East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-08-29
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1 the most part the cavalry forces
Of European armies have been fight
I ing in the trenches as Infantry
Under these conditions it has been
4 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 Ca,va ry
will again come into its own before
( the war is ended. but on this ques
tion 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 3inch ca iber to A. 7 inches The
Field Artillery also handles howit zers.
which throw heavy shells high into
the air SO that they will fall upon the
target at a very steep angle
The chief kind of artillery ammuni
tion are shrapnel and high explosives.
The shrapneI is intended to burst in
the face of the enemy and scatter
large number of bullets. The high
explosives are used chiefly to blow up
enemy trenches
Increasing Importance of Artillery.
The Importance of artillery has
been very much increased during the !
present war 1t is the most effective {
Of all weapons in preparing the way /
for attack. In advance of an attack /
on large Scae there are often seY. |
eral days of continuous artillery duel |
during which the big guns of both I
sides try to locate and put out of ac-
lion the opposing guns In fact. on
he western front the artillery duel
never entirely ceases.
The chief qualities of a good artill.
sry-men are intelligence and tenacity,
He must know his gun so wei that
1e can not only play his own part but.
f necessary. can take the place of
my Of his comrades. He must have
he courage that enables him to hold
nv position assigned to him until the
rider is given to move
Similar to the artillery in many
espects are the machine gun troops
iachine guns shoot out a steady
tream of bullets and have great value
gainst an attack from the front They
nay also be rapidly carried forward
y attacking troops and used with
reat effect AGAINST the defender; :
f a position
A skirmish line can not advance
y wa king or running when hostile
'achine guns have the correct range
nd are ready TO fire Machine-gun :
re is not especially effective against =
oops laying on the ground or crawl 6
* When opposed by machine-gun :
Without artillery to destroy them in -
Intry itself must silence them be :,
IRE 1t can advance. Conceaiment \
nd patient waiting for critical mo =
ents and exceptional opportunities :,
- the special characteristics of the c
arh ne-gun service in decisive ac- r
ms Gnfantry Drill Regulations, L
lrs. 542.545-546)
In handling machine guns lust as
hand ing artillery. intelligence and
ty are the qualities most need
. There are mum berless examples in
p present war OF courageous self
lance on the part of individual
ldiers in repairing or serving ma
line guns while under fire. ana thus
aging a big part in helping To win
ctores