Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-12-27
REGULARS AT DRILL.
How the Soldiers Are Trained in the Tao
tics of Today.


tics of Today.
Any one who has nice precipitous
defile to rent for strenuous picnic par
ties can find two days tenant by
addressing the commanding officer of
the United States troops at Fort
Wayne.
This is the time of year when Uncle
Sans boys are having their schooling
in the practice of real war and all
that is lacked by the battalion of the
14th infantry here is a nice defile. The
program of operations laid out by Capt.
Patten includes almost every form OF
military action that infantry is likely
to be called upon to perform, and in
the list is day set apart for practice
in guarding a defile and another for
forcing the passage of defile. All
that is lacking is the natural setting
for the maneuvers.
The training which the battalion Is
now undergoing is exceedingly varied
and each day has different drill. The
program takes two months to complete
and includes scouting, practice
marches, advance and rear guard duty,
intrenching patrols, signalling, sick re-
lief and outpost duty. One day con-
voy is to be attacked, another an out
post carried, and again advance and
rear guard formation in passing
through a town is to be taught. A
number of very exciting skirmishes
have been fought in the scouting which
has been done. At one time whole
detachment of the scouts who were
trying to slip past the guards into
Fort Wayne under command of cap
tain, were neatly ambushed and cap
tured before they had time to escape
from the trap.
A feature of the practice that shows
the different conceptions of army ac-
tion between American and European
military men, is the dependence placed
upon the non-commissioned officers.
They are sent out in command of de-
tachments and are expected to carry
out the movements ordered on their
own initiative, while in continental
armies all orders come from the officers
and their men are but machines. The
ullltIGute 10 SuoWH Whch ALuSl ivan
regulars are thrown into tight pinches
and in emergencies when every man
must think for himself.
Twice a week all the companies at
the fort engage in battalion, which is
in reality a rehearsal of the move
ments of battle of the modern sort.
There is no posing or drawing of the
men up in useless lines. They are
used as they would be in real fighting
and taught 10 advance and retreat with
the greatest efficiency and safety.
At the start the companies are put
in double line at one end of the parade
ground, which is supposed to be be-
yond the enemy's range, one company
in reserve. Then. rushing in platoons,
half the line companies trot forward
and drop to cover the advance of the
remainder by their fire. The second
set of platoons likewise rush forward
to fill up the breaks in the line, and by
their fire cover the second rush Of
their comrades. AS the advance con-
tinues the platoons break up into
squads of eight, for the smaller the
units Of movement the less the loss in
hit. Finally they are far enough for
ward for charge, and then the line
concentrates with last sweeping fire
from the distance of 200 yards from
the mythical intrenchments.
Then, with a yell that has become
familiar to Filipino ears, they cover
the remaining distance at a gallop,
firing at will. 1t is all very life-like
and the realism is not diminished by
the fact that most of the men in the
charging, firing, yelling lines have car
ried out the grim reality Of the thing
in many a furious overseas fight,
where the little brown men of the trop-
ic islands have been the foe and the
charge was directed against very real
intrenchments sputtering with Mauser
fire.-Detroit Journal.