MARCHES.
In warm climates march early to avoid the heat. Mules travel well at night. Men and animals should have food before marching.
Officers and non-commissioned officers superintend loading; at which all should be expert.
When the battery is loaded and formed, always inspect carefully to see that the work has been properly done. A habit of prompt loading is most important. One hour should be ample time between reveille and starting on the road.
In moving off, drivers must move promptly, and use the leading-rein with a very light hand. Mules move best with loose reins.
If avoidable, do not carry sick men on bareback or blanketed mules, as the animals get galled.
The distance between mules on good roads is one yard. In passing obstacles or difficult ground, distances must be increased as needed. Every mule should have his head. Cannoneers should help to steady the loads. Occasionally it may be advisable to unload in passing obstacles.
Cannoneers should keep near their respective mules and not straggle; and must assist the drivers in watching and adjusting loads.
The driver must constantly watch his mule and load, and at once call attention to signs of uneasiness or anything requiring adjustment, if he cannot adjust it himself.
When a load becomes disarranged the mule must be fallen out and the load put to rights; the driver regains his place at the first opportunity.
Distances must be regained gradually, not by rushing: at an amble if absolutely necessary.
The pace should be regular and constant, smart, not hurried, about four miles an hour unless with other troops; in no case so fast as to cause trotting in rear. Forcing the pace or dragging it, many halts and checks without unloading or giving time for feeding and watering, are ruinous.
When a laden mule falls, keep his head down; cast off the straps and remove the load; unsaddle if necessary.
Always form battery advanced and rear guards of properly armed men.
It is sometimes convenient to have pioneer-tools with the advanced guard.
The sick transport marches with the rear-guard, whose special duty it is to keep every fraction of the battery ahead of it.
March on as broad a front as possible; but frequent changes are harassing.
When feasible, considerable distance between platoons makes marching easier.
Officers should constantly move along their commands, checking irregularities, regulating the pace, and supervising every detail as regards men, mules, and loads, while avoiding harassing interference. This is especially important with pack-animals.
An officer should be in charge of the baggage if possible. In crossing fords some men should see to the loads, as the high action of the mules in passing through water is liable to unsteady them. Occasions may occur when the mule may be obliged to swim, and in such cases the saddle must be removed, and any attempt to guide the mule should be made by the slightest touch possible; pulling at the head is to be avoided. A mule swimming can be most easily turned by splashing the water against the side of the face opposite the direction required.
Keep to the spurs of hills in going up and generally in going down hill. Sometimes a short cut may be found down a ravine.
At the beginning of a march check the pace a little; make an early halt, so that men can fall out and adjust anything requiring it.
Occasional halts should be made afterwards. Short halts are best for pack-animals. At every halt non-commissioned officers and drivers inspect their animals and attend to any signs of galling or uneasiness. The rear closes up to its proper distance before halting.
On hill roads mules should be stood level across the road, heads outward from the hillside. If the path be too narrow for this, drivers must stand at their mules' heads to prevent the risk of a tumble down the hillside in attempts to graze. Mules are apt to roll when halted.
In marches with other troops, on halting always find out how long the halt is to be, and if time permits remove loads if practicable.
Advantage may be taken of long halts to water, and feed if advisable and means are at hand. A feed of grain should always be carried in the nose-bags if possible.
On long marches opportunities to feed and water should be sought for.
When halted allow the men to stray from their mules as little as possible. Disarrangement of loads and possible accidents are thereby avoided.
As pack-mules require very tight girthing, they should remain girthed as short a time as possible. Gun-and carriage-mules are the tightest girthed.
Their loads may be shifted to the relief-mules at the half-way halt, these mules not being tightly girthed until on the point of loading. Girths of the relieved mules should be slackened gradually, as sudden loosing of the girths causes swellings.