Manual of Military Training Part 36

=603. Formation of support on march.= The formation of an artillery support depends upon circ.u.mstances. On the march it may often be necessary to provide advance, flank, and rear protection. The country must be thoroughly reconnoitered by patrols within long rifle range.

(581)

=604. Formation and location of support in action.= In action, the formation and location of the support must be such as to gain and give timely information of the enemy's approach and to offer actual resistance to the enemy beyond effective rifle range of the artillery's flanks. It should not be close enough to the artillery to suffer from fire directed at the artillery. In most cases a position somewhat to the flank and rear best fulfills these conditions. (582)

=605. Support charged only with protection of artillery.= The support commander is charged only with the protection of the artillery. The tactical employment of each arm rests with its commander. The two should cooperate. (583)

MINOR WARFARE

=606. What minor warfare embraces; regular operations.= Minor warfare embraces both regular and irregular operations.

Regular operations consist of minor actions involving small bodies of trained and organized troops on both sides.

The tactics employed are in general those prescribed for the smaller units. (596)

=607. Irregular operations.= Irregular operations consist of actions against unorganized or partially organized forces, acting independent or semi independent bodies. Such bodies have little or only crude training and are under nominal and loose leaders.h.i.+p and control. They a.s.semble, roam about, and disperse at will. They endeavor to win by stealth or by force of superior numbers, employing ambuscades, sudden dashes or rushes, and hand-to-hand fighting. (597)

Troops operating against such an enemy usually do so in small units, such as platoons, detachments, or companies, and the tactics employed must be adapted to meet the requirements of the situation. Frequently the enemy's own methods may be employed to advantage.

In general, such operations should not be undertaken hastily; every preparation should be made to strike suddenly and to inflict the maximum punishment.

=608. March and bivouac formations to admit of rapid action in any direction.= In general, the service of information will be insufficient; adequate reconnaissance will rarely be practicable.

March and bivouac formations must be such as to admit of rapid deployment and fire action in any direction. (598)

=609. Formation in open country.= In the open country, where surprise is not probable, troops may be marched in column of squads preceded, within sight, by a squad as an advance party. (599)

=610. Formation in close country.= In close country, where surprise is possible, the troops must be held in a close formation. The use of flank patrols becomes difficult. Occasionally, an advance party--never less than a squad--may be sent out. In general, however, such a party accomplishes little, since an enemy intent on surprise will permit it to pa.s.s unmolested and will fall upon the main body.

Under such conditions, especially when the road or trail is narrow, the column of twos or files is a convenient formation, the officers placing themselves in the column so as to divide it into nearly equal parts. If rushed from a flank, such a column will be in readiness to face and fire toward either or both flanks, the ranks being back to back; if rushed from the front, the head of the column may be deployed, the rest of the column closing up to support it and to protect its flanks and rear. In any event, the men should be taught to take some form of a closed back to back formation. (600)

=611. Dividing column on march into two or more separate detachments.= The column may often be broken into two or more approximately equal detachments separated on the march by distances of 50 to 100 yards. As a rule the detachments should not consist of less than 25 men each.

With this arrangement of the column, it will rarely be possible for an enemy to close simultaneously with all of the detachments, one or more being left unengaged and under control to support those engaged or to inflict severe punishment upon the enemy when he is repulsed. (601)

=612. Selection of site for camp or bivouac; protection.= The site for camp or bivouac should be selected with special reference to economical and effective protection against surprise. Double sentinels are posted on the avenues of approach, and the troops sleep in readiness for instant action. When practicable, troops should be instructed in advance as to what they are to do in case of attack at night. (602)

=613. Night operations frequently advisable.= Night operations are frequently advisable. With the small forces employed, control is not difficult. Irregular troops rarely provide proper camp protection, and they may frequently be surprised and severely punished by a properly conducted night march and attack. (603)

CEREMONIES

General Rules for Ceremonies

=614. Order in which troops are arranged for ceremonies; commander faces command; subordinates face to front.= The order in which the troops of the various arms are arranged for ceremonies is prescribed by Army Regulations.

When forming for ceremonies the companies of the battalion and the battalions of the regiment are posted from right to left in line and from head to rear in column, in the order of rank of their respective commanders present in the formation, the senior on the right or at the head.

The commander faces the command; subordinate commanders face to the front. (708)

=615. Saluting by lieutenant colonel and staffs.= At the command present arms, given by the colonel, the lieutenant colonel, and the colonel's staff salute; the major's staff salute at the major's command. Each staff returns to the carry or order when the command =order arms= is given by its chief. (709)

=616. Formation of companies, battalion and regiment.= At the =a.s.sembly= for a ceremony companies are formed on their own parades and informally inspected, as prescribed in par. 646.

