Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1918-07-04
THE USE OF COVER.

From a military andpoint-though
not in the slightest sense from a
moral or patriotic standpoint-a dead
soldier is of no more use to his com
mand. But if a dead soldier is of no
further military value, a 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 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
tile-in squad column-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
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 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
in the trench warfare in France.
But it 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
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
a clump of earth, a depression in the
ground, a rock log or a bush-he will
be able to conceal himself as much as
possible while firing and while advance
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 DOS
sible, and when not possible, over the
top.
In order to advance in single file, the
corporal will give the command "Squad
column, MARCHr' 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 a squad column, however. is
understood to be to facilitate an adj
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
behind the corporal is: No. front
rank, No. 3 rear rank, No. 2 rear rank,
No. 3 front rank, No. front rank, No.
1 rear rank, No. 4 rear rank.
The United States Government pur~
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