The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-10
MODERN FIELD TACTICS.

MODERN FEEL TACTICS.
Considered in Connection with tho Large
Percentage OF Onicers Slain.
From 1e Hartford Cour an.
What astonishes all who have made q study
OF modern field tactics is the large number Of
officers among the killed and wounded at Santi-
ago. In the first official list ten OF the seven
teen killed were officers and the percentage
among the wounded is hardly less.
No battle in any part Of tho world. probably.
could have furnished a better test OF the new
tactics. made necessary by the improvement In
firearms. There were the rough ground and
the long range magazine rifles. and there also
were the trained soldiers. One OF the main OBJ
jects OF these tactics-or drill regulations" as
they are called. except when they are applied
on the battle1eld-is to preserve the Of
GERS %uninjured as long as possible. More
reliance Is now placed on the intelligence
OF the privates. and particularly Of the
non-commissioned officers. than In the old days
OF shoulder formation. Conduct
that would have fastened the name Of cow
ar" upon an officer In the civil war Is, in q
sense. made compulsory 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 o fixed position with relation to his
subordinates. and is to keep behind shelter IL
he can. Thus all movements can be intelli-
gently directed-a knowledge OF which fact Is
more encouraging to the men than the physi-
cal presence Of the oflcer at their elbows. The
non-commissioned officers have immediate
charge OF the men. and opportunities are open
old days. An eminent English writer said. at
the time tho new regulations were adopted in
his his army Ic that t. in actual actual W USFd I after after the he men,
exposed. the Lieutenants next. the Captains
next %t e And 80 on on ,E which tdai is oafs is should be, ,..,,
f eipEe IS Tie eH sam Sei for soH shes bat aiSGsi ,r rSf Pe1n,
each under the Immediate command OF q Ser
geant. The sections are divided into squads
Corporate, At the beginning Of the formation.
for the offensive, one OF these sections is desig;
t ton as as f may Ts saen i BEST or 4 fR aq First Sth fleaPt ESRS5t
commando the reserve. the Second the firing
1 Wlth; aba q bu sde i beside Sh{RmDS tt to IS e assf sic n sIlpp siso
the First Sergeant and any. who may be desig-
for a moment. he leaves word where he can Be
FOUND: - 49,.
they have gone i566 feet. the + firing line SAD ad.
vances. the sections gradually separating and
TiSSSSPf!RE f insd ip saaSds a ssfT the sa tsS39 tn III t taSg
separate into skimishers, who are about o feet
apart npnl s when tEs o on the e fp pban ii9 e PToP per hs Ihe sup up
skirmishers, and the reserve keeps about 100
attacks or to reinforce the first line. Every
man is taught to take advantage Of rocks.
get as near as possible without being discov-
cred, then to locate the enemy's fire and to de-
G Ss I've hin In as w t. the tSts s It snT Of the alta attacking King
being moved down by the enemy;
The firing begins ut an order from the Cap
Gradually now, as they advance. they close in
toward the centre to make room for the sup
SS9 PaaSxso. on ne are 4 I'll i Joins Hns t SSSpRRP fs} l msanT TRes
there, is a rush forward, The Lieutenant, CIV
s down aH or i aTe PeRind e %ReIS e9S men sfe "RaEE
vance by, PUSHES; third section. fire two Tor
tsaTS e E8lt ~ the se t6ird s seStion f3TSsr tho c 9he
mands for the v~olleys. AS soon. as the first is
fired and under pprtial, cover Of its smoke the
ward az double time. When they, have gone
about fifteen yards, OF, to cover II thore is any.
be tS S@sse sol t b On tS Tie he S S9xn vo neS t fire tb ,T9
section ruishesss forward Gfteea feet In a advance
continued; When all the men arg, on tho line.
platoon. and the Captain is in the rear Of, the
centre, Having chosen n suitable position
d dr%m %htfh to R RpEf d tRs $SS9 TRe' f The GsRsnia
lay HSt DOWN the SsG siGh saS q apf tReir T Plcs SSsT %itsr VIII %Ris i
charge hal the cGSEtSin signals to cease I 9riasG; and
commands: TO the charge, marh!"T The
lllcIl Ilbt Ihilu uuNhllCc III uOuDlt. liIlc "nyll
they are about thirty yards from the enemy. he
Our tactics differ from those OF the English
Army In only one important particular. With
the former. when 1t Is necessary to advance
support and reserve and prepare Tor the charge
pass e the front through the intervals y
on to the charge, With our army the, first line
remains at the front. tho reserve joining It In
the intervals and on the TANKS.
The exact details OF the fight at Santiago are
awaited with interest by students Of modern
warfare. Rough ground. long range Of the
Spanish guns. rapid fre-nll these things were
reckoned with when the new regulations were
drafted. OF course, there were those who sale
that, with any kind q formation. three men oul
OF five would be killed In an engagement where
modern weapons were used, and y is true thai
there can be. no very safe place on the field now
adays for either officers or men, With what We
know at present q this tight. only one thinl
loss Of of~icsrsI7whieh, indeed; may not be b0rnt
dash " constrained them to rush onward ant
expose themselves without regard TO what the,
had learned in their books and on their drill
grounds, II 1t shall turn, on, that the engage
regulations may be somewhat shaken.