6. The Divided The Lunarie as he makes it and the figure Fig. 8. Part 4. cap. 8. sheweth it is good and indeed better then that of Basta but is improperly called the Lunarie form for it is rather a Hollow or Open-fronted wedge like Aelians e De instruend acieb cap. 36 Coelembolos His Checquer is as the forementioned and allowable His Broad-fronted is also not to be rejected His Embowed which by the name should be a Convex half moon like f Which the Latine translation termeth Acies incurva Aelian cap. 47. Aelians Cyrte he maketh a meer wedge The form is not the worse though the name be not so proper The Sharp-pointed in regard there is but one troop in front and that seconded but by two troops on the rear angles then but one troop again seconded as the first seemeth not to be so good as the former because it bringeth few hands to fight and is very subject to be g Whereof Aelian sheweth the inconveniences cap. 50. overwinged or overfronted by the enemie and so to be charged on the flanks The Divided especially at so large a distance I hold to be dangerous True it is that here the Dragons are used as foot but whether so single and so extended an order be the best for them to be placed in I referre to the judicious Now concerning these six kinds of battels they are in deed and in effect but two that is the Checquer and the Lunarie as he calleth them and from these grounds the rest be formed But these forms being onely imaginarie and withall wanting that perfection in many respects which is required in reall battels I shall now to give fuller satisfaction to such as are lovers of militarie knowledge communicate some forms of embattelings which never yet were published by any These are true delineations of divers battels really ordered and performed by the absolutest Commanders of our times according to the exactest rules of art and such as experience hath approved to be fittest for the modern warres For the better understanding whereof I have thought fit first to put down these directions following All the forces of the whole armie both horse and foot are usually distinguished and divided into h So did the Romanes the Vanguard they called Cornu dexirum the Battel Acies media and the Rear Cornu sinistrum as is shewed by Sir Cl. Edmonds upon Caesars Com. lib 1. cap 7. Observ 1. out of Lipsius de milit Rom. lib. 4. and is handled at large by Leo the Emperour Tact. cap. 18. three parts namely the Vanguard Battel and Rear as hath been shewed Part 2. Chap. 3. Each of which parts is governed by its particular Officer or Chief yet so as the absolute command belongeth to the Generall These distinctions are alwayes so understood in the order of marching to avoid disputes about precedencie so as they which march formost are said to have the Vanguard they which march in the middle the Battel and they which come last the rear And these divisions alter their names according to the place they march in wherein they observe a diurnall change as hath been shewed in the chapter above mentioned But if we shall take the meaning of these words according to their proprietie and usuall acceptation in matter of fight or battel conceiving that that part of the armie which is called the Vanguard shall give the first charge and that which is called the Battel shall give the second charge and the Rearward the last it will prove a meer mistake For we are to know that the first charge must be given by the first troop or foremost orders of companies which are in front placed as in one rank extended from the one front-angle of the whole armie to the other and so it were impossible for them to be commanded or directed by one Commander or Chief of one particular squadron of the armie by reason of the large extent thereof for we see that the front of the armie embattelled before Dornick Figure 14. which was farre inferiour to that of late employed at the siedge of the Bossch took up i Six foot make a fathom 100 fathomes a furlong seven furlongs and a half a mile Five foot make a pace 10â—0 paces make a mile 6380 foot of ground being in their close order prepared for fight which is above a mile and a quarter of our measure Besides if the Vanguard as it is called should give the first charge the Battel which then must second them may chance to be of a nation not onely differing from the Vanguard but at variance with them or else some grudge or disgust between the Chiefs And in that respect they might either neglect or slacken the seconding or relieving of those of the Vanguard and not use that diligence which is required In consideration therefore of these and other inconveniences it is best that every squadron of the army be so ordered as each of them may have their first second and third troops by which means every division shall both be commanded by their own Chiefs and shall also be seconded by those of their own squadron or division which will give them the more courage and assurance The manner therefore for the ordering of an army for battel is as followeth That squadron which is called the Battel is placed in the middle the Vanguard on the right hand of it and the Rear on the left and all these usually in one front and single order one regiment or sometimes one company especially among the horse as Figure 10. flanking the other as in Figure 12. From hence the first troop of every division is drawn up and placed in an even front or straight line from one angle of the body to the other At a convenient k Usually 