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E. B. GAREY MAJOR, UNITED STATES INFANTRY
E. B. GAREY MAJOR, UNITED STATES INFANTRY
(INSTRUCTORS, PLATTSBURG TRAINING CAMP, 1916) (INSTRUCTORS, OFFICERS' TRAINING CAMP, FT. MCPHERSON, GA., 1917) (INSTRUCTORS, OFFICERS' TRAINING CAMP, FT. OGLETHORPE, GA., 1917) WITH MORE THAN 220 ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. 1918 Copyright, 1917, by The Century Co. Published, March, 1917 Second Edition, March, 1917 Third Edition, April, 1917 Fourth Edition, April, 1917 Fifth Edition, May, 1917 Sixth Edition, May, 1917 Seventh Edition, August, 1917 Eighth Edition. September, 1917 Ninth
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FOREWORD
FOREWORD
The Plattsburg Manual, written by Majors Ellis and Garey, will prove very useful to men who are contemplating military training. It will also be of great value to those who are undergoing training. It is full of practical information presented in a simple and direct manner and gives in detail much data not easily found elsewhere. It is a useful book, easily understandable by those who have had little or no military experience. It will be useful not only at training camps but it will be of very g
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PREFACE
PREFACE
This book is intended to serve as a foundation upon which the military beginner may build so that he may in time be able to study the technical service manuals intelligently. It has been written as an elementary textbook for those who desire to become Reserve Officers, for schools and colleges, and for those who may be called to the colors. The authors have commanded companies at Plattsburg, New York, and, noting the need of such a text, compiled their observations while there. The average man u
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
The United States is divided geographically into military departments with a general officer commanding each department. The departments and their headquarters are as follows: (1) The Northeastern Department, with headquarters at Boston, Massachusetts. (2) The Eastern Department, with headquarters at Governors Island, New York. (3) The Southeastern Department, with Headquarters at Charleston, South Carolina. (4) The Central Department, with Headquarters at Chicago, Illinois. (5) The Southern Dep
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CHAPTER II1
CHAPTER II1
Read this chapter as soon as you decide to attend a Camp. The greatest problem you will have to solve will be that of making your body do the work required. Every one else will be doing exactly what you are doing, and you have too much pride to want to take even a shorter step than the man by your side. Some men have to leave the training camps because they are not in the proper physical condition to go on with the work. If this chapter is taken as seriously as it should be, it will be of great
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
Success in battle is the ultimate object of all military training; hence the excellence of an organization is judged by its field efficiency. Your instruction will be progressive in character, and will have as its ultimate purpose the creation of a company measuring up to a high standard of field efficiency. The Preparatory Command, such as Forward , indicates the movement that is to be executed. The Command of Execution, such as MARCH , HALT , or ARMS , commences the execution of the movement.
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
For several days after reporting you will undergo many hours of close order drill. You will ask yourself, "Why is all this mental and physical strain necessary when these exercises are not used in battle?" The answer is: they are disciplinary exercises and are designed to inculcate that prompt and subconscious obedience which is essential to proper military control and to teach you precise and soldierly movements; hence, they are executed at attention. Deploy. To extend the front. A squad deploy
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
The company in line is formed in double rank with the men arranged, as far as practicable, according to height from right to left, the tallest on the right. The original division into squads is effected by the command: Count off . The squads, successively from the right, count off as in the School of the Squad, corporals placing themselves as No. 4 of the front rank. At the formation of the company the platoons or squads are numbered consecutively from right to left, and these designations do no
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
Do not study this chapter until you begin your extended order drills. If the authors of this text were requested to select for you the most important of all information that you will receive during your instruction at a training camp, they would advise you to take home that contained in this chapter. If you have learned fully so much you will have done well. If you have failed to comprehend as much as this, you will have returned to your homes lacking in important knowledge. If you are on the ba
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
"Security" has the same meaning in the military world as elsewhere. We properly think of the security of our persons, our property, our families in connection with the term. In the military world the family, or community, being so much larger, the word "security" acquires additional dignity. A husband and father provides for the protection of his family whether at home or abroad. So does the military commander for his command, whether it is an army or a squad; whether it is in camp, on the march
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CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
The European War has demonstrated more clearly than ever before two points in attack and defense. First, no people, or group of people, can claim a monopoly on bravery. They all move forward and give up their lives with the same utter abandon. Courage being equal, the advantage goes to him in the attack who possesses superior leaders, greater training, and better equipment. Second, a man's training and courage, his clear eye and steady nerve, his soul's blood and iron, constitute a better defens
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CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
