The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-14
IMPROVING IN MARKSMANSHIP.
U. S. Cavalry Regiments in Mexico Are
Bettered By "Fire Control Drills.

Field Headquarters, American punitive
expedition in Mexico, Oct. l4,-"Fire con
troP drills, which in months tim'
have increased the effectiveness of cav
airy regiments fire 100 per cent, are i'm
| portant factors in the field maneuver'
being held by the American punitive ex'
pedition. Far from being a period oi
stagnation 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. 1t has given com
manding officers opportunities to handle
larger bodies of men under conditions
more nearly akin to those of war than
have obtained at any time since the past
80 wears.
The maneuvers, which are varied, pro.
gressive and in accordance with well de-
fined plans, include such simple exercises
as horse training and ascend to solving
handling of brigades. Fire control, al
though classed among the elementary
exercises, is virtually new to the cavalry,
although the infantry has been working
on it for several years.
Pamphlets issued bv the school of mus.
kerry fire at Fort SILL Okla, have been
furnished officers and problems they CON
tain in skeleton form are ampified and
worked out. Exercises suggested in these
pamphlets also are being tried out and
suggestions for improvement. resulting
from actual practice, are being noted
Recommendation by rcgimental officers
are being studied by Cen ]. J. Pershing
and his chief of staff. Col De R. C. Ca
bell and those considered worthwhile
are being incorporated in tentative man
uals.
Studying Developments Of the Euro
pean war. and realizing that. under mod
ern conditions of warfare. cavalry does
most of its fighting on foot, commanders
of that arm of the service are giving
their troops a great deal of dismounted
work, paying particular attention to at
tack. In this connection it is noticeable
that the ringing bugle no longer sounds
the charge, for every maneuver is made
by signal. Save for the tramp of hoofs
and the leather softened rattle of equip
ment, troop movements are made silent
ly. not voice being raised in command.
When a problem prepared by the com
general or his taft, is given out,
an observer accompanies each of the op
posing leaders and an umpire watches
the operations. After each mimic com
bat, critique is held. Tactical errors
observed are pointed ont and suggestions
made relative to better maneuvers that
might have been employed.
Full advantage is being taken of the
fact that there are four regiments of
,avalry at headquarters camp. circum-
stance without parallel in army annals
or years. All the regiments being used, |
t also is observed, are being maneuvered /
It full war strength as provided under 7
he new army reorganization bill. This |
lffords the first opportunity American
have had of handling troops |
# this size in maneuvers.
The war game will reach climax
when the maneuvers progress to the
'oint where every fighting man available
eill be marched against an imaginary
nemy under conditions that almost ap-
'roximate real war.
Drilled from six to eight hours a day
nd performing duties which, if not car
led out, might turn healthy camp into
dangerous one, the expedition thus far
las not stagnated. a.