CHAPTER VIII

ARTILLERY TACTICS 109-148 MATERIEL OF LIGHT FIELD ARTILLERY, U. S. ARMY 109-110 Subdivisions of a battery 109 Signal equipment. Ammunition 109 Description of carriage and sights. Weights behind the teams 109-110 Front covered by fire of a battery 110 DISPOSITIONS OF ARTILLERY ON THE MARCH. Combat trains. Field trains. Protection of long columns 110 Usual dispositions of battery and combat trains in action 110 Concealment from hostile observation 110-111 DUTIES OF ARTILLERY PERSONNEL. Artillery commander. Regimental commander. Battalion commander. Battery commander. Lieutenants. Reconnaissance officer. Sergeants and corporals. Scouts, signalers, agents and route markers 111-113 Artillery officers with supreme commander and with advance guard 113 KINDS OF FIRE. Masked and unmasked fire. Defilade. Fire for adjustment, demolition, registration and effect. Direct and indirect laying. Salvo fire, continuous fire, volley fire and fire at will. Time fire and percussion fire. Area of burst of shrapnel. Fire at single and at successive ranges, sweeping fire 113-116 Individual and collective distribution. Adjustment 116 Firing data. Aiming point 116 OBSERVATION AND CONTROL OF FIRE 117-118 Post of officer conducting the fire 117 Battery commander’s station and auxiliary observing stations. Location 117 Aiming points. Location 117-118 TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF FIELD ARTILLERY 118-128 Covering the front of a defensive position 118 Considerations governing the dispositions of artillery in attack 118-120 Position in interval between frontal and enveloping attack. Position on the flank 120 Ranges in attack and defense 120 Mission of the artillery 120-121 Operations of attacker’s artillery during the combat 120-121 Dispositions and employment of artillery in defense. Dagger batteries 121-122 Advantages enjoyed by defense 121-122 Firing over heads of friendly troops 122 Movements to position 122 Supports for the artillery. Machine guns 122 Positions and duties of artillery. By whom prescribed 122 Positions “for immediate action,” “in observation,” and “in readiness.” Subdivision for action 122-124 Positions of field and combat trains. Communication 123 Subdivision of battalions and batteries 123 Grouping of artillery. Fire control 124-125 Artillery “reserves.” Number of guns to place in action 123-124 Positions of ammunition trains 124 Special tasks and duties of artillery. Counter batteries, infantry batteries, etc. 124 “Prepare for action.” “March Order” 125 Changes of position during action. Why, how and when made. Economy of ammunition 125-126 Co-operation of artillery and other arms 126 Dummy emplacements 126 Horse artillery 126 Ranges, targets, ammunition employed, etc. 126 Oblique, enfilade and frontal fire 127 Moving across country to position 127 Supports for the artillery 127 Ranging and bracketing 127 ARTILLERY WITH ADVANCE GUARDS, REAR GUARDS AND OUTPOSTS 127-128 PROBLEM INVOLVING A BATTERY IN POSITION. (Duties of personnel. B. C. and auxiliary observing stations. Limbers and combat trains. Field trains. Communication. Moving to position, etc., etc.) 128-130 BATTALION OR LARGER UNIT IN ACTION 130-132 EMPLOYMENT OF HEAVY FIELD ARTILLERY 132-136 Heavy field ordnance of U. S. Army. Description, ranges, etc. 132-133 Organization and methods of fire 133-135 Tactical employment. Heavy artillery on the march 133-136 Motor transport 136 EMPLOYMENT OF MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY 136-138 Description of materiel. Tactical employment 136-138 ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY 138-139 Types of guns 138 Effective ranges 138 Observation and fire control 139 Function of anti-aircraft artillery 139 REMARKS CONCERNING THE TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF LIGHT FIELD ARTILLERY 139-143 Subdivision of battalions 140 Positions for artillery and combat trains 140 Concealment and covered approach to position 140-141 Positions between frontal and enveloping attacks 140 Positions for direct fire 140 Flash defilade 140 Ranges 141 Movements of artillery daring an action 141 Elimination of “dead space” 141 Reconnaissance 141 Battery commander’s station 141 Use of shrapnel and shell. Ranging 141 The artillery duel. Firing over heads of infantry 141 Proper targets for artillery. Co-operation with other arms 141 Place of artillery commander 142 General positions for artillery in attack and defense 142 Orders and instructions to artillery. What to include and what to omit 142-143