The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-09-14
SELF HELPS for the
NEW SOLDIER
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By a United States Army Officer
CcopynsAs, 1911. b. the wheeler syndicate. Inc
THE COMPANY IN LINE OF sKiR.
MisHERs.

The company in skirmish line exc
cutes a number Of commands as IL
In close order, except that the skirmish
intervals are maintained. For this
reason the movements are, In the ma
ture Of things, less precise. but they
approximate those In close order.
Thus, the company in line of skir-
mishers advances, halts, moves by the
flank or to the rear, obliques, resumes
the direct march, passes from quick
time to double time by the same COM
mands as in close order.
Company right Qeft" by the skir-
mish line is executed as explained for
the front rank In the school of the COM
rany. That is to say, we have now
single rank extended by twice the
number of men, at half-pace intervals,
or Is inches apart approximately a
yard of front to each man, as against
% inches in close order, which single
rank may be turned on a fixed pivot
precisely like the front rank Of com
pany or platoon.
Company half right Qeft)" is exc
cuted in the same way. except that the
line is halted when it has swung
around to an angle of As degrees.
The rules for the deployment of a
company are necessarily less simple
than those for the deployment of a
squad; for there is a double considera-
ton to be borne in mind. In the de-
ployment of the company, the indiyid-
ual squad must be deployed, but it
must also be deployed with reference
to and in conformity with all the other
squads Of the company. For this rea-
son, it is necessary, asa part of the
preparatory command, also TO estab-
lish a base squad" which is to serve
as guide to the line.
The preparatory command is, there
fore, "As skirmishers, guide right Cleft
or center)." If the company is in line
this designates the actual right Qeft
or center) squad as the base squad. II
the company is in column of squads
the command. "Guide right Qeft)" des-
ignates the leading squad, upon which
the other squads will deploy either tC
the right or left. The command Guide
center" designates the center squad
which may or may not deploy withou
advancing further according to direc
lions; the other squads conform TO II
and the guide thereafter is center, un
less otherwise.
To repeat, the base squad, designaf
ed as above, advances or not at tn
.. command of execution, MARCH" d.
pending upon the point chosen by Ii
captain on which the base is to res
: The corporal of each of the othe
squads commands his men, Folio
me-" or by the right Qeft) flank" d.
pendent upon whether the comman
to deploy is given when the compan
, is in line or in column of squads.
If in line, the corporal marches hi
. men off by the right or left flank, a
the case may be, until he has suficien
interval in which TO deploy. The squai
nearest the base squad deploys frs
after the base squad, the second squat
from the base deploys next. and so on
until all the squads are deployed.
If the company is in column o
squads, at the preparatory command
the corporal. as has been said. give.
HFollow me-" and at MARCH" b,
places himself in front of the squaC
and leads it into place. The squad re
mains at close order until it reache.
the skirmish line. to which the cor
poral takes it by the shortest route
No. of the rear rank, however, step;
into the place of the corporal in tn,
front rank and marches there as Ion:
as the corporal remains in front of hi,
squad. Arriving on the skirmish line
abreast of the squad ahead, the squad
then deploys.