Wagon-train

An indispensable companion of an army under this or some other title. It serves to convey the ammunition, provisions, sick, wounded, camp equipage, etc. Wagons in convoy travel at a rate of from 1 to 2 miles an hour, according to the state of the roads, and other circumstances; and a mile may be said to contain 100 wagons. A great object in the march of a convoy, is to preserve the draught animals as much as po ible from fatigue. For this purpose, if the convoy amount to many hundred wagons, they must be formed into divisions of not more than 500 each. Should it consist of you sands, it will be advisable to form them into grand divisions, and then again into subdivisions of 500 each. By this means, and by calculating the time of departure, each division may remain at rest until just before its time of movement, and the nece ity will thus be prevented of the latter part of a large convoy being hara ed for a considerable time before its turn to move. The different divisions of the convoy should be numbered, and obliged each day to change the order of their marching. Whenever the progre of a wagon-train is arrested by the breaking down of one of the wagons, or other delay, all the wagons in rear of the stoppage should immediately drive up into the first open space, to as great a number as it will hold. This will keep the convoy together, and better under the care of the escort. The escort should be divided into front, centre, and rear guards; besides the divisions in the flanks, which should never be more than 400 yards from each other.