The Monticellonian., 1917-08-09
THE USE OF COVER.

From a military tandpoint-though not in the slightest sense from moral or patriotic standpoint-a deai mand. But if dead soldier is of no further military value, a wounded Sol dier, 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 g. place where he can be rescued by streteher bearers, unless, of course, the action is too violent to allow for the immedi- ate care of the wounded.
 It is, therefore, highly important up to the point where it retards the mii- tary purpose to reduce the number of casualties. This is done, when de ployed as skirmishers, by increasing the intervals, as explained in a pre- vious article, by advancing in single tile-in squad eolumn--or by advanta- 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 dians fought from under cover-fron behind trees-and the British grena. diers, accustomed to march into battle as if on dress parade, were thrown into consternation. 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 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 it's most scientific stage Tn the trench warfare in FranceA
 But 1t is not out of place to q (erve, 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.
 The new soldier should give careful attention to the individual use of cover. By taking advantage of natural cover that is, throwing himself prone behind elump of earth, depression in the ground, rock, a log or bush-he will be able to conceal himself as much as possible while firing and while advanc- ing, and this will give him opportunity for settling his sight, taking deliberate aim, and sending his bullet to the mark. He should fire around the right Of his concealment when this is pos siDie, and when not possible, over the top.
 In order to advance in single file, the corporal will give the command "Squad column, MARCH" He moves to the front, and the members of the squad oblique from their positions in the line toward him and fall in behind him at easy marching distances. The chief value of squad column, however, is to be to facilitate an ad- vance over rough or brush-grown ground, since it is held to afford little material advantage in securing cover At assemble" the members of the squad advance to the right or left of the corporal, as the case may be, and take their places in line. When in squad column, the order of the men in column oehind the corporal is: No. ? front rank, No. rear rank, No. ? rear rank, NO front rank, No. front rank, No. l rear rank, No. rear rank.