The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-12-09
ARMY TACTICS CHANGED.

lty only nalI dozen years before
being superseded by Casey's, and in
another half dozen years Casey had
given way to Upton. Now Upton in
his turn is to be superseded, yet
only after much longer period of
use, during which important changes
in military appliances have called for
revised methods in the handling OF
troops. The new drill regulations
which, having been approved by the
War Department, are now passing
through the press have q peculiar
history. While preceding systems
were each the work of q single olli-
Ger, submitted to the review of a
board of distinguished experts or of
the War Department, the present
tactics were framed by board con.
sisting wholly of regimental and
company officers of the three arms.
no general officer being q member.
Gen. Schofield and the War Depart
ment have accepted the work as the
board presented it, although, doubt
less, some suggestions of critics,
made while the system was put forth
tentatively for that purpose, were of
use to the board in its final revision.
OF course, the purpose aimed at
has been increased simplicity, direct
ness and rapidity OF execution as
BELTS modern warfare. The greatest
change is in the battle tactics, where
the new extended order is de-
veloped and new methods are
adopted for supporting and feeding
the front line from the forces in the
rear. The unit is the squad Of four
files, consisting of seven men and
their corporal or squad leader. "The
squad is the basis of extended or
der" says the new tactics. "Men
will be taught to regard the squad as
the unit from which they ought never
to be separated; but, if the squad
should be broken up or the men be-
come separated, they place them
selves under the orders OF the near
est leader and remain with his squad
as if it was the one to which they
originally belonged" Commissioned
officers are also TO give their atten-
ton to preserving the integrity OF the
squads; "they appoint new leaders
to replace those that are disabled,
organize new squads when necessary
and see that every man is placed in
a squad. " A further indication of
the Importance of the squad is the
elaborate system of instructing it.
In this squad drill there is a special
series of exercises in Arguments,
marchings, loadings and firing and
bayonet exercises. The men are to
be changed about from one place to
another in the squad, so as to be-
come familiar with it, and one
object OF the prescribed exercises
is 10 accustom the corporal to
command as squad leader Even
the company is described as
grouped into squads under the
leadership and Immediate control OF
the nOn-commissoned officers" and
IN general, the selgeants and corpo-
rails are raised by the new tactics in
Importance and in the reliance placed
upon them during combat. The
section is used IN the extended order
drills, but not in close order, two or
three squads forming a section,
under a sergeant as its chief.
In the manual OF arms various
hitherto made to and
from the carry can now be made,
also, to and from order arms. Thus,
the soldier can pass immediately
from right shoulde" arms to order
arms, and from order to right shout
der. He can pass directly from
order arms to artus port-or rather
port arms" as it is now called. La
the firing the ''order kneellng," or
kneeling at order arms, is carefully
taught. If the troops are at order
they carry the piece to the right
at the preparatory com
mand for marching, and at halt
they bring the piece to the order. If
they are at the order, and facings,
side step, back step, alignments,
open and closed ranks, or loadings
are commanded, the piece is simply
raised to trail arms, the required
executed, and order arms
then resumed. AS for support arms,
reverse arms, and rest on arms, they
are no longer in the manual. Trail
arms, left shoulder arms, secure
arms, and sling arms, being mainly
or use in route marches and ex-
ended order, are hereafter to be
executed simply in the most con-
Fenent way, with regular motions,
md cadence in them is prohibited.
Sling arms" is new and is based on
he fact that the gun sling is to come
nto general use for singing the rifle
ipon the left shoulder in route
marches.
We may further note that the
are abolished, save, of
in columns of fours or of |
lies, and the quickly-performed
light and-left turns take their place.
Common time is abolished, while
luick time is increased from ITO !
teps per minute to 120, and double
mick from 1913 to 1870. Since. also. |