300 foot distance behind these the second troop of every squadron is placed in an even rank as the former but so as the l The Romanes also ordered their battels in three divisions or troops viZ. their Hastati Principâ—s and Tâ—â—tarit The first were called Acus prima and these were the Hastati which were to give the first charge At a distance behind them were the Principes placed whâ—ch were called Acies secunda these were so ordered with spaces or intervalles that the Hastati being put to retreat might fall back into these spaces and the Principes might advance to give the second charge without disturbing each other The third troop Acies tertia were the Triarii which were placed behind the Principes observing therein such intervalles as before mentioned Vide Livium lib. 8. Lipsium de milit Rom. lib. 4. ubi etiam Aciâ—i Iconismus first troop which are to give the first charge being to retreat and this second troop to advance they disturb not each other for which reason convenient spaces are left in the first order or troop for the second to come up into The third troop is placed
give some allowance extraordinary Out of his company he is to choose his Lieutenants Cornets c. weighing onely every ones merit without any passion whereby he shall give content and encouragement to his souldiers and shall be sure not to be crossed by the Generall in the confirmation of the said officers The charge of the troops used to be given to the Captains of lances as having a prerogative above other Captains of horse or to the eldest Captain yet the Chief ought to have regard to their sufficiency for command and to give the charge to them that are ablest to perform it In absence of the Captains of lances when they were in use the Captains of cuirassiers commanded and in their absence the Captains of harquebusiers The Lieutenants observed the same rules CHAP. VII Of the Lieutenant IT is necessary that the Lieutenant of a troop of horse be a man of abilitie and experience nourished and educated in Cavallrie To this office such were usually raised which for their deserts had been Corporalls and Cornets a So much his name implieth for the French word Lieutenant signifieth one which supplieth the place of another In the Captains absence he commandeth the company upon whom usually all difficulties do rest because oft times the companies are given to young gentlemen which want experience He must be strict in seeing the souldiers do their service with all fitting punctualitie and to have a care of their horses and arms b The Lieutenant with antiquity was called Tergidux that is Rear-commander and therefore the rear is fitly assigned him as his proper place He alwayes marcheth in the rear of the companie causing the souldiers to follow the Captain and Standard or Cornet in good order well closed together and to suffer none to depart from the troop Upon occasion of fight he is still to be on the rear with his sword drawn encouraging the souldiers and killing any that shall offer to flie or disband but in case of the Captains absence he shall take the Captains place appointing an officer to be in the rear In the ordinary marching of the company or passing by some place or going to the allarm-place or to the parado the Lieutenant must not take the Captains place but march in the rear because the lances and cuirassiers have their Cornets to lead them at the head of the company Among the harquebusiers the Lieutenant was wont to take the Captains place according to Melzo and Basta because then they had no c As the Velites among the Romanes qui nec signa propria habuere nec duceâ— Lips ad Polyb. lib. 2. Cornets but these last warres having given them Cornets the rule holdeth for them as for the lances and cuitassiers d The Romanes required it in their private souldiers and to cast account also In quibusdam notorum peritia calculandi computandique usus exigitur Veg. lib. 2. cap. 19. He must of necessitie be able to write and reade because he keepeth the list of the names and sirnames of the souldiers of the companie and by reason of orders or letters sent to him from his superiours which he must not shew to others He must know the sufficiencie of every souldier and upon occasion make use of them accordingly The company going to the guard in any place and approching near it the Lieutenant goeth before to take notice of the Corps-du-guard and speaking with the Lieutenant of the company which is to change informeth himself by him of the place of the sentinells for day and night what wayes he must scoure and of all other things requisite He must himself go and place the sentinells visiting them often and using all diligence keeping himself alwayes armed at least with the breast and cask and his horse bridled when he hath the guard The company being lodged in some village he must cause the billets to be signed by the Quartermaster of his company to be distributed to the souldiers before the Cornets lodging where the Alto is made to attend the said billets that so in case of an allarm the souldiers may know where to assemble together at their Cornet If they stay longer then a day in one place the Lieutenant is to visit the houses to see good rule kept by the souldiers and being to march away to command them carefully to put out their fires Going to be lodged in a town or fort there to keep their garrison the Lieutenant must accommodate their lodgings according to their degrees and deserts And wheresoever they