At =adjutant's call=, except for ceremonies involving a single battalion, each battalion is formed on its own parade, reports are received, and the battalion presented to the major, as laid down in par. 308. At the second sounding of adjutant's call the regiment is formed. (710)

REVIEWS

General Rules

=617. Indication of points where column changes direction; flank to pa.s.s 12 paces from reviewing officer; post of reviewing officer and others.= The adjutant posts men or otherwise marks the points where the column changes direction in such manner that its flank in pa.s.sing will be about 12 paces from the reviewing officer.

The post of the reviewing officer, usually opposite the center of the line, is indicated by a marker.

Officers of the same or higher grade, and distinguished personages invited to accompany the reviewing officer, place themselves on his left; their staffs and orderlies place themselves respectively on the left of the staff and orderlies of the reviewing officer; all others who accompany the reviewing officer place themselves on the left of his staff, their orderlies in rear. A staff officer is designated to escort distinguished personages and to indicate to them their proper positions, as prescribed in par. 73. (711)

=618. Riding around the troops; saluting the color; reviewing officer returns only salute of commanding officer of troops.= While riding around the troops, the reviewing officer may direct his staff, flag and orderlies to remain at the post of the reviewing officer, or that only his personal staff and flag shall accompany him; in either case the commanding officer alone accompanies the reviewing officer. If the reviewing officer is accompanied by his entire staff, the staff officers of the commander place themselves on the right of the staff of the reviewing officer.

The reviewing officer and others at the reviewing stand salute the color as it pa.s.ses; when pa.s.sing around the troops, the reviewing officer and those accompanying him salute the color when pa.s.sing in front of it.

The reviewing officer returns the salute of the commanding officer of the troops only. Those who accompany the reviewing officer do not salute. (712)

=619. Saluting by staffs.= In pa.s.sing in review, each staff salutes with its commander. (713)

=620. Turning out of column by commanding officer of troops and staff.= After saluting the reviewing officer, the commanding officer of the troops turns out of the column, takes post on the right of the reviewing officer, and returns saber; the members of his staff accompanying him take post on the right of the reviewing officer's staff and return saber. When the rear element of his command has pa.s.sed, without changing his position, the commanding officer of the troops salutes the reviewing officer; he and the members of his staff accompanying him then draw saber and rejoin his command. The commanding officer of the troops and the members of his staff are the only ones who turn out of the column. (714)

=621. Turning out of column by commanding officer of troops and staff.= If the person reviewing the command is not mounted, the commanding officer and his staff on turning out of the column after pa.s.sing the reviewing officer dismount preparatory to taking post. In such case, the salute of the commanding officer, prior to rejoining his command, is made with the hand before remounting. (715)

=622. Salute by regimental color.= When the rank of the reviewing officer ent.i.tles him to the honor, each regimental color salutes at the command =present arms=, given or repeated by the major of the battalion with which it is posted; and again in pa.s.sing in review.

(716)

=623. The band.= The band of an organization plays while the reviewing officer is pa.s.sing in front of and in rear of the organization.

Each band, immediately after pa.s.sing the reviewing officer, turns out of the column, takes post in front of and facing him, continues to play until its regiment has pa.s.sed, then ceases playing and follows in rear of its regiment; the band of the following regiment commences to play as soon as the preceding band has ceased.

While marching in review but one band in each brigade plays at a time, and but one band at a time when within 100 paces of the reviewing officer. (717)

=624. The national air, to the color, march, flourishes or ruffles,--when played.= If the rank of the reviewing officer ent.i.tles him to the honor, the band plays the prescribed =national air=, or the field music sounds =to the color=, =march=, =flourishes= or =ruffles= when arms are presented. When pa.s.sing in review at the moment the regimental color salutes, the musicians halted in front of the reviewing officer, sound =to the color=, =march=, =flourishes= or =ruffles=. (718)

=625. Modifications of the review.= The formation for review may be modified to suit the ground, and the =present arms= and the ride around the line by the reviewing officer may be dispensed with. (719)

=626. When post of reviewing officer is on left of column.= If the post of the reviewing officer is on the left of the column, the troops march in review with the guide left; the commanding officer and his staff turn out of the column to the left, taking post as prescribed above, but to the left of the reviewing officer; in saluting, the captains give the command: =1. Eyes, 2. LEFT.= (720)

=627. Cadence at which troops pa.s.s in review.= Except in the review of a single battalion, the troops pa.s.s in review in quick time only.

(721)

=628. Reviews of brigades or larger commands; action of battalions after pa.s.sing reviewing officer.= In reviews of brigades or larger commands, each battalion, after the rear has pa.s.sed the reviewing officer 50 paces, takes the double time for 100 yards in order not to interfere with the march of the column in rear; if necessary, it then turns out of the column and returns to camp by the most practicable route; the leading battalion of each regiment is followed by the other units of the regiment. (722)