The inhabitants reported that the Gennan troops pa-
trolled the whole valley, pushing sometimes down to the
walls of Schlestadt, levying contributions and carrying
off cattle. The village was very poor, and was able to
furnish little accommodations in the way of quarters', still
less in that of food. Six of the villagers were therefore
sent through the forest of CEdenwald to Raon with an
order to fetch over two oxen and thirty sheep of those
left there in charge of the head man of the village. They
returned in three days, Raon being only about fifteen



Digitized by VjOOQ IC



Approach of the Enemy. 135

miles east of Still. The corps was now broken up into
its four companies, who were stationed in the villages on
the Vosges, and at the edge of the forest of Trieswald and
Bar, the first company remaining at Still. From these
villages they commanded a view over the whole plain, and
could, with the aid of glasses, distinctly see any bodies of
men going south from Strasburg. Each company was to
act independently of the other, imiting their forces only
when ordered to do so by Major Temp^, who took up his
headquarters with the second company, that having the
most central position. Each company was to keep a sharp
watch over the country, to attack any body of the enemy
not superior to themselves in force, and to cut off, if pos-
sible, any small parties pillaging in the villages of the
valley near the foot of the mountains.