lodge longer then a day he must write the names of the souldiers on the said billets and keep a register of them that so upon any complaint of their hostes it may be easily remedied by the ready finding and punishing of the delinquents When the company is to march and the trumpets sound to horse he e The good example of a Leader hath ever been observed to be of marvellous efficacy according to that of the Poet Componitur orbis Regis ad exiemplum c. Ipse manu sua pila gerens praecedit anheli Militis ora pedes monstrat tolerare labores Non jubet Lucan 9. de Catone must be first ready and mounted having care that all the souldiers immediately do the same And if he find any lingering either of lazinesse or with a purpose to stay behind to pillage the houses he must chastise them with all severity for example to others He must have knowledge of the countrey and wayes being often sent upon exploits where the guides are not alwayes ready If the company be charged by the enemy the Lieutenant with some of the best mounted souldiers is to remain behind CHAP. VIII Of the Cornet THe Cornet of horse must be couragious In absence of the Captain and Lieutenant he commandeth the company His place of march is in the front before the first rank yet behinde the Captain In fight the Cornet of lances used to march even with the Captain upon his left hand and charging with him strove to break the standard upon his enemy which being so broken and falling to the ground a This is contrary to the use of Infantery among which the preserving of the colours hath ever been prized above life as appeared among others by one Jaques Marteus who finding himself forsaken by most of the souldiers fought so long as he could then wound himself in his colours and died Meteren lib. 4. But if the enemy should get the cornet unbroken then it were a great disgrace Basta lib. 4 he was not to regard to get it up again especially not to alight for it If he were to charge a flying enemy whether horse or foot he was also to assay to break his standard The Cornet of cuirassiers in march hath his place at the head of the company and also presenteth himself in the allarm-place but in fight he is to be in the middle of the troop leaving â…” parts of
in the first rank of horse But Walhausen placeth the Lieutenant next after the Trumpeters before the Cornet all others place him as he ought to be in the rear Flamin de la Crote would have them march in foure divisions and every Corporall to lead one but this the Corporalls being leaders of files disordereth their ranks I follow that order which is prescribed to be generally observed by the councel of warre to march they are to be divided into 3 equall parts and each of these is called a squadron according to the number of the Corporalls and these are distinguished by the names of the Captains Lieutenants and Cornets squadron The first squadron to be led by the Captain the second by the Cornet the third by the eldest Corporall The Lieutenant and Quartermaster are to come in the rear And when they come to be exercised or to do service the Captains squadron stands and the other squadrons sleeve up on the left hand and so they become a Battalia As for their marching in grosse that comes to be spoken of in the next part The second Part. Of Marching THE ARGUMENT HAving shewed in the first part how the Cavallrie is to be levied it followeth now to speak of their manner of marching a matter of no small a Plura in itineribus quà m in ipsa acie solent contingere pericula Nam in conflictu armati sunt omnes hostem cominus vident ad pugnandum animo veniunt praeparatâ— In itinere minùs armatus minúsque attentus est miles superveniente impetu velfraude repentè turbatur Veg. lib. 3. cap. 6. consequence in the well ordering whereof oftentimes especially upon occasion of sudden charges the safetie of the troops or of the whole armie consisteth For the orderly handling whereof I purpose to direct my discourse to these 3 heads 1 the knowledge of the wayes and discoverie of the enemies designes and residence 2 The conducting of the troops to their Rendez-vous and their orders 3 The particular distribution of the whole train upon the way And the scouts or fore-runners And how they are to march in an open or strait countrey by day or night CHAP. I. Of Guides FOr the knowledge of the wayes a a For want of good guides the late Prince of Orenge failed of an Aenslach or enterprise upon Bruges a citie in Flanders For when he had marched all the night himself and many other great personages often riding up to the horses bellies in waters he found himself within half an houres march of the place he landed at The day appearing frustrated the designe and caused him to dismarch re infectâ Mereren lib. 17. matter of great importance either to prevent the taking of one way for another in marching or in pursuing the enemie he having received the charge and flying by unusuall wayes the use of maps may somewhat help but being too generall is not sufficient And therefore the Waggon-master is to provide good guides of the inhabitants of those places where the march is to be which may be able to give certain and particular information concerning the b Dux locorum intervalla non solùm passuum numero sed etiam viarum qualitates perdiscat compendia diverticula montes flumina ad fidem descripta consideret high-wayes and crosse-wayes how many there be of them whether they be even large and free or straight hillie or