The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-26
MODERN FIELD TACTICS.
It II the Men aud Non-COms who
should Win Glory Nowadays.

What asion'shes al, who have made a
study Of modern field tactics Is the large
number OF officers among the killed and
wounded al Santiago.
No battle In any part OF the world, prob
ably. could have furnished a better test Of
the new tactics made necessary by the i'm
proyement In firearms. There were the
rough ground and the long-range maya
zine rifles. and there also were the trained
soldiers One Of the main objects Of these
tdctics-or drill regu!a lions" as they are
called. except when they are applied on
the battlefield is 10 preserve the officers
unlnju-ed a. long as possible. More re-
lance is now paced on the intelligence
OF the privates, ana particularly OF the
non-commissioned officers. than in the old
days OF shoulier-to-shoulsler formation
Conduct that wou,d have fastened the
name OF coward upon an officer in the
civil war Is. in a sense. made compulsory
today: that Is, While he Is still to INSPIRE
his men by example when occasion da-
mands, he Il for the most part 10 maintain
= fixed position with relation TO his sub
ordinates, and is 20 keep behind shelter 10
he can Tins al movements can be in
diligently directeds. knowledge g. which
fact is more encouraging 10 the men than
tue physical presence OF the officer AZ their
elbows The non-commissioned officers
nave inmt diate charge Of the men. and
opportunities are open 10 them such as
never Were dreamed % In the old DAYS An
eminent English writer said al the time
the new regulations We're adopted IN his
army, that in actual warfare after the
mon, the noa-comfnisslcned officers yol3ld
be The most exposed. the iieutenan. nex.
the captains next, and 50 on, which il at
/; shoRl,d he.
To Illustrate the Idea o. the present hat
te formation, take one company alone
ne principle Is the same sor the battalion
- ~.
four sections each under the immediate
command of sergeant. The sections ara
divided into squads. whisA are under tne
Immediate command of corporals At the
beginning OF he forrn2 tion. for TIE Of
fensiye one Of these sections Is DESIGNATED
as the reserve, another as the support and
two as the firing lire. or IN any other pro-
portion may seem best. The frs. leu
tenant commands the reserve the second
the firing line. and tAe captains post IS
near the support. with b8glsr beside him
70 give signals. also the frs sergeant and
any who may be desfgna ted 20 carry mes
sages. II ne quits ihat pest fer a moment
he leaves word where he can ne sour;d
few scouts are sent forward first
After they have gore Ia feet ;hs firing
line advances the sections gradually sep
arat.ng ard widening the intervals be-
tween them tiN they suAdiylde snfo squads
and the squads in turn separate into
sktrru!$siers, who are about six feet apar.
when on the Hrin- liue proper. The sap
port at TIE outset "a about is0 yards be-
hind me Arst Hire. ready to Gsaloy ash .4,i~
vance 30 ths skirrisheFF. and .he reserve
keeps about Ife yards On tSe rear If me
support. ready for tank attacks Or to re-
!nfaree iha first lite. Every man IA taught
- take advantage a. rocks. bushes ard
.As Ike for caver. Ore oh}ae. Is 10 set -
near as possible wifhoat being discovered
then - locate the eEeT1y s3rs ana 20 de-
cesye him "a . fSe strength 81 ta- attack
INK party The " HE tfs,eEsa.s save fHe
n2en from being moved down by the
enemy
The SIZING begins a; an order from ths
captain. Th~ skrmisNers raIt when they
nre Gradually now. as they a5y aacs, they
close - toward n. center 20 make room
For the support OF the aangs- TIE support
nseaEwhs!e draws nearsr tii /: IONS me
ars. ha. 'raeu there Is = r,zsh forward
TIE Lieutenant. s.vEEs the Instructions
vEiIe iae men sTe lying f1wa or are Pc
A.n3 caser Commands Advance ny
Es3saeSs tairG section. Ure NO $or 1hvee)
ys.eys. secoEd ssSt-sE. foTwara"' The ser