Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-16
H USE OF COVER.

From a military standpoint--though
not in the slightest sense from a
moral or patriotic standroint-a dead
soldier is of nc more use to his COM
mand. But II Il dead soldier Is Of no
further military value, Il wounded SOL
der, like a sick soldier. Is doubly use
less, since he requires the attention
and energy of other soldiers, either in
first aid or in removing him to Il place
where he can be rescued by stretchcr
bearers, unless. of course, the action
is too violent TO allow for the immedi-
are car Of the wounded.
1t Is, therefore, highly important up
to the point where 1t retnrds the mill
tary purpose to reduce the number Of
casualties. This is done, when de-
ployed as skirmlshers, by increasing
the intervals, as explained in a pre-
vious article, by advancing in single
tile--in squad coluinn-or by advanta-
geotls use of cover.
All American boys will remember
the defeat Of General Braddocks' resu-
lars by the lndians--a defeat which
only the young Col. George Washing
ton saved from utter disaster. The In
dams fought from under cover--from
behind trees-and the British grena-
diers, accustomed to march into battle
as If on dress parade, were thrown into
CONSERVATION. That principle Of fight
ing, from behind cover, was taken over
by the American Minute Man at Bun
ker hill, and again the British regulars
were cast into confusion by volleys
from a foe whom they could not see.
The United States army has never
wholly departed from this principle OF
warfare learned from the Indians, and
the modern system Of %deployment and
skirmishing is but a further develop
meut of it. Front the American Indian,
then, through the United States army.
this method spread to Europe, and,
rendered trebly necessary by the in
credible deadliness Of modern attack.
has reached its most scientific Stage
In the trench warfare in France.
/ But 1t Is not out Of place to observe,
. us American officers will point out,
: that this very trench warfare, Ike
: nearly all the major inventions with
5 which the present great conflict Is be
$ ing waged, is an American develop
ment. In the Civil war, before Vlcks'
burg and before Petersburg, there
were months of trench warfare, the
same in principle, If less devastating
t than that now In progress In Europe
The new soldier should give careful
e attention to the Individual use Of cover
e by taking advantage Of natural cove
that Is, throwing himself prone behint
e a clump Of earth, a depression In tn
ground, a rock, a log or a bush-he vii
l. be able to conceal himself as much u
/, possible while firing and while advanC
" ing, and this will give him opportunit
d for settling his sight, taking deliberat
1t aim, and sending his bullet to tn
&c mark. He should fire around the RICH
n Of his concealment when this Is pos
r slble, and when not possible. over tn
Or top.
ip In order to advance In single file, tn
ut corporal will give the command "Squa
ie column, MARCHw He nov to til
ns front, and the members Of the sQua
ID oblique from their positions In the lin
I'd toward him and fall In behind him Q
easy marching distances. Tho chile
~ value of a squad column. however.
u. understood to be to facilitate IN az
he vance over rough or ~brush-grow
or ground, since 1t Is held to afford littl
US material advantage In securing rove
he At Ensemble" the members Of til
ny squad advance to the right or left {
In the corporal. as the case may be, M
be take their places in line. When In squa
fe column, the order Of the men In colutr
Ter behind the corporal is: No. 2 frol
rank, No. 8 rear rank, No. 2 rear rnn
nd No. 3 front rank, No. / front rank, N
wu 1 rear RINK, No. 4 rear rank.
.L -. H. q 49, p,