The Washington times., 1914-08-05
ATTAL|ON FORMS
THE FIGHTING UNIT
Expert Explains How Armies
Are Organized to Produce
System.

There is but little variation in the
organization of armies, whatever the
country. The essentials are practically
the same and il is only in more or less
minor details of organization and ad-
ministration that the forces of nations
vary.
First, there is the composite whole
force of the country, designated as the
army: for instance, The army of the
United States In time of war, sub
divisions of the whole force intended to
operate in distinct territories. are given
designations as separate armies, usual
ly with a territorial name, such as
The Army of the Potomac" The
Army of The Cumberland"
Armies are composed of corps. The
strength of a corps varies. but $1,000
bayonets may be taken as a practical
standard. Two or more corps are COM
bined to form territorial army.
Corps, in turn, are composed Of dfvi-
sions, and divisions of brigades. The
elements of armies are subdivide6 for
for tactical purposes. and the response
bilities of the various heads are Well
defined.
Roughly speaking. three regiments
form a brigade, three brigades divi-
sion. and three divisions form a corps.
In the United States, this factor of
three Is carried even further, for each
regiment is composed of three battalions
or squadrons, the latter being the desig-
nation for cavalry. the former, for in
fantry, artillery and special service
troops.
The Fighting Unit.
Abroad, the regimental organization is
not necessarily universal. though such
organization is usual. Brigades are ire
quently formed of separate battalions,
as a fighting unit, and the average
strength of the European battalion Is
at least equal in strength to the regi-
ment of the United States.
With the cavalry regiments abroad.
the troop unit is frequently dispensed
with, squadrons composing the whole
and they. in turn being composed of
two wings. divided into platoons, 'pele-
TONS as designated by the French.
There is a definite proportion, CAREFUL
" worked out, of guns artillery to
men, sabres to bayonets. The average
will give from three to four pieces OF
artillery per thousand infantry and
proportion of cavalry, about one to i've
or six infantry.
universal grouping of artillery has te-
come the battery of four guns, with
twelve or sixteen caissons for immedi-
ate ammunition supply upon the field
of battle. Three batteries usually
battalions to a regiment, giving
strength of some twenty-four guns.
manned by about 1,soo men.
The Commissariat.
Special service troops. in foreign
armies. are charged with the duties OF
the commissariat and transportation,
and the details of this most important
feature of warfare are az carefully
worked out as the arminG OF an in
fantry battalion. In addition. the sap
pers. the engineers. are most necessary
in the preliminaries to combat the
concentration. clearing the road, lines
of fertilization. field and semi-perma-
nent and the manifold duties of pre-
paration of a position for defense.
The signal corps, with flag. hello. field
telegraph and radio are absolutely in
dispensable, for they form tho nerves OF
the whole, which transmit the ever
changing situation to the guiding mind
of the commanding general. AS wars
aftermath. the stricken are gathered
and tended by the medical corps. whose
organization is complex and complete
and under the cover OF the far-flung
outpost. the ceaseless work of warfare
goes on