinels as soon as
he is satisfied they are enemies, discharges
his gun, and falls back to the outpost
and a messemger if sent with the alarm
to the station, and from that into camp, &
then the long roll beat which signifies: "fall
in to resist an attack." in the meantime
the outposts that have received the retreating
sentinels, are to skirmish with the enemy,
falling back as slowly as possible to the station