impeached with difficult passages Also concerning ditches and rivers whether there be bridges or not And if there be divers wayes which is the most safe and shortest or most exposed to the enemies advenues or approches or most commodious for the baggage Whether there be requisite commoditie for the lodgings as forrage water c Insomuch as they may be able to know every hedge or ditch and all other particulars And that you may be assured of their fidelitie and the truth of their informations it is good to have them to be souldiers in pay or where they are not to take them of the c Ad hoc à prudentioribus locorúmque gnaris separatim debet universa perquirere veritatem colligere de pluribus boores or inhabitants as aforesaid from place to place keeping them separated from each other And if they differ either from the souldiers which serve for guides or from each other they must be confronted and by the mutuall consent of all the best way is to be resolved on These guides usually to prevent their running away which they will often do if they see an opportunitie of escaping are led bound d Eósque custodia mancipare additá poena ostentatione vel praenni c. Veg. lib. 3. cap. 6. or at least committed to the custodie of some souldier Recompence is promised them if they do their endeavour and punishment threatned if they direct amisse CHAP. II. Of Intelligence EVery good commander must have these two grounds for his actions 1. the knowledge of his own forces and wants knowing that the enemie may have notice thereof and therefore must he be alwayes studying for remedies if the enemie should come suddenly upon him 2. The assurance of the condition and estate of the enemie his commodities and necessities his counsels and designes thereby begetting divers occasions which afterward bring forth victories a M. Cato in Hispania quia ad hostium consilia aliâ vià pervenire non poterat jussit trecentos milites simul impetum facere in stationem hostium rapiúmque unum ex his in castra perferre incolumem tortus ille omnia suorum arcana confessus est Frontin Stratagem lib. 1. cap. 2. And because the commoditie of spies cannot alwayes be had some of the enemies men must be assayed to be taken from whom there may be drawn a relation of the estate of the adverse part and this exploit is called b The French call it prendre langue taking of intelligence a dutie of great importance whereon the deliberations which are to be taken do depend and also of much travell and danger To effect this an expert officer with 20 or 25 of the c Dux cum agmine exercitûs profeâ—turus fidelissimos argutissimòsque cum equis probatissimis mittat qui loca per quae iter faciendum est in progressa à tergo dextra leváque perlustrent nè aliquas adversarii moliantur insidias Ibid. Veg. best mounted stoutest and hardiest Harquebusiers or mixt of Cuirassiers and Harquebusiers according to Melzo with two Trumpets are to be employed These are to carrie with them some refreshment for themselves and their horses to that purpose retiring themselves into some wood or shadie place placing good Centinells upon trees If they find the enemie marching they shall follow him on either flank as opportunitie shall direct them or on the rear or meet him on the front assaying to take some that are disbanded or some forrager In the night they must approch the enemies armie assaying
to take some Sentinell or some disbanded souldier in some of the houses thereabout And because it well may fall out that after the taking of some prisoner the troop shall be charged by the enemie the Chief which must be valiant d How abundant Antiquitâ—e was in stratagems all their histories testifie Frontine a man of consular dignitie among the Romanes hath written foure books of stratagems being collected out of divers authors Greek and Romane and yet many by him let slip as himself acknowledgeth in praefatione ad lib. 1. also Polianus In stratagems Hannibal is said to have excelled and abundant in resolutions and inventions of stratagems to make his retreat by some woodie place shall send or first there leave them foure of his best and best mounted souldiers with a Trumpet with order that when they see the troop coming charged by the enemie they shew themselves the trumpet sounding For it being an usuall thing in militarie courses to go and observe who they be which appear the enemie by this means makes Alto or a stand for fear of some embuscado which gives leisure to the troop to advance their retreat and the said foure souldiers may make their retreat either severally or together safe enough by reason of their good horses If the enemie be likely to come from divers parts the like number would be sent to each suspected place These should be sent before with the Quartermasters which go to make the quarters that so they might have two or three houres refreshment before they go to take intelligence If the armie be lodged in a very suspicious place after the first troop so sent out a second shall be sent but neither of them knowing of each others sending out If the armie be to march the next day the chiefs of the said troops must know towards what place the march is intended CHAP. III. Of the order of Marching THe Commissarie Generall grounding himself upon good informations is to give the orders in writing for the manner of marching as well of the souldiers as the baggage Every Captain is to receive his written directions overnight that so the signe given he may appear at