The Plattsburg Manual Advanced T
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Advance Cavalry
The advance cavalry is that part of the advance-guard cavalry preceding the support. It reconnoiters far enough to the front and flanks to guard the column against surprise by artillery fire, and to enable timely information to be sent to the advanc... Advance Guard Of A Small Command
In forming the advance guard of a command smaller than a brigade, the foregoing distribution is modified, depending upon the situation. A company or troop usually sends forward only a point, a battalion or squadron, an advance party; but a battali... Advance Guards
An advance guard is a detachment of the main body which precedes and covers it on the march. Its duties are: (1) To guard against surprise and furnish information by reconnoitering to the front and flanks. (2) To push back small parties of... Advancing The Attack
It is now necessary to advance the attack to a point where the rifle is effective, so the attacking line can gain fire superiority. The attack which halts to open fire at extreme range (over 1200 yards) is not likely to ever reach its destination ... Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Defensive
The defense has the following advantages over the attack: (1) Troops attacking afford a better target than the troops on the defensive. (2) A larger amount of ammunition is usually available. (3) The men can shoot better because they are no... Advantages Of The Attack
(1) You can elect the point of attack while the defender must be prepared to resist at all points. (2) The fact that you are advancing in spite of the defender's fire stimulates you and depresses the enemy. (3) You leave your dead behind whil... Appearance Of Objects
Become familiar with the effect which the varying conditions of light, background, etc., have upon the apparent distance of the object. Don't be content to memorize the following data, but go after the underlying reason in each case. Objects se... Arm Signals
The following arm signals are prescribed. In making signals either arm may be used. Officers who receive signals on the firing line repeat back at once to prevent misunderstanding. Forward, MARCH. Carry the hand to the shoulder; straighten and... Broken Bone (fracture)
The next injury you must know is a broken bone. You will usually know when an arm or leg is broken by the way the arm or leg is held, for the wounded man loses control over the limb. Suppose your comrade breaks his leg or arm. What would you do? S... Bullet Wound
If you receive a bullet wound, don't get excited or lose your head. A bullet wound in the muscle or soft parts of the body causes little pain and, if properly dressed, heals in about two to three weeks. Protect the openings where the bullet entere... Burns
Do not pull the clothing from the burnt part, but rip or cut it off. Do not break the blisters or prick them even if large. Treatment: Protect it quickly with a mixture of equal parts of linseed or olive oil and water. ... Care Of The Rifle
Keep the metal part of your rifle covered with a thin coating of light oil; 3-in-1 oil is ordinarily used. This is especially important in damp weather. Always clean the bore from the breech. This avoids injuring the muzzle. The pull through (a... Cautions
1. Act quickly but quietly. Be calm and quiet. Don't lose your head. 2. Make the injured party sit or lie down. 3. See the injury clearly before treating it. Send for a doctor if the wound is serious. 4. Do not remove more clothing than is ... Cease Firing
Firing stops; pieces not already there are brought to the position of load, the cut-off turned down if firing from magazine, the cartridge is drawn or the empty shell is ejected, the trigger is pulled, sights are laid down, and the piece is brought ... Chafing
Treatment: Keep parts dry, use talcum powders and keep parts separated by a layer of absorbent cotton. ... Clip Fire
Turn the cut-off up: fire at will (reloading from the magazine) until the cartridges in the piece are exhausted; turn the cut-off down; fill magazine; reload and take the position of suspend firing. ... Commander
The leader should be an officer or a noncommissioned officer. He must have good judgment, be cool, be quick in making a decision, be strong in physique, have initiative, and be brave, but not to the extent of rashness. Besides his regular equipmen... Company Inspection
Being in line at a halt: 1. OPEN RANKS, 2. MARCH. At the command march the front rank executes right dress; the rear rank and the file closers march backward 4 steps, halt, and execute right dress; the lieutenants pass around their respective fl... Composition
A mixed outpost is composed principally of infantry. The infantry is charged with the duty of local observation, especially at night and with resisting the enemy long enough for the main body to prepare for action. The cavalry is charged with the ... Conduct Of The Patrol
In communicating with each other for ordinary purposes the members of the patrol use signals agreed upon before the start. For this purpose each man must constantly keep within sight and hearing distance of the leader. A patrol moves cautiously, t... Different Kinds Of Attack
The most usual kinds of attack are: Frontal Attack. This attack is delivered directly against the front of the enemy. It offers little opportunity to bring more rifles against the enemy than he can bring against you. Decisive results can only be... Disadvantages Of The Defense
(1) The defender surrenders the advantage of the initiative as the attacker can elect the point of attack and the defender must be prepared at all points. (2) The defender must fight amidst his dead and wounded which is depressing. (3) The d... Distance From The Main Body
