There are a few things that need special mention:
In the instruction work have a definite situation. If the company is to be exercised as a support take an outpost order giving the situation and general location of the supports. If any detachment, including the company, is to march beyond assumed existing covering detachments, see that it is properly covered by an advance guard. Judgment must be used in this, the smaller the detachment the weaker relatively the cover. Bear in mind where the other detachments are marching and the amount of cover they afford to yours.
When starting out instruct the advance where you are going, then have it go far enough in advance of that to cover you while you are making your dispositions after you have reached your destination.
From the company down make the distribution of troops and assignment of tasks in an orderly manner, much as the guard is divided up for the post guard; do this while the detachment is still formed.
Full information of the situation should be given the men; the proper performance of their duty is impossible otherwise. Each subdivision commander must attend to this. The captain should give as much of the necessary information as practicable to the whole company, this saves time for the picket commanders and will probably result in the situation being better understood.
Outpost practice on the ground
Where the outpost line should be located and how it should be disposed varies with many conditions. It is a tactical problem that the officers must be able to solve and must learn elsewhere than on the ground in the few hours devoted to this work in troop training.
A little practice should be held by the regiment as a whole in forming outpost; one with the regiment as the outpost and one with the regiment as the whole command, one battalion forming the advance guard on the march. In the latter, a halt order should be issued and outpost formed from the advance guard battalion; when completed a march order should be issued by which the new advance guard passes through the outpost line. The outpost should then be assembled and take its place in column.
We do this very easily in map problems; try it on the ground, especially in rather close country.
Mounted scouts