Our skirmishers were now engaged with those of the enemy, and driving them back; shells were exploding around and above us as we again came out upon the road.
Firing at the front was heard, where ourskirmishers were driving the rebels back.
Our skirmishers were kept out with great difficulty, and chiefly by the exertions and example of Colonel Oliver.
The men were faint with fatigue and thirst--the Affghan skirmishers pressed on, and our's gave way.
Dashing forward one or two hundred yards, the skirmishers took position along and behind the crest of a slight elevation crowned by hedges and scattered clumps of bushes.
All orders were given by the sound of the bugle, and the whole regiment deployed as skirmishers could be as easily maneuvered as a single company could be in line of battle.
They succeeded in repulsing the advance of the first line and for half an hour held their ground against repeated attempts of the rebel skirmishers to dislodge them.
Two miles beyond Bowling Green the skirmishers met a considerable force of rebel cavalry, and a sharp skirmish took place.
The advance was spirited, and after a determined resistance the rebels were driven from their advanced rifle pits, the skirmishersfollowing them closely, while the reserve companies leveled the fence in the rear.
The sharp shooters were deployed as skirmishers and led the way.
Birney they advanced toward a wooded ridge on which they found the rebel skirmishers in force, and evidently determined to stay.
This being apparently the object of the movement, the skirmisherswere withdrawn and the command rejoined the main column.
F was one of the reserve companies and thus followed the skirmishers in column of fours instead of in a deployed line.
In approaching the enemy through a wooded or broken country, skirmishers thrown out in advance, and on the flanks of the leading column, are absolutely indispensable, in order to reconnoitre the ground, and prevent a surprise.
The principle is, to post skirmishers so as to give them the maximum of shelter, whilst inflicting the maximum of loss on the enemy.
In woods, skirmishers should never, for a moment, lose sight of each other.
Against a line of skirmishers deployed, a well-directed fire will usually be sufficiently effective.
This is sometimes accomplished by sending forward a few skirmishers to fire on the square.
In the absence of artillery, sharpshooting infantryskirmishers may, to a certain extent, supply its place.
When the charge is sounded, the skirmishers wait and fall in with the rest.
In retreat, skirmishers occupy every favorable point for holding the enemy in check.
A portion, at least, of every artillery support, should consist of sharpshooters, whose fire will be the most effective in driving off skirmishers sent forward to threaten or attack the guns, or to pick off the gunners.
Except in urgent cases, never deploy a line of skirmishers on a run; for this makes them lose breath and calmness, and, with their calmness, their accuracy of aim.
In a retreat, skirmishers cover the rear, so long as the enemy attacks without cavalry.
Skirmishers should accompany columns of attack; for-- (1.
It is said that, at Waterloo, the swarms of skirmishers that covered the French attacking columns so galled and excited the stationary columns and squares of some of the Allies, as to nearly drive them from the field.
Skirmishers feeling themselves in danger of being cut off, will lose somewhat of that coolness which is so essential to their efficiency.
Compliments and flattery, those rare skirmishers before the engagement, were denied me; and I verily think that a tender squeeze of the hand would have cost me my dismissal.
As the cavalry retired, the mountedskirmishers joined them, and the Arabs followed close upon their heels.
The troops, whose casualties amounted to only one man killed and one officer wounded, now deployed and fell back covered by skirmishers and the artillery.
The skirmisherswere withdrawn, and as soon as they were out of the line of fire, the brigade replied, the men firing independently as they advanced.
Graham sent a further order for the cavalry to advance under cover of the ridge on the right, fall upon the left flank of the enemy's skirmishers and roll up his line.
The skirmishers had to do their utmost before they succeeded in reducing the fire which at this time poured down upon Stewart's men.
The rush was so sudden that the skirmishers had barely time to reach the square before the enemy fell upon the Heavy Camel Corps,[109] who, to avoid killing their own men, were for some minutes compelled to reserve their fire.
The skirmishers had not gone far before they became hotly engaged.
At ten the cavalry skirmishers were within 100 yards of the Tamanieb Khor, and the Soudanese were seen retreating en masse to the right and left.
The slaughter would have been greater still had the square been able to open fire as soon as the charge commenced, instead of having to wait till the skirmishers had run in.
As they approached Hagerstown they were deployed as skirmishers and advanced ahead of the cavalry.
Artillery was brought to bear also and the enemy fell back upon their artillery posted nearby, and as the skirmishers appeared, opened fiercely, but they were pushed steadily for a while and then hastily retreated toward Statesburg.
A line of rebel skirmishers were coming over the rise in their front.
Their skirmishers approached us, walking backwards and turning to fire.
When our main force retreated, these skirmishers received no order to fall back, the order not reaching them, and they being left behind were surrounded and a part of them, mostly from Company K, were captured.
A little later two companies as skirmishers took position behind the stone wall we had just left.
The next morning, the 18th, we moved forward, ourskirmishers driving the Rebel skirmishers, until we could see the enemy's fortifications within two miles of the city.
One of the noticeable features of the fight here, observed by our men, was a peculiar way the Rebel skirmishers had.
Before he had started, the confederates displayed a line of dismounted skirmishers that extended far beyond both flanks of the regiment and a swarm of them in front.
There was visible no line ofskirmishers or of battle.
On sighting this force, Custer ordered Weber to dismount his men, advance a line of skirmishers toward the hill and ascertain what he had to encounter.
The confederate skirmishers were driven back across a swollen stream spanned by a bridge.
Kilpatrick came up and ordered Custer to draw in his skirmishers and allow Davies to pass him and take the advance.
A mounted line was formed across the road, while there were dismounted skirmishers behind the fences on either side.
A line of skirmishers firing from the edge of the woods kept the pioneers from proceeding with the work.
An officer and twelve men belonging to the Seventh Georgia cavalry, making for the rear as they supposed, came into the arms of the Sixth Michigan skirmishers at one time.
The engagement opened early in the morning by the Franc-tireurs and skirmishers on the hills of Mely.
When their cargo was secured, the skirmishers were called in.
The Union skirmishers advanced cautiously, and the Confederates blazed away, taking care not to expose their own persons to the sharpshooters in the woods below and above.
The long line of Union skirmishers was moving slowly through the thick woods, and the line of Confederate skirmishers was retreating at the same pace to cover the rear of their army.
The far off firing of skirmishers became more rapid.
The advance of the Union forces came on slowly, and it was an hour after the entrance of the Confederates into the village before the deployed skirmishers came in sight.
Skirmishers were sent into the bush to feel for the enemy.
A new line was formed, the Twenty-fifth deployed as skirmishers and sent forward.
Our skirmishers went through and we soon had orders to follow.
We started out at daylight as skirmishers without any breakfast.
Our skirmisherswere called in and we changed front forward on first company, moved down towards the wood on the right, and halting about 150 yards from the fence, we poured a volley into the enemy's ranks.
The bend in the road is now disclosed, the enemy's skirmishers disappeared from our front to reappear in greater numbers on our right.
The English were marching toward Paris, near Pathay, when their skirmishers came in with the news that the French were following.
The enemy were found in the edge of the woods when a lively fire commenced between our skirmishers and the foe.
After waiting about half an hour, and finding the enemy did not approach, the Ninth was ordered forward, with skirmishers to the right and left, the main body being in the Kinston road.
These skirmishers stood their ground until their entire stock of ammunition was exhausted, when the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania was ordered up to support the Ninth.
Just as the skirmishers cross the next ridge a few cool old shots from each company drop on hands and knees, and, crawling back to the crest, open a rapid fire on the pursuers, checking them.
Here they halt, face about, throw themselves flat on their faces, and the major signals to the outlying skirmishers to come in; they obey with a rush, and a minute after a mass of Indians pops over the divide in pursuit.
Each company, as it comes forward, opens out like the fan of practised coquette, and a sheaf of skirmishers is launched to the front.
There's a stalwart, bearded fellow commanding the right skirmishers of the company, steadily noting the fire of his men.
The shrill voice of their gray-bearded old chief sends his skirmishers rapidly out on Upham's left, and a minute more the rocks are ringing with the deeper notes of his musketry.
The skirmishers were also left on duty under the command of Capt.
The Eighty-sixth skirmishers in this engagement experienced a hard time; but the main body of the regiment was not brought into action.
At an early hour the rebel skirmishers opened a sharp fire on the 86th, and although this was the first fight in which, it was ever engaged, it advanced steadily upon them and drove them back in confusion with severe loss.
No sooner had the rebels evacuated Resaca than our skirmishers were aware of the fact, so that, by daylight on the 16th, we were in possession of their works, the pursuit being taken up at an early hour.
The scattered regiment formed at the foot of the hills on which our skirmishers were engaging the rebels, and then advanced to their support.
They had been off on some detached duty and were too late for any of the fun, so General Pleasanton had them all deployed as mounted skirmishers to cover the crossing of the troops.
A lovely sunset shed its cool light over the long columns of cavalry winding their way toward the river, and the mounted skirmishers were thrown in bold relief against the brilliant sky.
On the 26th a considerable party with artillery attacked the Hessians and drove them in, killing several men belonging to the Von Lossberg regiment, which later in the day advanced in turn and compelled our skirmishers to fall back.
These prepared by every means in their power to resist the formidable army whose skirmishers were ravaging the country for miles around and lighting the winter sky with the fires of hundreds of blazing villages.
The song of the whippoorwills increased the gloom that pervaded the forest; and the pickets carefully listened to them, because the hostile {246} skirmishers might signal to each other by imitating the mournful notes.
On the 9th, the Confederate skirmishers were driven in, and the main line was assaulted, first with artillery, and then by the infantry.
The captain of one of the companies of skirmisherswas posted near a brook at the base of a slight ascent upon which the enemy was massed, and there was a scattering fire of bullets which cautioned all to 'lie down.
Parrott placed his men in an advantageous position, with two pieces of artillery, and soon saw the Confederate skirmishers advancing toward it.
He sent out his own skirmishers to meet them, and placed his guns to command the road.
The One Hundred and Fourth Pennsylvania volunteers aims at the column and at the skirmishers approaching its right front and flank.
The skirmishers began to exchange shots at daybreak upon May 3d, and a bullet penetrated the head of a lieutenant who was asleep in the adjoining company, and he never moved.
The line ofskirmishers moved lightly out, and swept true as a sword-blade into the edge of the field.
They began with a trot, and soon increased the pace to a gallop, unmindful of the fire of skirmishers in the woods, which emptied several of their saddles.
Sedgwick's column arrived within a mile and a half of the river at noon, on the 7th of November, and threw out skirmishers to examine the enemy's works.
We met the enemy's skirmishers soon after turning to the left on Elk Ridge, and all along the whole distance of five miles we were more or less harassed by them.
On hearing firing on the west of the hill, I closed up my skirmishers and advanced south towards the crest of the hill.
Our skirmishers had not penetrated far into the thicket before they were met by a volley from the enemy's line of battle.
Our skirmishers began their desultory firing of the day before.
The officer, not being familiar with the skirmish tactics, and never being on a skirmish line during action before, asked me to retain the command and also my line of skirmishers and conduct the retreat, which I did.
I did not order my skirmishers to lie down, but as soon as the regiment was abreast of me I advanced and drove the enemy again across the creek.
Brigade skirmishers were ordered to advance towards Knoxville and drive in the enemy's pickets.
Across a large old field the brigade swept towards a densely timbered piece of oakland, studded with undergrowth, crowding and swaying in irregular lines, the enemy's skirmishers pounding away at us as we advanced.
When the enemy's skirmishers struck the opening our line opened upon them, driving them helter-skelter back into the woods.
The woods had been felled for some distance in front of the earthworks and forts, and as we neared the former we could see the enemy's skirmishers pushing out of the woods in the clearing.
On the morning of the 15th, just at daylight, we took up our line of march through a blinding mist or fog, our skirmishers not being able to see an object fifty paces in front.
Here we remained until the 21st; McLaws was detached and placed on the left of Hoke; the cavalry deployed as skirmishers to our left.
I was in command of the brigadeskirmishers during the night, posted in a large old field on left of the turn-pike.
General Drayton, not seeing the enemy, ordered forward Captain Miller's Company asskirmishers to ascertain their whereabouts.
A few skirmishers thrown out would have accomplished the object of a reconnoissance, and would have saved the loss of many brave men.
We have not been able to bring on a general battle for some time, but their skirmishers swarm like flies around us, and nothing is safe beyond the sight of our army.
Let us dispose of these skirmishers before you advance.
Then skirmishers in the dark-green uniform of the rifles moved rapidly forward on the high ground.
The sound came in gusts, fitfully, now dying away into a feeble treble, the spattering fire of skirmishers anon swelling to a full chord, the regular volley-firing of drilled troops accompanied with the deep bass of the cannon.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "skirmishers" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
