Part 14
The class is now conducted along the route of march, for a distance of several hundred yards, to a place where entirely new terrain is available and where the lay of the land is such that a march outpost may be established.
The class is halted and the Director passes out the slips bearing Situation No. 7.
The Problem
=Situation No. 7=:
It is assumed that the advance guard has been marching for two hours since the march was resumed after the enemy patrol was encountered. During this time enemy scouts have been observed from time to time, but they have not attempted to interfere with the march of the column.
You, Captain A, are marching at the head of the support. When you arrive at this point the signal “HALT” is received from the rear. You halt and relay the signal forward. A moment later the battalion adjutant joins you and states: “The column will halt for one hour. The major directs that the advance guard provide for the security of the command for that time.”
_Required_:
What action do you, Captain A, take?
Procedure
The Director reads the situation aloud and makes any explanation that may appear to him to be necessary.
Explanation
_The Director_: “When a column on the march halts for any considerable length of time the advance guard continues its covering duty by forming march outposts. These are simply patrols sent out to the front and flanks, a certain distance, where they halt and remain there until ordered to continue the march or until they are recalled.
“The advance party usually furnishes these patrols which are sent out on the routes by which the enemy may approach. The support is posted at some central point from which it may readily reinforce any group that may be threatened by the enemy.
“In a situation like this the question always comes up as to how the advance guard commander will issue his orders for the establishment of the march outposts—that is, whether he will do it by a message to the several elements or whether he will issue an order and have copies made and sent out.
“If the message system is employed, the advance guard commander will have to include the new information of the enemy and our own troops and give the order to the element. All of this is accomplished by issuing a simple five paragraph order and sending it out. This is more expeditious than message writing. The commander has all the information he requires, and he is given definite instructions as to what he, himself, is to do. The order method is favored.”
Solution
_The Director_: “Captain Hall, how do you size up the situation?”
_Captain Hall_: “The mission of the advance guard now is to continue to provide protection to the main body by establishing a march outpost. Enemy scouts have been observed from time to time, but they have not interfered with the march. We have no information regarding any considerable force of the enemy.
“Our main body is halted and will remain so for at least an hour. Our advance guard is so disposed that it will be able to take up its new formation without confusion. The advance party can cover the main road and, in general, the head of the column. Our patrols, of which I assume there are two on the exposed flank, will form march outguards and protect that flank. I would send out another patrol of one squad to cover the other flank and prevent enemy scouts from working around there and observing the main body.
“My decision is to form a march outpost.”
_The Director_: “What Captain Hall has said constitutes Captain A’s ‘Estimate of the Situation.’ These are the points that would flash through his mind as soon as he gets the information that the halt is to be made. Lieutenant Barry, what is now necessary to put the decision into effect?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “It is necessary to issue an order.”
_The Director_: “How would you go about this?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “I would assemble the two platoon commanders, the platoon sergeants and the first sergeant, and have them write down my order in their message books. This would give me a sufficient number of copies for all purposes.”
_The Director_: “This shows the necessity for a company commander having some means whereby several copies of an order may be made by a duplicating process—carbon paper. I believe the plan of having the first sergeant or a clerk carry a duplicating book would solve the problem. Now, Lieutenant Hunt, you may dictate Captain A’s order.”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “In order to save a repetition and at the same time let all of the company with the support know what is going on I would have the men give me their attention. My order would be:
“‘There is no further information of the enemy. Our battalion halts for one hour.
“‘The advance guard will establish march outposts.
“‘The advance party will be posted on the main road and cover the head of the column.
“‘The two flank patrols on the —— flank will be posted as march outguards and cover that flank.
“‘Sergeant Hamilton with the Fourth Squad, 2nd Platoon, will establish a march outguard on the —— flank in the vicinity (point out location) and cover the —— flank of the column. The support will be posted here.
“‘Messages to Support.’”
_The Director_: “That seems to cover the situation. Now, how would you get this order out to all the people to whom it should go?”
_Lieutenant Hunt_: “I would send it to Lieutenant W by a runner. I would send it out to the flank patrols by the section guide of the 3rd Platoon and direct him to make an inspection of the dispositions out there so as to make sure they are in position to carry out their mission. I would send it to the battalion commander by a runner.”
_The Director_: “So much for the distribution of the order. What would you do now, Lieutenant Barry?”
_Lieutenant Barry_: “I would now see that Sergeant Hamilton gets started on his mission, and then I would post sentinels at the support to watch out for signals from the various detachments that are out.”
_The Director_: “I believe that would meet the situation very well.”
