The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-20

Sti Aito' lAIIG were bilS tONen'A SNNNA'NA and the long range magazine rifles and there also were the trained soldiers. One of the main objects of these tactics or drill regulations" as they are called, except when they are applied on the battleteld-is to preserve the of cers uninjured as long as possible. More reliance Is now placed on the intelligence of the privates, and par ticularty of the commissioned officers, than in the old days Of shoulder -to-shoulder formation. Con- duct that would have fastened the name of coward" upon an officer in the civil war is, in sense, made com pulsory to-day; that is while he is still to inspire his men by example when occasion demands, he, Is for the most part to maintain a fixed position with relation to his subordinates, and is to keep behind shelter if he can, Thus all movements can be intelligently directed-a knowledge of which fact is more encouraging to the men than the physical presence of the officer at their elbows. The non- commissioned have immediate charge of the men and
 
 as never were dreamed of in the old days. An eminent English writer said, at the time the new regulations were adopted in his army, that in actual warfare, after the men, the non-com- missioned officers would be most eX- posed the Lieutenants next, the Captails next, and so on; which is as it shou.k be.
 To illustrate the idea of the present battle formation, take one company alone. The principle is the same for the battalion regiment, Sc. In each company there are four Sections, each under the immediate command of a sergeant. The sections are divided into squads which are under the com mand of corporals. At the beginning of the formation, for the offensive, one of these sections is designated as the reserve, another as the support and two as the firing line, or in any other proportion as may seem best. The first lieutenant commands the reserve, the second the firing line, and captain S post is near the support, with a bugler beside him to give signals, also the first h'Ni to NeNlAI ShiIu llly NIlu lIlely bG dCoiS- | mated to carry messages. If he quits that post for a moment, he leaves word where he can be found.
 | intelligence of the privates, and parti- | A few scouts are sent forward first. After they have gone 150 feet, the firing | line advances the section gradually | separating and widening the intervals | between them till they subdivide into | squads and the squads in turn separate | into skirmishers, who are about feet apart when on the firing line proper. | yards behind the first line, ready to | deploy and advance to the skirmishers, and the reserve keeps about 100 yards in the rear of the support, ready for | flank attacks or to reinforce the first line. Every man is taught to take ad- | vantage of rocks, bushes and the like | for cover. One object is to get as near as possible without being discovered, | then to locate the enemy's fire and to | deceive him as to the strength of
 the attacking party. The wide inter-
 vals save the men from being moved | down by the enemy.
 | hc llIluS pSSlllS SiI etl Oluel lIOill the captain. The skirmishers halt when they fire. Gradually now, as | they advance, they close in toward the l centre to make room for the support on the Hanks. The support meanwhile | draws nearer till it joins the first line. 1 Then there is rush forward. The | lieutenant, giving | the instructions
 while the men are lying down behind | cover, commands: Advance by
 rushes; third section, fire two Cor three) volleys; second section, forward!' The
 sergeant of the third section gives the commands for the volleys. As soon as
 the first is fired and under partial
 cover of it's smoke the chief of the
 second section orders his men forward | at double time. When they have gone
 about fifteen yards, or to cover if there
 is any, he causes them to lie down and | fire two or three volleys. On the first
 volley the third section rushes forward | fifteen feet in advance of thessecond ] section and fires. The second section
 advances as before and so it is con- | tinued. When all the men are on the
 line, each lieutenant takes position be- | i is in the rear of the centre. Having | chosen a suitable position from which
 to make the assault, the captain com-
 mands: Rapid fire!' The lieutenants thereupon order the men to fix bayo-
 nets and to lay down the sights of
 their pieces, after which they give the commands for the firing. To charge,
 the captain signals to cease firing and l commands; ''To the charge, marchn' | The men rise and advance in double | time. When they are about thirty yards from the enemy, he commands:
 "Chargel"
 l Our tactics differ from those of the l English Army in only one important particular With the former when
 it is necessary to advance support and reserve and prepare for the charge the first line falls back and the other de- | ployed pass to the front through the l intervals in the retiring first line. The 1 theory there is that the first line may 1 be too exhausted to go on to the ! charge. With our army the first line
 remains at the front, the reserve join- | ing 1t in the intervals and on the