Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-08-29
Lesson No. 5.
FIGHTING ARMS OF THE SERVICE.

less the soldier has developed his IL
telligence, spirit, and seItrelianc
during his months of training
The Cavalry.
The Cavalry is armed with sabe
and pistol. as well as rifle Since TIL
early months of the present war there
has been little opportunity to us,
Cavalry OF the Western front Fol
the most part the Cavalry forces o
European armies have been lighting
in the trenches as Infantry
Under these condition it has been
determined to reorganize several OF
the Cavalry regiments OF our Regular
Army as Field Artillery United
States Cavalry, as such. is not to be
used in Europe at present Some
good judges believe that the Cavalry
will again come into its own before
the a.. is ended, but on this question
no final opinion can now be given
The Coast Artillery. which handles
the big-caliber guns guarding our
chief harbors against naval attacks
is a branch distinct from the Field
Artillery. which handles the smaller
guns drawn by horses or motors and
moved about with the rest of the
army The present field guns range
IN size from 3-inch caliber to A. in
ches The Field Artillery also han.
dies howitzers, which throw heavy
shells high into the air SO that they
will fall upon the target at a very
steep angle
The chief kinds of artillery ammuni-
ton are shrapnel and high explosives.
The shrapnel is intended to burst in
the face of the enemy and scatter a
large number of bllets The high ex-
plosiyes are used chiefly to blow up
enemy trenches.
Increasing Importance Of Artillery.
The Importance of artillery has been
verg much increased during the pres
ent war 1t is the most effective of
all weapons in preparing the way for
attack. In advance of an attack on
large scale there are often several
days of continuous artillery duel. dur
ing which the big guns of both sides
try to locate and put out of action the
opposing guns. In fact. on the west
ern front the artillery duel never en-
iirely ceases.
The chief qualities of a good artil-
leryman are intelligence and tena-
city, He must know his gun so well
that he can not only play his own part
but II necessary can take the place
Of any of his comrades. He must have
he courage that enables him to hold
any position assigned to him until the
order is given to move.
Similar to the artillery in many re-
spects are the machine gun troops.
Machine guns shoot out steady
stream CT bslets and have great value
against an attack from the front
They may also be readily carried for
ward by attacking troops and used
with great effect against the dsfen.
lers Of position
"A skirmish line can not advance by
walking or running when hostile ma.
chine guns have the correct range and
are ready to fire, Machinegun fire is
not especially effective against troops
lying on the ground or crawling
When opposed by machine gun, with.
out artillery to destroy them infantry
itself must silence them before it can
advance. Concealment and patient
waiting for critical moments and ex-
ceptional opportunities are the spe.
cial charactistics Of the machine-gun
service in decisive actions" Infan.
try Drill Regulations, pars. 542, 545
546l
In handling machine guns, just as
in hadling artillery, intelligence and
are the qualities most need
ed There are numberess examples
in the present war Of courageous self
reliance on the part of individual sol
diers in repairing or serving machine
guns while UNDER fire, and thus play
ing big part in helping to win vic.
tories