Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-08-18
q. s. INFANTRY TACTICS.
COMPILED BY A FIGHTING GENERAL
FOR OFFENSIVE WORK.

The fighting methods of the United
States infantry have now become of in
terest to the most peaceable newspa-
per reader. The peace-loving develop
ment of the United States explains
why it was the last nation that re-
formed its infantry tactics in modern
sense. Up till 1891 Upton's "Tac-
TICS" which did not even absolutely
recognize the skirmish line, was the
rule. 1t prescribed for rank and file
the closest alignment. While Upton
and his ''closed order" have been done
away with by the new infantry regu-
lations of October, 1891, there is still
much of the spirit of this antiquated
rule in the present fighting formation.
Atpresent the company, LOG men, is
the tactical unit in the United States
infantry. With its exclusive two-rank
formation it presents front of fifty
men and two men as guides. The
alignment is six inches, hence less
than elbow-touch. In closed order
the company is divided into twenty
five ''fours," which, as soon as the
company advances under fire, are
called squads. Two such squads in
the skirmish line form a section, with
noncommissioned officer, usually a
sergeant, as leader. Two sections
form a platoon, commanded by q COM
missioned officer. In regard to the
number of sections and platoons to
the company the present regulations
leave much discretion, and the same
is the case with the next highest for
nation. the battalion, which may con-
consist of from two to six companies.
Even tacticians of the European
armies admit that this discretion in the
size of the battalion is not only no
mistake, but an advantage. Soldiers
who stood in closed order under fire
during the Franco-Prussian war rec
ognize that the much praised German
tactical unit, the battalion. is too un-
wieldy.
According to the military definition
the tactical unit of an army ought to
be the maximum of men which COM
mander can reach with his voice.
With the present rapid firing, both
for small arms and field guns, it is i'm
possible for German company COM
mander to reach his 200 men with his
voice, far less can the battalion COM
mander do so.
The regulation step of the United
States infantry is thirty inches, or
0.76 meter, and the time is 115 to the
minute. In the German army the
step is 0.80 meter. or little more
than one-half Of one per cent. larger,
and the time is 112 to the minute, or
q little more than 2i per cent. slower.
Regarding the change from the
marching formation to the battle line,
the present infantry regulations of the
United States army prescribe that as
soon as the company enters the zone
of the enemy's artillery the line, COM
pany front, is formed and the COM
pany advances in this formation until
the artillery fire begins to be efec-
tive, distance of about $500 yards.
Then the company commander
pushes out number of skirmishers
or scouts in charge Of non-commis-
stoned officer. Before advancing the
latter is informed by the company
commander of the tactical task of the
company and of the direction of the
attack, and next the scouts-six or
eight men of section which the COM
pany commander reserves for sup
port-seek to reach distance of
about $50 yards from the enemy's
front.
This accomplished, the company
commander pushes out two sections
in line and the other sections follow
as support of both the skirmishers
and the advance sections. Regarding
the distance between the fire line and
the support sections the regulations
contain nothing definite. This dis
tance is in the German infantry about
500 yards.
In the meantime the scouts, who
must be good shots and must be par
ticularly agile in taking advantage of
any cover the territory may afford,
open skirmishing fire. The next fol-
lowing two sections form line, keep
ing the squads together as closely as
possible, and at about 900 yards these
squads break into skirmish line and
take up the scouts or first skirmishers.
The opening of the company firing
should be retarded as long as possible,
though the company commander may,
if the enemy shows exposure, order
volleys by the company or by desig-
mated sharpshooters, in each instance
designating the number of volleys.
The first volley is at the same time
the signal for the two support sections
to close up, one at each of the two
wings of the company.
For the distance from 900 yards to
500 yards the company advances in
line, firing by sections, the firing to
be volleys exclusively. Five hundred
yards distant from the enemy the
company advances in leaps, the ad-
vance to be by sections in such man
ner that the temporarily resting Sec
tions fire volleys over the heads of the
rushing sections.
The leaps or rushes are short, about
fifteen yards. They are followed by
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