The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-19
U. s. REGULARS MARK MANSHIP IS
 |oo%6 IMPROVED
Punitive Mexican Expedi- tion Has Daily Practice,
 Preventing Stagnation

Field Headquarters, American Punitive Expedition in Mexico, Oct. 14.-'Fire contror' drills, which, in a months time have increased the effectiveness of cavalry regiments fire 100 per cent. are important fac tors in the field manoeuvres being held by the American Punitive EX- petition. t
 Far from being a period of stag nation for the expeditionary troops, the hiatus during the last few months in the pursuit of Villa has, been of almost inestimable benefit to them. particularly to the mounted arm. It has given commanding officers op- portunities to handle larger bodies Of men under conditions more nearly akin to those of war than have ob- tained at any time since in the past 50r years.
 The manoeuvres, which are varied, progressive and in accordance with we'll defined plans, < include such simple exercises as horse training and ascend to solving of warfare prob ,ens that involve the handling of brigades. Fire control, although classed among the elementary exer- cises, is virtually new to the cavalry, although the infantry has been work ing o1 it for several years.
 Pamphlets issued by the School of Musketry Fire at Ft. Sill, Okla, have and problems they contain in skele- ton form are amp1ified and worked out. Exercises suggested in these pamphlets also are being tried out and suggestions for improvement, re- ha ing noted. Recommendations by regimental officers are being studied by General J. J. Pershing and his chief of staff, Colonel De R. c. Cabell, and those considered worth while are being incorporated in tentative man. Uals.
 Studying developments of the Eu- ropean war, and realizing that, under modern conditions of warfare, caval- ry does most of its fighting on foot, commanders of that arm of the ser vice are giving their troops a great deal of. dismounted work, paying par< ticular attention to attack. In this connection it is noticeable that the ringing bugle no longer sounds the charge, for every manoeuvre is made by signal. Save for the ramp of hoofs and the leather -softened rat tie of equipment, troop movements are made silently, not a voice being raised in command.
 When a problem, prepared by the commanding general or his staff, is given out, an observer accompanies each of the opposing leaders and an umpire watches the operations. After each mimic combat, critique is held. Tactical errors observed are point ed out and suggestions made relative to better. manoeuvres that might have been employed.
 Full advantage is being taken of the fact that there are four regiments of cavalry at headquarters camp a circumstances without parallel in army annals for years. All the regi- ments being used, it also is observed, strength as provided under the new army reorganization bill. This af- lords the first opportunity American commanders have had of handling troops of this size in manoeuvres.
 The war game will reach a climax when the manoeuvres progress to the point where every fighting man available will be marched against an imaginary enemy under conditions that almost approximate real war.
 Drilled from to 8 hours a day and performing duties which. if not car- ried out, might turn a healthy camp into a dangerous one, the expedition thus far has not Stagnated