Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army Part 33

TO STRIKE COMMON, WALL, PYRAMIDAL, AND CONICAL WALL TENTS.

=STRIKE TENTS.=

The men first remove all pins except those of the four corner guy ropes, or the four quadrant guy ropes in the case of the conical wall tent. The pins are neatly piled or placed in their receptacle.

One man holds each guy, and when the ground is clear the tent is lowered, folded, or rolled and tied, the poles or tripod and pole fastened together, and the remaining pins collected.

TO FOLD TENTS.

For folding common, wall, hospital, and storage tents: Spread the tent flat on the ground, folded at the ridge so that bottoms of side walls are even, ends of tent forming triangles to the right and left; fold the triangular ends of the tent in toward the middle, making it rectangular in shape; fold the top over about 9 inches; fold the tent in two by carrying the top fold over clear to the foot; fold again in two from the top to the foot; throw all guys on tent except the second from each end; fold the ends in so as to cover about two-thirds of the second cloths; fold the left end over to meet the turned-in edge of the right end, then fold the right end over the top, completing the bundle; tie with the two exposed guys.

METHOD OF FOLDING PYRAMIDAL TENT.

The tent is thrown toward the rear and the back wall and roof canvas pulled out smooth. This may be most easily accomplished by leaving the rear-corner wall pins, in the ground with the wall loops attached, one man at each rear-corner guy, and one holding the square iron in a perpendicular position and pulling the canvas to its limit away from the former front of the tent. This leaves the three remaining sides of the tent on top of the rear side, with the door side in the middle.

Now carry the right-front corner over and lay it on the left-rear corner. Pull all canvas smooth, throw guys toward square iron, and pull bottom edges even. Then take the right-front corner and return to the right, covering the right-rear corner. This folds the right side of the tent on itself, with the crease in the middle and under the front side of tent.

Next carry the left-front corner to the right and back as described, above; this when completed will leave the front and rear sides of the tent lying smooth and flat and the two side walls folded inward, each on itself.

Place the hood in the square iron which has been folded downward toward the bottom of the tent, and continue to fold around the square iron as a core, pressing all folds down flat and smooth and parallel with the bottom of the tent. If each fold is compactly made and the canvas kept smooth, the last fold will exactly cover the lower edge of the canvas. Lay all exposed guys along the folded canvas except the two on the center width, which should be pulled out and away from bottom edge to their extreme length for tying. Now, beginning at one end, fold toward the center on the first seam (that joining the first and second widths) and fold again toward the center, so that the already folded canvas will come to within about 3 inches of the middle width. Then fold over to the opposite edge of middle width of canvas.

Then begin folding from opposite end, folding the first width in half, then making a second fold to come within about 4 or 5 inches of that already folded; turn this fold entirely over that already folded. Take the exposed guys and draw them taut across each other, turn bundle over on the under guy, cross guys on top of bundle, drawing tight.

Turn bundle over on the crossed guys and tie lengthwise.

When properly tied and pressed together this will make a package 11 by 23 by 34 inches, requiring about 8,855 cubic inches to store or pack.

Stencil the organization designation on the lower half of the middle width of canvas in the back wall.

CHAPTER VI.

FIELD SERVICE.

=Section 1. Principles of training.=

Inaction gives every advantage to the enemy.

The offensive alone gives decisive results.

A quick and energetic offensive minimizes losses.

An advance against the enemy's position once entered upon must be continued. To go back under fire is to die.

The best way to hold down the fire of the enemy and to diminish his power to inflict losses is to bring the position he occupies under well-conducted and continued fire.

Present as small a target as possible to the enemy by utilizing every bit of cover the ground affords.

Individual skill in marksmans.h.i.+p is an advantage in battle only when united with fire discipline and control.

Constant movement to the front lessens the effect of the enemy's fire.

Modern battles fought in the open show that the heaviest losses are in the mid and long ranges. When close range is reached the losses diminish rapidly.

The best protection against artillery fire is a constant but irregular movement to the front. When close to the enemy's position his fire is least effective.

A knowledge of how to use the bayonet and the will to use it must often be the deciding factors in battle.

Finally:

In training we can not go far wrong or fail to accomplish the best results if we keep before our minds the spirit as well as the wording of paragraph 352 of the Infantry Drill Regulations: "The duties of infantry are many and difficult. All infantry must be fit to cope with all conditions that may arise. Modern war requires but one kind of infantry--good infantry." Cavalry, dismounted, should be as efficient as infantry under all conditions of service.

=Section 2. Combat.=

The field of battle is the final test of the instruction, discipline, and efficiency of the fighting force of any army.

The squadron is the =attack unit= or the =defense unit=, whether operating alone or as part of a regiment. The troops const.i.tute the =firing line= and the =support=.

An individual soldier is concerned only with the enemy in his immediate front, in obeying orders, and instinctively doing what he has been trained to do.

=The one requisite necessary to win the battle is intelligent team work.= The army is handled just like a football team. A part is on the first line facing the enemy. Another part, like the half backs, is held back as supports. Another part, like the full backs, is held as a reserve. Each unit, like each player, has a certain duty to perform.

When the signal is given, all work together--all play the game--team work. The players consist of all branches of the service.

The same rule holds true down to the smallest unit and even to the individual enlisted man. Each regiment, is a team composed of three players--each a squadron. Each squadron is a team of four players--each a troop. In the same manner each troop is a team of two or more platoons; each platoon a team of two sections; and last, but not least, each section is a team of from 6 to 14 players.

The one question that always presents itself on the battle field every minute of the time to every person, whether he be a general or a private, is, "=What play has my team captain ordered, and how best may I act so as to work in conjunction with the other players to bring about the desired result?"--team play.=

To the trooper this means--

First. =Prompt and loyal obedience to the section leader.= Every section always has a team captain. If the section leader and corporal are killed or disabled, other players previously designated take their places. If no one was designated, then the private with the longest service takes command. When the section leader gives the command for a certain play, don't stop to think if the play is a good one, but do your very best to carry out the play as ordered. A poor play in which every player enters with his whole heart (team work) will often win, while, on the other hand, the best play in which some of the players are skulkers and s.h.i.+rkers will probably fail.

Second. =Never lose touch with your section.= Every individual, as well as every unit, should always be acting under the control of some higher commander. This is necessary if there is to be any unity of action. Therefore if you lose your section or it becomes broken up, join the first section you can find and obey your new section leader as loyally and as cheerfully as you did your own.

While yet several miles from the enemy's position the troops may come under artillery fire. On green men entering upon their fight, the sound of the projectile whistling through the air, the noise, flash, and smoke on the burst of the shrapnel, and the hum of the various pieces thereafter, all produce a very terrifying effect, but old soldiers soon learn to pay little attention to this, as the danger is not great.

THE MOUNTED ATTACK.

THE TROOP ACTING ALONE.

=639.= When the troop acting alone charges it is ordinarily divided into two parts, viz, the =attacking line= and the =reserve=, but a platoon is never kept in rear except when the captain so directs.

If the attacking line, or reserve, consists of only one platoon, it is led by its chief; if it consists of two or more platoons, it is led by the senior chief of platoon or by the captain.