Explanation
_The Director_: “Before terminating this Terrain Exercise I want to invite the attention of the members of the class to the multitude of small details that infantry commanders have to attend to in a problem so simple as the one we have had under consideration today. Let us suppose we have an active and aggressive enemy opposing our advance, and you can see how these details would multiply. The point I want to bring up is that, unless officers and non-commissioned officers prepare themselves for this duty by study and practice, they have not a chance of being able to meet these problems intelligently in active service. You must know what to do under any given situation, and you must know how to go about doing it. The commander who hesitates, gives his orders and then changes them several times, soon loses the confidence of his men and will eventually find himself replaced by another man who has taken advantage of his opportunities to learn the game and has the ability to carry it out. The best way I know of to acquire this knowledge is by actual practice along the lines that we have gone today.”
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=Advance Guard= =Card No. 7=
=Director’s Key=
1. Hand out slips bearing Situation No. 7. Read situation and make any necessary explanations.
2. Explain what advance guard does when the column halts. State relative advantages and disadvantages of message and order systems.
3. Estimate of the situation, mission, enemy, own troops, plans of action, decision.
4. Captain A’s orders. Five-paragraph order. Distribution of order.
5. Remarks on necessity for study and practice.
* * * * *
_Terrain Exercise No. 6._ A Flank Guard
The Problem
=Special Situation—Blue=:
A regiment of Blue infantry, operating in hostile country, is marching on the (_a_)-(_b_) road, towards (_c_).
The support of the advance guard, composed of Companies A and B (less 1 platoon, Company B), is this time at (_d_). The reserve, consisting of the remainder of the battalion, is following at a distance of about 400 yards and the main body follows the reserve at a distance of 500 yards.
A (_e_) flank guard, consisting of the 3rd platoon, Company B, has arrived at this point (_f_) marching on the (_g_)-(_h_) road.
A force of the enemy is reported in the vicinity of (_i_) and detachments of mounted men have been operating in the direction of (_j_).
=Situation No. 1=:
You, Lieutenant A, commanding the (_e_) flank guard, and marching at the head of the main body of your command, have arrived at this point (_f_).
_Required_:
What is the formation of your (_e_) flank guard at this moment?
(Note.—The platoon is organized in accordance with column 8 T. O. 28-W. See Appendix I.)
Explanation of Letter Symbols
(_a_)-(_b_) The road on which the Blue regiment is marching. In military orders and problems roads are designated by naming places located on them. For example, the Longs-Emmitsburg-Fairplay road would mean the main road passing through these places. When military maps are made all cross-roads and road-forks should be numbered and all hills and other prominent topographical features either designated by their local names or given letter designations. This will greatly facilitate their designation in orders and messages. When maps have grid lines on them the location of points may be designated by the use of coordinates.
(_c_) Some point, a number of miles distant, in the direction in which the troops are marching.
(_d_) The point on the main road where the support of the advance guard of the column has arrived. It should be about abreast of (_f_), (see below).
(_e_) The designation of the flank guard, right or left.
(_f_) The point at which the flank guard is supposed to have arrived. The point where the Terrain Exercise is to begin.
(_g_)-(_h_) The road on which it is intended that the flank guard is to march and along which the Terrain Exercise is to be conducted. This road should lie approximately parallel to and not more than a mile distant from the road on which the main body is marching. If no such network of roads exist, the Director may explain to the class the conditions and assume that the nearest road is about a mile distant and work out the problem on that assumption. This procedure strains the situation a little and robs it of some of its reality. The members of the class will have to make the best of it and will have to draw upon their imagination to picture it.
(_i_) A locality some miles distant in the direction of which the Blue force is marching.
(_j_) Localities or places some distance to the flank of the Blue force and in the direction of the road on which the flank guard is marching.
Procedure
The members of the class are conducted to (_f_) where the Terrain Exercise is to begin.
The Director distributes the sheets containing the Special Situation Blue and the Situation No. 1. A few minutes are allowed the members of the class to look them over. The Director then reads the problem aloud, the members of the class following from the copy in their possession, and makes such explanation as may be necessary. One or more members of the class are called upon to state their understanding of the tactical situation.
Explanation
_The Director_: “Before going ahead with this exercise I want to make a few remarks about a flank guard.
“Ordinarily the flanks of a column on the march may be protected by small patrols sent out from time to time from the advance guard. There are occasions, however, when patrols will not suffice, as in the present situation, where it is known that hostile troops are operating on the flank of our line of march. In this case it is necessary to send out a stronger detachment to march parallel to the route of the main body. This detachment is denominated a _Flank Guard_ and is an element in the system of covering troops provided for the protection of a marching column.