the Rendez-vous in such rank and place as shall be commanded him a Epoi lodata consuetudine il dividar â—li esserciti in tâ—e squadroni cioè vanguardia Battoglia retroguardia che ogni gioâ—ngto si venga mutando Cataneo di fort cap. 8. Alternis dichus altera legio alterum coâ—nu praecedunt eadémque rursus sequuntur mutantes semper ordinem ut alternatim primi incedant Polyb. Every armie is divided into three parts The vanguard battel and rear That part of the armie which is most exposed to the enemie and that most usually is the front should be the best and therefore all chiefs desire the vanguard The manner therefore is for generall satisfaction that they which this day had the van to morrow have the rear and they which had the rear the battel So changing alternatively except the Lord Generalls guard consisting of two troops as Melzo hath it or the Generalls regiment according to C. Bingham which hath alwayes the vanguard And if the enemie should change place and from your front become to be upon your rear whereby the rear as most dangerous becomes most honourable that Captain which to day hath led the battaillon to morrow in stead of the vanguard may challenge the rear The scouts alter their course also and attend the enemies proceedings on the rear If occasion be in time of march to send out one or more troops for some service they are to observe the same orders But the armie being come to their quarter and occasion being to send out b When all or a good part of the horse are employed in some exploit without Infanterie it is called a Cavalcado Such was that when the States men surprised the castle of Crapoel in Limburg c. Meteren lib. 23. all or part of the Cavallrie upon some exploit that troop which first appeareth at the place of Rendez-vous shall be appointed by the Commissarie Generall who is to be there to the first place the second to the second place If two troops come together at the same instant they shall cast lots By this means every man desiring honour they will be the readier to appear in due time The same course shall be taken when the troops are to be sent upon some embuscado convoy or the like If the march be but of one day he which commandeth shall appoint the best experienced and ablest to lead c Others hold it much better to observe the same order in the dismarch which was used in the march so that companie which went out first comes in first who is to be in the rear returning back to the quarter And these may have private order to be at the place of Rendezvous sooner then the rest to avoid jealousies The vanguard battaillon and rear must be divided from each other 300 paces CHAP. IIII. Of Scouts or Discoverers TO be secured from unexpected assaults of the enemie neither the armie nor the Cavallrie alone no not a companie must march without a These the Romanes called exploratores or speculatores See Veg. lib. 3. cap. 22. Nè secreta noceant ducis praestat industria quem â—mnia prâ—â—s convenit explorare Idem lib. 3. c. 6. discoverers which must be sent out not onely by the direct way where the enemie is like to come or you are to march but to scoure all the by-wayes on either side And sometime the first discoverers are seconded by a second companie to secure the march They that shall be employed in this service must be choice men valiant vigilant and discreet such as neither fear nor misconceit can easily distract They must see that with their own eyes which they inform the least errour of theirs misleading the whole bodie Those select men appointed for this service are to be b P. Considiâ—â— qui rei miliaâ—â— peritissimus habebatur in exerciui L. Sylla postea in M. Crassi fuerat cum exploratoribus praiâ—tâ—itur Câ—es Comment lib. 1. cap. 5. led by an able officer it being a task so difficult that many have lost that reputation by it which they had been long in gaining of This officer shall send word of what he discovereth and what he seeth not himself he is to signifie it as so reported to him and having seen it then to certifie it as for certain CHAP. V. Of the order of marching by day THe a Omni curâ omnÃque diligentiâ providere debei dux nè proficiscens pâ—â—tiatur meursum vel si non facilè at sine damno â—â—pellâ—t illâ—um Veg. ibid. march must be so ordered as the companies may readily from that order be brought into a good form of battel upon occasion of a sudden charge The Cavallrie supposed to consist of 40 troops and the
to place two horse between themselves and those fifteen to give notice when the said fifteen shall return charged Whereupon twentiefive of these thirtiefive shall advance leaving ten of the best mounted at the place to let the enemie see there is a greater number of horse These ten must make good the retreat untill the other fiftie arrive which lay in ambush two leagues behind with Sentinells to discover afarre off towards the other thirtiefive between which about the mid-way two horse were also placed to discover the motions of the first fiftie and thereof to inform these fiftie which were in ambush behind them These seeing the first fiftie return charged shall let them passe and then issue out against the enemie the first fiftie making their retreat by twelve or fifteen of their best mounted horse-men having reunited themselves and taken breath they must make h The word Alto or Alte is used in all languages in Christendome and signifieth to make a stand I cannot guesse whence it should be derived unlesse it should be from the