The most thrilling experience you will have at a training camp will probably come when you step up to the firing line on the target range to fire your first shot. The great majority of new men grow pale, become nervous, lose their calm and poise, while they are on the firing line. This is a fact, not a theory. And this loss of nerve is not confined to the new man. Any shot, however old and experienced, will tell you that he fully understands what we have just described. To become a good shot, we
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CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
The manœuver practice march will be the most instructive, the most pleasant, and one of the hardest periods of your service. You will return from it proud of the hardships you have undergone and capable of speaking with authority on many practical matters pertaining to soldiering. You will be able to amuse yourself and your friends with reminiscences of the many incidents which you will never forget. It is during the practice march that you will put into practical use the tactical principles and
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CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
To make it possible to fill the gaps made in the Regular Army, by the heavy loss of commissioned officers which is inevitable in time of war and to make it possible to train large volunteer armies which are called into existence when war is imminent or actually upon the country, the Government has provided for an Officers' Reserve Corps. It is, indeed, a patriotic and far-sighted act on the part of a citizen to become a reserve officer, for, by so doing, he will increase his measure of usefulnes
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
(Copied from the Field Service Regulations) Security embraces all those measures taken by a command to protect itself from observation, annoyance, or surprise by the enemy. Ordinarily this security is provided in part by cavalry. But as a command is not always preceded by cavalry, and as this cavalry can not always prevent sudden incursions of the enemy or discover his patrols, additional security becomes necessary. This is obtained by covering the immediate front of the command with detachments
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CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
Combat is divided into two general classes, the offensive (attack) and the defensive. Decisive results are obtained only by the offensive. Aggressiveness wins battles. If you want to thrash a man go after him; don't wait for him to come to you. When attacking use every available man. Have every man in the proper place at the proper time and in a physical and moral condition to do his utmost. (1) You can elect the point of attack while the defender must be prepared to resist at all points. (2) Th
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
Everything else being equal the army that possesses the most accurate information about the enemy will win. Military history recites the fact that almost every important battle has been either lost or won because of information or lack of information that one side had or did not have of the other side. It is by the use of patrols that the most valuable information of the enemy is usually obtained. There are many kinds of patrols, but it is with reconnoitering or information seeking patrols that
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
Military shooting or target practice is very different from shotgun shooting, or even the kind of shooting required of a large-game hunter; therefore we should begin with the most elementary instruction and drills, if proficiency is to be obtained. Our "Small Arms Firing Regulations" says, "The sole purpose of rifle training for the soldier is to make of him a good shot under war conditions." Proficient shots are made off the range and not on it. By this we mean that the preliminary instruction
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
On the hike the camp will be laid out daily in advance by a staff officer. The company being halted and in line, the company commander gives the order: FORM FOR SHELTER TENTS. The first sergeant and right guide fall in on the right of the company. The blank files in the squads have to be filled by men from the file closers, and the remaining guides and file closers form on the left flank or at such places as may be designated by the company commander. The company commander next gives the order:
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
1. GENERAL SERVICE CODE. (INTERNATIONAL MORSE CODE.) Used for visual (except semaphore) and sound signaling, radio telegraphy, on cables using siphon recorders, in communication with the Navy, and in intra-field artillery buzzer communication. Note.--Numerals and punctuations must be spelled out in the ardois, as they require more than four elements, which is the limit of the ardois keyboard. The position is with the flag or other appliance held vertically, the signalman directly facing station
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
In the army, as in civilian life, you are very often your brother's keeper, as well as your own. Doctors cannot accompany a scout, a patrol, or the firing line. They are seldom present when a man falls overboard. When a soldier on the firing line is wounded, he may remain for several hours where he falls. He, or his comrade, bandages the wound. Suppose you are wounded, bitten by a snake, etc., what would you do? You may have to give a practical answer to these questions at some time during your
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APPENDIX
APPENDIX
Four companies of infantry. (There are three battalions in a regiment of infantry.) For troops armed with the United States rifle, Model 1917 (Enfield), the alternative paragraphs published herewith will govern. HUGH L. SCOTT, Major General, Chief of Staff. Official : H. P. McCAIN, The Adjutant General. The following rules govern the carrying of the piece First. The piece is not carried with cartridges in either the chamber or the magazine except when specially odered. When so loaded, or suppose
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TRANSCRIBER NOTES
TRANSCRIBER NOTES
A. Changed "familar" to "familiar". B. Changed "gage" to "guage". C. Changed "give" to "given"....
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