Manceurres of Light Troops.—To the light infantry and riflemen, or troops acting as such, are entrusted the guard of -the encampments or cantonments. When an army is on the march they reconnoitre the country, repel any parties of the enemy which might get between the columns while advancing; and they check the pursuit of the enemy in a retreat.
When a battalion is employed as light infantry, not more than one third of the men should actually engage as skirmishers; these extend themselves in line, in two ranks, to the right and left, from some given file, at any distance which may be appointed ; or, if no order is given, at the regulated distance of aix paces. The rest of the battalion is divided into parties, as supports and as reserve, the supports, of which one party is usually in rear of the centre, and another is towards each flank, should be equal in strength to the skirmishers, and when the skirmishers have advanced about 200 paces to the front, these supports follow them, and are themselves followed by the reserve, at about 300 yards, the main body being about t00 yards behind. Each of the supporting bodies and the reserve should be kept in compact order; and when the skirmishers retire upon their support, they form in sections in ha roar. The skirmishers advance or retire, as the case may be, in one general line, and they should avoid standing exposed if any cover, as that of a hedge, ditch, or copse, can be obtained on the ground : for this reason, when obliged to cross an open plain, their line should make a simultaneous rush towards the spots where they may tire under cover. On open ground, they fire kneeling or lying down, the front rank man discharging his piece first, then retiring iu rear of the second rank and loading : as soon as he has loaded he gives the word, ready, in a low voice, when the second rank man fires and loads, care being taken that the muskets of both ranks are not unloaded at the same time.
On the appearance of cavalry the nearest supporters and the reserve move towards the threatened part, and form squares; the skirmishers at the same time run to any cover from whence they may aid the supports by a cross fire; or run iu behind the supports, and form square under the protection of their fire ; or if too suddenly attacked for this, form small knots or rallying squares, by running together at convenient points round their officers.
When light troops have to advance across a bridge, or through a short defile, on arriving at the bank of the river, or at the entrance of the defile, the skirmishers lie down in line and fire ; the supports, strengthened by the reserve, charge the enemy on the bridge, or in the defile, drive him back, and then form an extended line as skirmishers, while the former skirmishers pass the bridge or defile, and now con stitute the supports and reserve. In retreating the supports pass first over the bridge or through the defile, covered by the skirmishers and immediately deploy, in order to act as skirmishers themselves ; the former skirmishers then rapidly pass, followed by the supports, and the whole form in column in rear of the present skirmishers, who then, by their fire, protect the retreat if it is to be continued.