highdutch word halte which is as we say hold and with us is used in the same signification Alto and assist the other as hath been shewed This order is to be observed when you have certain intelligence by your discoverers that the enemie hath no forces thereabout But when you cannot be assured of that left the enemie with a troop of fiftie or sixtie horse casually meeting with some of your said small divisions should defeat them there might be twentie or twentiefive horse first sent out whereof fifteen to advance to take some bootie the other staying about half a league behind in some covert place shewing themselves when those fifteen return charged so to give suspicion to the enemie or to make their retreat The rest might be in ambush altogether some two leagues behind them demeaning themselves as before hath been shewed In i Eil autem optimum instruendi artificium ut plus inferas adversariis copiarum quà m primo aspectu ostendas Aelian cap. 47. grosse ambushes they must make their number seem as small as may be k Sin parvum habeas exercitum plures buccinae sonent ut magnam multitudinem hostium venire arbitrentur Leo Tact. cap. 17. 28. but in small ones they are to make shew of a greater number then they have for which reason all the horse must not go out of the embuscadoe at once but some twelve or fifteen when their number is small must remain at the further part of the wood to favour the retreat of the rest as hath been said and to cause the enemie to think that there is a greater number of them within the wood To this purpose some six horse may be left some league behind the rest a little out of the way but so as they may discover if the rest return charged and then shew themselves at the end of the wood as before is shewed to make the enemie think there is a grosse embuscadoe leaving one horseman further within the wood then the rest and he to give fire when the enemie may perceive or heare him which the enemie may think was done by a mistake CHAP. IV. How to do meeting the enemie marching A Commander marching with one or more troops and chancing to meet the enemie or otherwise having news of him must presently resolve either to offer combat or to retreat or to attend the charge of the enemie and herein he must govern himself according to the intelligence he hath and the convenience of the a Bonum Ducem convenit nosse magnam partem victoria ipsum locum in quo dimicandum est possidere Veg. lib. 3 cap. 13. place To get the more certain intelligence besides his scouts he shall send out a good distance before him a Corporall with ten or twelve souldiers who pretending to be of the enemie if the countrey be at the enemies devotion shall discover and take information c. If you meet the enemie near his own quarter and farre from yours you must resolve with a generous courage to go and b In rebus asperis tenui spe fortissima quaeque consilia tutissima sunt Livius lib. 25. charge him though inferiour in number it being often seen that valiant resolutions are seconded with good luck But being near to your own holds and knowing the enemie to be much stronger then your self it will be prudently done to c Observandum autem est haud par esse sine magna necâ—ssitate ut pauca copie cum magno instructo exercitu dimicent Leo Tact. cap. 12. 36. save your men by the nearest retreat making your retreat in good order and taking heed you spoil not your horses by too much haste but suffer them now and then to gather breath leaving a Lieutenant in the rear with some of the best mounted souldiers The retreat shall be by the same way you went so long as day continues but night being come you must take some other way though the longer to return to your garrison or quarter Thus you shall gain time by turning away from the enemie by the benefit of the night causing the footing of your horses to be defaced at the place where you left the way for it is to be supposed the enemie will follow you by the direct way To deface or put out the footing of the horse if the way be dustie two souldiers are appointed to stay behind all the rest which draw a great bough between them along the ground and so put out the marks of the horses footing Or if there be a great number of horse and the way be broad then foure souldiers with two boughs do it But if the way be soft the Chief commandeth five or six souldiers to alight and with their hands and feet to deface the footings and in such wayes the horse are commanded to march with doubled files and closed for a little space when they turn out of the usuall way that so they may trample the lesse Besides you may avoid the danger of being traced by the horse footings especially in the night by turning out of the way at some house or through some garden breaking the hedge on the further side and going into the way by wayes unthought of by all which means you gain time whilest the enemie is constrained to spend time in discovering of your footing and taking information of the way that you took CHAP. V. How to receive the charge IT hath been shewed how necessarie it is that the Corporall which is sent out with the scouts or discoverers be a very able souldier to know what to do upon occasion of unexpected accidents One or more troops of horse being on their march with their discoverers before them if they shall meet the enemie and perceive him to be the stronger the said Corporall shall presently send a souldier to certifie the grosse that they may retreat himself with