“The flank guard marches abreast of the column and assumes the general formation of an advance guard, having a point thrown out to the front, followed by the remainder of the detachment, much as an advance party and support. Patrols are sent out to the exposed flank whenever necessary, and communication is maintained with the main body by means of small patrols or connecting files. In some cases it may be necessary to detach a small rear guard, as in the case where a flank guard has been attacked by a comparatively large force of the enemy and has taken up a position to hold them off until the main body can pass the danger point and the flank guard resume its march.
“The general duties of the flank guard are much the same as those of an advance guard; that is, to do everything possible to provide for the uninterrupted progress of the main body. All other duties are incidental to this and all have this prime object in view.”
Solution
_The Director_: “Lieutenant Williams, into what parts is your flank guard divided at this time?”
_Lieutenant Williams_: “I would have an advance party and a support. Each element would consist of one section of three squads each. From the advance party a point consisting of one squad would be sent to the front.”
_The Director_: “Had you thought of a formation in which the whole platoon is kept intact as one body with only a point of one squad out in front?”
_Lieutenant Williams_: “Yes, sir. I had considered that possible formation and abandoned the idea because we can cover more road space with the formation that I have adopted and the more road space the flank guard can cover without undue dispersion the more of the column of the main body it covers and protects.”
_The Director_: “All right. Now let us assume that we adopt your formation of an advance party with a squad as point and the second section as a support. What is the formation of your point, Captain Hastings?”
_Captain Hastings_: “It would be in the ‘Boni Point’ formation, the men marching on alternate sides of the road with a distance of about 20 yards between them.”
_The Director_: “I think that formation would be just right for this occasion. What is the next element of the flank guard?”
_Captain Hastings_: “The connecting files, sir.”
_The Director_: “How many of them?”
_Captain Hastings_: “I would have two at least.”
_The Director_: “Wouldn’t one man be sufficient as a connecting file?”
_Captain Hastings_: “At this particular point one man would, but there are places on this road where one man would not be able to keep up the communication, and to make sure of that being done all the time I would detail two men. The duty is no more arduous than marching with the point or the advance party, and I do not consider that it is any hardship.”
_The Director_: “Lieutenant Wallace, what would be the distance from the rear man of the point to the head of the advance party?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “About two hundred yards.”
_The Director_: “What would be the distance from the advance party to the head of the support?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “I would have that about 350 yards.”
_The Director_: “You will want to keep in communication with the main body on the (_a_)-(_b_) road. How would you accomplish that?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “I would send out two men to march so that they can see the main body and the flank guard. I realize that they cannot do this all the time but they will be able to do it at sufficiently frequent intervals to keep both bodies informed if anything unusual happens.”
_The Director_: “Would you have a patrol out on the exposed flank at this time?”
(Note.—The answer to this question will depend upon the lay of the country on the exposed flank. If it is close, a patrol will be necessary. If it is open to the limit of effective rifle fire a patrol would not be necessary. In any event, the Director should bring out the principles stated below, at some point in the Terrain Exercise.)
“No, sir; I do not see the necessity for a patrol on the exposed flank at the present. We can see all the country to the limit of effective rifle range from the road, and I think a patrol there would be a waste of men. If, later on, the topography should demand it, I would send out such patrols as may be necessary. At what distance they would march from the column cannot be stated. It would depend entirely upon the country. They would have to go out far enough to see something more than can be seen from the road, if they are to be of any use.”
_The Director_: “You are exactly right. I think all the members of the class will agree with you. There is no necessity for wearing men out on flank patrol duty, beating their way over rough country and climbing fences, when they accomplish no useful purpose. Never order a disposition unless there is a sound tactical reason for it. Then when the time comes your men are ready to put forth superhuman efforts, if need be, to help you accomplish your mission. On the solution of these small problems in actual service rests your success or failure as a tactical leader of men. You must remember that it is the combination of these small tactical situations that go to make up the big maneuvers.”
_The Director_: “What would be the march formation of the support, Lieutenant Ralston.”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “I would have three squads in the support. I would have them march with a column of files on each side of the road. I would have two squads on this side of the road towards the enemy and one squad on the other side.”
