The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-17
THE USE OF COVER.


From a military standpoint-though
not in the slightest sense from
moral or patriotic standpoint-a dead
soldier is of no more use to his com
mand But if dead soldier is of no
further military value, wounded sol
der, like 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 a place
where he can be rescued by stretcher
bearers. unless, of course, the action /
is too violent to allow for the immedi- |
ate care OF the wounded.
1t is, therefore. highly important up
| to the point where it retards the mill
tary purpose to reduce the number of
casualties. This is done. when de-
ployed as skirmishers, by increasing
the intervals, as explained in pre-
vious article, by advancing in single
file-in squad column-or by adyanta-
geous use of cover.
All American boys will remember
the defeat of General Braddocks' regu-
lars by the Indians-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
We're cast into confusion by voliey
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 further develop
ment of it, From 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 ii is not out of place to observe,
as American officers will point out,
that this very trench warfare, like
nearly all the major inventions with
! which the present great conflict is be
! ing waged. is an American develop
ment. In the Civil war. before Vicks-
burg and before Petersburg. there
were months of trench warfare. the
: same in principle, if less devastating,
than that now in progress in Europe.
2 The new soldier should give careful
2 attention to the individual use of cover.
E BY taking advantage of natural cover
I hot So fhrnVvsfp0r hfpnGsalf htRhinH
e a clump of earth, depression in the
: ground. rock. log or bush-he will
: be able to conceal himself as much as
|, possible while firing and while advanc-
Y ing. and this will give him opportunity
d for settling his sight, taking deliberate
t aim, and sending his bullet to the
e mark. He should fire around the right
q of his concealment when this is pos
: sible. and when not possible. over tht
r top.
p In order TO advance in single file, the
/ corporal will give the command "Squad
e column, MARCHl" He moves TO the
$ front. and the members of the squad
9 oblique from their positions in the lint
q toward him and fall in kehind him n
easy marching distances. The CHIEF
p value of squad column. however. il
understood to be to facilitate an adj
vance over rough or brush-grown
y ground. since it is held TO afford little
IS material advantage in securing cover
&c At ASSEMBLE" the members of the
e squad advance to the right or left OF
N the corporal, as the case mas be, anJ
e take their places in line. When in squad
lie column, the order of the men in column
sr behind the corporal is: No. from
K, rank, No. rear rank. No. rear rank
ID No. front rank, No. front rank, No
2 1 rear rank, No. rear rank.
&
n The United States Government pur