Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/446

four persons, the best qualified in their respective counties for that business; out of whom his Honor might make choice of such as he should think fit? Perhaps, too, it might be thought necessary to appoint one general commander over all these garrisons, who, upon any emergency, by drafting a certain quota from each, would be enabled more speedily and more effectually to relieve any particular place in distress, as well as to harass and intercept any parties of the enemy, daring enough to adventure within the line. Supposing these fortresses built each from other at the distances mentioned above, the whole extent of country from north to south might be daily ranged and explored, and a constant communication maintained between fort and fort; for each garrison would bear dividing into six parties. Two might in regular rotation be constantly employed in scouring the woods; one about fifteen miles to the northward, the other about as far to the southward of their own fort, while the remaining four continued at home, both for their own refreshment and for the necessary guard and defence of their post. Each of the two dividends upon duty might be obliged to range from their own fort as above proposed to some distance, as nearly central as may be, between it and that towards which they respectively patrol. The scouting parties of these two forts might there meet each other in the evening, camp together that night for mutual security, and before setting out for their several homes in the morning, make an appointment where the two next detachments from the two same garrisons to be next upon duty should meet and encamp on the evening of the succeeding day; taking care, as frequently as may be, to change their places of encampment, in order both to render the passage of the enemy by night or by day more precarious,