Military instructions for the cavallrie, or, Rules and directions for the service of horse collected out of divers forrein authours, ancient and modern, and rectified and supplied according to the present practice of the Low-Countrey warres.

CHAP. VI. The order of marching by night.

UPon occasion of marching with all or part of the Cavallrie by night, the companies are punctually appointed their places of march by written orders delivered to their officers. Be∣fore the troops, a Corporall with 12 or 15 Harquebusiers is to be sent, by the space of half a league, to discover and take intelligence at the houses, whether there be any news of the enemie. And passing by places which are at the enemies devotion, some of them must have the language, and feigne themselves friends, the better to know what passeth.

Not long after these, foure others are to follow, as in the former chapter. Besides, a chosen troop of Cuirassiers are to be ready, led by a Captain of speciall desert, with order toa 1.1 charge resolutely upon any adversarie; and these are to march 150 paces before the rest.

The chief Commander is to march at the head of the first troop which followeth the said cho∣sen troop of 60 Cuirassiers, and with him one of the best souldiers of every troop, to carrie the or∣ders (upon all occasions) to their Captains: sending before him foure of his ablest men, to give him notice if the said select troop of 60 Cuirassiers charge the enemie: which if it happen, he shall cast his companie out of the way, and charge the enemie on the flank; and so the rest of the troops, observing that they intermix not their troops.

The troops must not leave such distances between each other as in the day march, unlesse they heare news of the enemies approch.b 1.2 They must march with all possible silence. At any by∣way, the first company must leave a souldier at the entrance thereof, which shall be relieved or changed by the next company, and so successively untill all be past. Coming into open and cham∣pion places, the officers shall draw up their troops, and cause them to march in square bodies, well closed, having regard that none sleep. The spare horses or pages must not march at the heads of the troops. If the enemie charge the rear, the chief officer in the rear shall cause the last company to face about; and so the rest, if need be: but those companies which were in front must not come

to the rear, for avoiding of disorder, and lest the enemy cunningly make an alarm in the rear, when he meaneth to charge the front. In the rear of all, a Corporall with 15 horse shall march as above-mentioned, with a guide. The day being come, the said 60 Cuirassiers shall return to their severall companies. If the companies refresh themselves in the night, they must not be suf∣fered to unsaddle their horses, nor disarm themselves. The guides (diverse of them) must go be∣fore the troops, whether on foot or on horse-back, guarded by two souldiers which know the lan∣guage, and no other to speak to them.c 1.3 These are diligently to observe them whether they seem doubtfull, looking here and there, as doubting of the way, and thereof shall presently certifie the officer, that he may call others, to be assured.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Capienda rebus in malis praeceps via est. Seneca.
• b 1.2

  Progredientes viam faciunt si∣lentio & quietè, decenter omnes proprium ordi∣nem asservantes. Josephus, of the Romanes man∣ner of march∣ing, cited by Lipsius de milit. Rom. lib. 5.14••.
• c 1.3

  Interdum au∣t••m imperita ••u∣sticitas plura pro∣mittit, & credit se scire quae nescit. Veg. l. 3. c. 6.