_The Director_: “What are the advantages of this formation?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “It makes easier marching than in a column of squads; the column is not so vulnerable to enemy fire; if a deployment to the front is necessary it may readily be effected by deploying the leading squad of each column to the right and left respectively and deploying the rear squad of the column towards the enemy in rear of them. If a deployment to the flank towards the enemy is necessary it is practically already made for we have two squads on that flank now, and all the men will have to do is get a little more interval, the squad on the side of the road away from the enemy will get their proper interval and are in the right position for a small reserve; and deployments can be made without any confusion in case of sudden attack.”
_The Director_: “I think we can all agree that you have the proper formation. Now, I want each member of the class to draw a rough sketch of the road at this point and show on it the detailed formation of the flank guard. Make the scale large so you can show the details.”
Procedure
When the sketches are completed the Director distributes a mimeographed sketch showing the disposition of the flank guard in order that the members of the class may compare their sketches with it.
* * * * *
=Flank Guard= =Card No. 1=
=Director’s Key=
1. Conduct class to place where the Terrain Exercise is to begin. Distribute the problem. Read and explain. Have members of class explain their understanding of the problem.
2. Explain necessity for employment of a flank guard:—protection of exposed flank; where march; formation; patrols; rear guard; duties.
3. Solution:—formation; advance party and support; covers more road space; dispersion; formation of point; connecting files; distances between elements; communication with main body.
4. Flank patrols:—necessity for; do not use except when necessary.
5. Marching formation of support. Advantages of column of files on each side of the road:—easy marching; invulnerability to enemy fire; deployments facilitated.
6. Have class make sketch; distribute sheets showing solution and compare with sketches made.
* * * * *
Procedure
The class is conducted along the road on which the flank guard is supposed to be marching to the point where a road leading from the flank where the enemy is reported, enters it. It may be assumed that the flank guard has marched a mile or more to reach this point.
The Director distributes the sheets bearing Situation No. 2, to the members of the class.
The Problem
=Situation No. 2=:
You, Lieutenant A, commanding the flank guard, and marching at the head of the support, are approaching this road fork. The flank guard is now marching abreast of the interval between the reserve of the advance guard and the head of the main body of the column on the (_a_)-(_b_) road. There has been no contact with the enemy.
_Required_:
What action do you take?
Procedure
The Director reads over the problem and makes such explanation as may be necessary.
_The Director_: “Captain Harvey, how do you size up the situation at this time?”
_Captain Harvey_: “The mission of the flank guard is the protection of this flank of the column marching on the (_a_)-(_b_) road, and provide for its uninterrupted progress. The enemy has been reported out on this flank (_pointing_). He will naturally take advantage of roads leading towards the Blue column to facilitate his operations. The road we are approaching leads from the direction of the enemy and must be watched until our main column has passed the danger point. We are marching abreast of the interval between the advance guard and the main body of our main column. This road will have to be watched until the main body passes beyond it. The road space occupied by the main body of the column would be about 2,900 yards, including field train of the regiment and excluding the combat train of the 1st brigade. The column will pass a given point at the rate of about 88 yards per minute. It will therefore take about 32 minutes for the main body to pass.
“My decision would be to send a patrol out on the road to the —— (direction).”
_The Director_: “Your estimate seems to cover the necessary points and I think we can agree that you have arrived at the proper decision. Just a mention of this ‘Estimate of the Situation.’ It is a logical process of thought involving the elements just mentioned by Captain Harvey, terminating in a tactical decision. This is what you have to do in the solution of all tactical problems. The patrol leader does it in every move of his patrol. The platoon as a flank guard requires the same process on the part of the platoon leader. The company commander, as commander of the advance party of an advance guard, must consider these same elements in the conduct of his covering detachment. It is the same with the battalion commander, the regimental commander, and on up to the commander of a division. When you are presented with a tactical situation for solution, figure out all the elements of it; your mission, your situation with respect to the enemy, the influence of the terrain, and then arrive at a clean-cut decision as to what you are going to do. Captain Hodges, what would be the strength of the patrol?”
_Captain Hodges_: “I would make it one squad. I think that would be about right.”
_The Director_: “Whom would you detail in charge of the patrol?”
_Captain Hodges_: “Sergeant Wilkins, the left guide of the platoon.”
_The Director_: “When would you issue your orders for the patrol?”
_Captain Hodges_: “As we march along I will call Sergeant Wilkins to the head of the support and give him his orders as we march along. That would do away with the necessity for halting the column while I am giving the orders.”
_The Director_: “Now, Captain James, tell us just how you would give the orders to the patrol and just what you would say.”
_Captain James_: “As we approach the cross-road I will call Sergeant Wilkins to join me. As we march along I will give him the orders for the patrol: