CHAPTER XVII

DIVISION TACTICS AND SUPPLY 337-380 MARCHES 337-344 Length of a day’s march. Marching rate. Rest days 337 Strength of advance guard. Splitting tactical units 337 Different arms and auxiliary troops with an advance guard 337 Position of division commander 337 Initial point of march and time of departure, in march orders 337 Rotation of units in position in column during a march 337-338 Division cavalry on the march. Time of starting. Duty 338 Distribution of artillery on the march. Artillery with advance guard. Heavy field artillery. Combat trains of the artillery 338-339 Artillery with flank guards or in two column formation 339 Artillery in rencontre engagements. Right of way for firing batteries 339-340 Engineer troops and bridge trains on the march 340 Road space and capacities of light and heavy bridge equipage 340 Distribution and duties of signal troops on the march. Telegraph and telephone lines 340-341 Time of starting the march. Details of the start. Assembly of trains. Escort for trains. March outposts 341 ORDER FOR THE FORWARD MARCH OF A DIVISION 342-344 COMBAT 344-353 Time required for deployment of a division 344 FRONTAL AND ENVELOPING ATTACKS 344-345 Separation of attacks. Coordination. Launching the attack. Obstacles of terrain 344-345 TURNING MOVEMENTS. Advantages and disadvantages 345 Plan of attack based on best dispositions of the infantry 345 Development and attack orders 346 FRONTAGES FOR DEPLOYMENT OF LARGER UNITS 346 Timing the advance. Signals 346 Distance from hostile line at which brigades deploy 346 Position of reserves 346-347 Depth of deployment. Distribution in depth 347-349 CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING DEPTH OF DEPLOYMENT 348 Dispositions of artillery 349 Release of trains on entering combat 349 Posts of artillery and small arms ammunition 349 Sanitary and engineer trains 349 Ambulance companies and field hospitals. Stations and duties 349-350 Messages during combat 350 DUTIES SUBSEQUENT TO COMBAT. Evacuation of wounded. Police of battlefield. Replenishment of ammunition and rations. Prisoners. Trains. Instructions to commander of line of communications 350-351 ORDER FOR A DIVISION ATTACK 351-353 CAMPING 353-360 TACTICAL AND SANITARY REQUIREMENTS OF A CAMP SITE 353-354 EXAMPLE OF A DIVISION CAMP ILLUSTRATED AND DISCUSSED 354-356 Routine orders in connection with camp. Issues, disposal of empty wagons, etc. 356 ORDER FOR CAMPING AND OUTPOSTING OF A DIVISION 357-360 SUPPLY 360-380 AUTHORIZED TRAINS OF A DIVISION 360-361 Bakery train. Engineer train 361 SOURCES OF SUPPLY FOR ARMIES IN THE FIELD 361 Purchase and requisition. Methods 361-362 Authority of field Commander 362 Living off the country 362 Base depot. Advance supply depot. Means of transportation 362-367 Zone of the advance 364 Multiple lines of communication 364 The supply unit 364 Classes of trains. Ammunition, supply and field trains. General supply trains. Combat trains 365-368 Access to trains by troops. Excessive size of trains 365 Methods of replenishing trains 366-367 Rations carried by individual soldiers and in trains 366-367 General supply column. Flying depots and refilling points 367 Personnel of field transport service 368 EXAMPLE OF THE SUPPLY OF A DIVISION ON THE MARCH, WITH DISCUSSION 368-370 Problem of the supply of an advancing division mathematically illustrated 370-372 Refilling points. Location 372 Maintenance of advance supply depot well to the front Railroads and steamboats 372 Field bakery on line of communications 372 GENERAL RULES FOR GUIDANCE OF SUPPLY OFFICERS 372-373 Supply of Sherman’s army in the Atlanta campaign, and of Grant’s army in the campaign of '64 373 Protection of supply depot 373 Camping place of division trains. Issues of rations and ammunition 373-375 Access to trains by troops 375 Supplies for the cavalry 375 Arrangement of division trains on the march according to probable needs 376 Stations of trains during combat 376 Rates of march of wagon trains 376-377 Supplies obtained locally 377-378 Miscellaneous data on supply and transportation 378-380 Table of rations, kinds, weights, number of rations to an army wagon, a railroad car, ship’s ton, etc. 379