While the distance between these two bodies should be great enough to prevent needless interruptions in the march of the main body, and to give the latter time to deploy should the enemy be encountered, it should never be so great that timely supp... Distances
The distance of the rear guard from the main body and between the fractions of the rear guard are about the same as in the case of an advance guard. If marching at night, the rear guard draws nearer the main body. ... Distribution Of Outpost Troops
The outpost will generally be divided into four parts. These, in order from the main body, are the reserve, the line of supports, the line of outguards, and the advance cavalry. [Illustration: PLATE SHOWING THE IDEAS INVOLVED IN AN OUTPOST] T... Distribution Of Troops
An advance-guard order generally describes the following distribution of troops: Advance cavalry. Support. Reserve. The manner in which the advance-guard cavalry is employed depends upon the situation. Its proper place is in the... Distribution Of Troops
The proximity and conduct of the enemy control, to a large extent, the formation of a rear guard. When it is not necessary to withdraw in deployed lines, the greater part of the rear guard marches on the road in column of route, taking up a format... Drowning
Being under water for over four or five minutes is generally fatal, but, unless you know the body has been submerged a long time, make an attempt to restore life. Don't get disheartened and give up, if you see no signs of life after a few minutes'... Duties Of A Patrol
Each reconnoitering patrol is given a certain mission (duty) to perform. The name, reconnoitering, meaning to survey, to view, indicates that its first duty is to get information, and information is always greatly increased in value if the enemy d... Elevation
General rule for changing the elevation after hitting the target: A change of elevation either up or down, of 100 yards on your rear sight, will raise or lower your bullet in inches on the target equal to the square of your distance in yards from ... Encountering The Enemy
If a small hostile patrol is encountered it is generally better to remain in concealment and let it pass than to attack. The noise of a fight may be heard by the enemy, the presence of the patrol therefore indicated, and the enemy will take furthe... Establishing The Outpost
The outpost is posted as quickly as possible, so that the troops can the sooner obtain rest. Until the leading outpost troops are able to assume their duties, temporary protection, known as the march outpost, is furnished by the nearest available ... Estimating Distance
Suppose you are out hunting, and that you see a big buck on a distant hill. Suppose that it is exactly 600 yards distant from you, that you are an expert shot, and that you set your sights at 400 yards and fire. Will you hit the deer or not? You m... Estimating Distance Test
This test is usually held after the record firing on the range has been completed. No distance used in this test will be less than 547 yards (battle sight range) or more than 1200 yards, which is considered the extreme range for effective fire of ... Estimating Distances By Sound
Sound travels at the rate of about 366 yards a second. Therefore, multiply the number of seconds intervening between the flash of the gun and the report of the same by 366, and the product will be the distance in yards to the gun. ... Extinguishing Burning Clothes
Treatment: Lie down on the floor and roll up as tightly as possible in a rug blanket, etc., leaving only the head out. If nothing can be obtained in which to wrap yourself, lie down and roll over slowly and at the same time beat out the fire with ... Fainting
Symptom: Loss of consciousness. It is usually the result of severe bleeding or exhaustion from fatigue. This condition is rarely dangerous. Treatment: Lay the patient on his back, head a little lower than rest of body, arms by side, feet extende... Fill Magazine
Take the position of load, if not already there, open the gate of the magazine with the right thumb, take five cartridges from the box or belt, and place them, with the bullets to the front, in the magazine, turning the barrel slightly to the left t... First Aid To The Injured
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 ... First-aid Packet
Each soldier carries on his belt a first-aid packet. This packet contains two perfectly pure bandages and a couple of safety pins. It should be air tight. Examine yours every week and if the seal is defective, ask your captain for a new packet. ... Formation
It is impossible to lay down any hard-and-fast rule governing the formation and conduct of the operations of a patrol. Each situation will have to be worked out by itself. The patrol should assume the general formation of a column of troops on the m... Freezing And Frostbite
Symptom: The part frozen appears white or bluish and is cold. Treatment: Raise the temperature of the frozen member slowly by rubbing it with snow or ice and water, in a cool place. Don't go near a fire. ... Gas
Most of the gas used on the battlefield today is deadly. When a gas shell explodes there are two kinds of men: Quick men and Dead men. The quick men put on their gas masks, which contain chemicals that neutralize the poisonous air. Treatment: W... General Hints And Cautions
1. Don't be afraid of the kick; it is more imaginary than real when the sling is properly used, your shoulder properly padded, and the gun properly held. 2. Rest your cheek, not your jaw bone, lightly against the small of the stock. 3. Rest ... General Principles
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 ... Heat Exhaustion--(the Skin Is Cool)
Symptoms: Nausea, a staggering gait, pulse is weak, and the patient may quickly become unconscious. The skin is cool. This condition is dangerous. Treatment: Rub the limbs vigorously. Give stimulants; apply heat. ... Hints On Rapid Fire
1. When you go to the firing point get two clips of cartridges, one to be used at the command load and the extra one is placed in the belt. 2. See that your cut-off is up. 3. When the target first appears drop quickly into the required positio... Infantry Battalion
Four companies of infantry. (There are three battalions in a regiment of infantry.) ... Infantry Drill Regulations 1911
FOR USE WITH THE UNITED STATES RIFLE, MODEL, 1917 (ENFIELD) For troops armed with the United States rifle, Model 1917 (Enfield), the alternative paragraphs published herewith will govern. By order of the Security of War: HUGH L. SCO... Information For Schools And Colleges Armed With Rifles Model 1898
War Department, Office of the Chief of Staff, Washington, December 2, 1911. The Infantry Drill Regulations, 1911, have been prepared for the use of troops armed with the United States magazine rifle, model 1903. For the guidance of organizat... Instructions
The officer sending out a patrol should give it instructions on the following points: 1. Information of the enemy and of friendly supporting troops. 2. The mission of the patrol. This will include the general direction in which it is to go. ... Methods Of Estimating Distances By The Eye
1. Decide that the object cannot be more than a certain distance away, or less than a certain distance. Keep the estimate within the closest possible limits and take the mean of the two estimates as the range. For instance, that deer cannot be ove... Miscellaneous Information
The Bayonet. The bayonet is a cutting and thrusting weapon consisting of three principal parts, viz., the blade, the guard, and the grip. The weight of a bayonet is 1 pound. Captain B. A. Dixon, retired, has compiled the following interesting d... Outposts
The size and disposition of the outpost will depend upon many circumstances, such as the size of the whole command, the proximity of the enemy and the situation with respect to him, the nature of the terrain, etc. A suitable strength may vary f... Patrolling
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 inform... Poisoning
Treatment: Send for a doctor at once. Empty the stomach and bowels. Give two tablespoons full of mustard and warm water or a tablespoon full of salt in a glass of water to produce vomiting. Then give a purgative. Tickle throat with finger or feath... Preliminary Instruction
Your preliminary instructions and their purposes are as follows: 1. Nomenclature of the Rifle. The word nomenclature means the vocabulary of names or technical terms which are appropriate to any particular topic. In this case the topic is the ri... Preparation
Before going out the patrol commander will make a careful inspection of the members of his patrol in order to see: 1. That the members are in a suitable condition for the duty to be performed. (Not drunk, sick, lame, having a bad cough, etc.) ... Preparing A Defensive Position
Now let us suppose ourselves as part of a battalion that is to occupy a defensive position. What would probably be done? How and in what order would it be done? What would the major do? He would decide upon the kind of defense (active or passive) ... Range Finders
Five or six enlisted men, selected by the company [Illustration: This shows the path of the bullet (Line of Trajectory) of the 1917 Rifle (Enfield). The Line of Aim, we see, connects the eye, the rear sight, the front sight and the bottom par... Range-finding Instrument
Each company is equipped with a range-finding instrument. All company officers and sergeants should be proficient in using it. The accuracy of this instrument will greatly depend upon the skill of the user, and the visibility of the objective. ... Rapid Fire
In rapid fire the battle sight is always used; the firing is against time and at a field target (Target D), and from ranges 200, 300, and sometimes 500 yards. The battle sight corresponds to an elevation of 547 yards, which makes it necessary f... Rapid Fire Target
This target is always used with the battle sight at 200, 300, and 500 yards rapid fire. Battle sight is the position of the rear sight when the leaf is laid down, which is the habitual position of the rear sight leaf at drill. It is an open sigh... Rear Guard Of An Advancing Force
If there is a possibility that the rear of the column may be attacked, a rear guard of suitable strength and composition is provided, its conduct is practically the same as that of the rear guard of a retreating force. It generally marches in rear... Rear Guards
The rear guard is charged with the important duty of covering the retreat. When a commander decides to retreat, he issues the necessary order. During a retreat the outpost for the night usually forms the rear guard of the following day. ... Reconnaissance
In conducting the reconnaissance the patrols are, as a rule, small--from two to six men. If additional protection is necessary, a flank guard covers the threatened flank. The flanking patrols, whether of the advance cavalry or advance party, are s... Relieving The Outpost
Evening and shortly before dawn are hours of special danger. The enemy may attack late in the day in order to establish himself on captured ground by intrenching during the night; or he may send forward troops under cover of darkness in order to m... Requisites Of A Good Defensive Position
If you were looking for a good defensive position, what points would you have in mind and of these points, which would be the most important? The requisites to be sought in a good defensive position are: (1) A clear field of fire up to the ... Reserve
The reserve follows the support at several hundred yards' distance. It consists of the remainder of the infantry and engineers, the artillery, and the ambulance company. The artillery usually marches near the head of the reserve, the engineers (wi... Returning
