FORCING THE KHYBUR.—POLLOCK’S GENERAL ORDERS.
[Book VII., chapter 4, pages 87, 88.]
[The following are the rules laid down for the guidance of commanding officers, to which allusion is made in the text.]
1. A bugler or trumpeter to be attached to each commanding-officer of a party or detachment of the several columns.
2. Whenever an obstacle presents itself, or accident occurs, of a nature to impede the march of any part of either of the columns, and occasions a break in its continuity, the officer in command nearest to the spot will order the halt to be sounded, which will be immediately repeated by the other buglers, and the whole will halt till the removal of the difficulty enables the columns to proceed in their established order, when the signal to advance will be given.
3. The baggage-master will superintend the placing of the baggage, &c., in the order prescribed, and the Major-General commanding requests that commanding-officers will use their best exertions to facilitate this important object. The quarter-master of each corps will see that the baggage of his regiment is placed in its proper position in the column, and an officer from each is to be appointed to the duty.
4. No private guards are to be allowed. The parties of cavalry and infantry, allotted at intervals in the line of march, are to be the only troops attending it.
5. The officers entrusted with the command of the parties which are to flank the rear-guard on the heights, must give their most vigilant attention to the important duty of preventing their men from hurrying in advance of it; its rear must never be left exposed to fire from the heights.
6. The troops to be told off on their regimental parades, as above detailed, and marched at the appointed hour to their respective posts.