A patrol can never be certain that the enemy's patrols are not operating in its rear. Hence in returning, it is necessary to observe the usual precautions. If the patrol has eluded the enemy, it is best to return over a route other than that over ... Rules Governing The Carrying Of The Piece
Third. The cut-off is kept turned down, except when using the magazine. Being at order arms: 1. Unfix, BAYONET. If the bayonet scabbard is carried on the belt: Take the position of parade rest, grasp the handle of the bayonet firmly with the r... Signals And Codes
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. ... Slow Fire
Following satisfactory gallery practise scores the men go on the range for known distance practice. Here the army rifle is fired with service charges at known ranges; first, for instruction if time permits, and then for record. To obtain satisfact... Slow Fire Targets
This target is used during slow fire at 200 and 300 yards. This target is used during slow fire at 500 and 600 yards. ... Snake Bite
In snake bites the poison acts quickly. Treatment: Apply a tourniquet between the wound and the heart so as to stop the circulation and prevent the system from absorbing the poison. Get out your knife and make a couple of cross cuts through the ... Stomach Wounds
Send for a doctor. Lie perfectly quiet. Don't lose your head and don't attempt to crawl to help or to stir around. Place a clean piece of cloth over the wound and keep it constantly wet with a solution of salt water. If the wound is in the stomach... Stopping Bleeding
If the blood is dark blue and the stream is continuous, a vein has been punctured which, in itself, is not ordinarily dangerous. The bandaging of such a wound will usually stop the flow of blood. Bandage firmly. Remember all wounds bleed a little,... Strength
The strength of the patrol will generally depend on its mission and on the number of messages that it will probably send back. The larger the patrol the greater the probability of the enemy seeing it. On the other hand, if it is too small, it will... Strength And Composition
Subject to variation according to the situation, one twentieth to one third of a command may be assumed as a suitable strength for the advance guard. The larger the force, the larger in proportion is the advance guard, for a large command takes re... Strength And Composition
The strength of a rear guard depends upon the nature of the country and the strength and character of the pursuing force. It can not, like the advance guard, count on the support of the main body. Machine guns are especially useful in the passag... Sunstroke--(the Skin Is Hot)
A sunstroke is accompanied by the following symptoms: headache, dizziness, sense of oppression, nausea, colored vision, and often the patient becomes insensible. The muscles are relaxed, face flushed, skin hot, pulse rapid, and the temperature ris... Support
Following the advance cavalry is the support, varying in strength from one fourth to one half of the advance guard. In mixed commands it consists of infantry, to which engineers may be attached. If there is no advance cavalry, some cavalry should be... Target Practice
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 obtain... Tent Pitching
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 comp... The Actual Attack
Deployment. To deploy means to extend the front. When does a column extend its front or prepare to fight? When open terrain, which will probably expose the troops to hostile artillery fire, is reached. This place may be two or more miles from the ... The Actual Defense
Let us suppose now that our battalion, occupying this defensive position, is a part of a larger force which is supported by artillery. You see small objects one and a half to two miles to your front. You know they are the enemy's troops because yo... The Charge
There can be no rule to tell you when to charge. It may be from 25 to 400 yards. The common sense (tactical instinct) of the senior ranking officer on the firing line must tell him the psychological moment to order the charge. That moment will be ... The Fire Attack
The fire attack commences when the infantry in the firing line first opens fire and it usually ends with the charge. A charge is sometimes not necessary because the enemy withdraws from his position. The fire attack does not start until the firing... The Theory Of Attack
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... The Theory Of The Defensive
The defensive is divided into the purely passive defense and the active defense. The passive defense seeks merely to delay the enemy. The results can never be other than negative. It is usually for the purpose of gaining time and most frequentl... To Load
Being in line or skirmish line at halt: 1. WITH DUMMY (Blank or ball) CARTRIDGES, 2. LOAD. At the command load each front rank man or skirmisher faces half right and carries the right foot to the right, about 1 foot, to such position as will in... To Unload
Unload: Take the position of load, turn the safety lock up and move the bolt alternately backward and forward until all the cartridges are ejected. After the last cartridge is ejected the chamber is closed by pressing the follower down with the fi... Trial Shots Or Volleys
If the ground is so dry and dusty that the fall of the bullets is visible through a glass or with the naked eye, a method of determining the distance is afforded by using a number of trial shots or volleys. The method of using trial volleys is as ... Unload
All take the position of load, turn the cut-off up, if not already there, turn the safety lock to the left, and alternately open and close the chamber until all the cartridges are ejected. After the last cartridge is ejected the chamber is closed an... Windage
The rear sight is set on a movable base so that it can be moved to the right or left and the aiming point shifted accordingly in order to counteract the effect of the wind on the bullet. General Rule. To shift the striking point of the bullet to...