TACTICAL Mill TACTICAL WALKS BY Lt. Col. William H. Waldron U. S. Infantry Distinguished Graduate Infantry and Cavalry School 1905 Graduate Staff College, 1906 Graduate Army War College, 1911 Assistant Director, Army War College, Course 1911-12 Author of "Scouting and Patrolling" "Elements of Trench Warfare" "Company Administration" "Infantry Soldiers' Hand Book" PRICE rfL 50 PUBLISHED BY GEORGE U. HARVEY PUBLISHING CO., Inc. 109 Lafayette St., New York City } COPYRIGHT 1918 BY GEORGE U. HARVEY PUBLISHING Co., Inc. CONTENTS PAGE INSTRUCTIONS TACTICAL WALK No. 1. ADVANCE GUARD ....................... ... 9 The operations of an advance party. The operations of a point. Contact. Patrolling. Action of advance guard when column halts. TACTICAL WALK No. 2. A FLANK GUARD .......................... 28 Formation. Patrolling. Covering approaches. Ambuscade. Ac- tion when main body halts. TACTICAL WALK No. 3. AN OUTPOST .............................. 43 Covering the posting of the outguards. Posting of an outguard. Posting sentinels. Orders and instructions. Receptions of a flag of truce at the outposts. TACTICAL WALK No. 4. A RECONNOITERING PATROL ................ 58 Inspection of patrol. Orders and instructions to patrol. Pass- ing line of outguards. Formation of the patrol. Contact with the enemy. Observation of enemy. Message writing. Message carrying. Capture of enemy scouts. TACTICAL WALK No. 5. A VISITING PATROL ....................... ". 74 Preparation. Orders. Visiting points on line of observation. Capture of hostile scouts. Inspection in front of the line of observation. Disposition of prisoners. TACTICAL WALK No. 6. A DETACHED POST ....................... 89 Orders and instructions. Marching. Establishment of detached post. Preparation of position for defense. Conduct of duty. Day and night dispositions. TACTICAL WALK No. 7. A DEFENSIVE POSITION ......... ......... 105 Estimate of the situation. Organization of a defensive position. Location of defensive works. Location and construction of ob- stacles. Clearing the foreground. 369969 TO THE READER "READ THE INSTRUCTIONS' Many students ignore the INSTRUCTIONS to a book. It is most important that you read the INSTRUCTIONS to this volume before going into the text. This, in order that you may familiarize yourself with the system laid down herein. THE AUTHOR INSTRUCTIONS. The Tactical Walk is the best method that has been devised for instruc- ting officers and noncommissioned officers in the subject of Minor Tactics. Tactical situations are presented to them for practical solution on the ground itself, and the lessons are firmly impressed on their minds. Fortunate is the company commander detailed to command the support of an outpost who can march his organization to the position designated, group his noncommissioned officers about him, state the military situation to them in a few words, and give his orders for posting the outpost, feel- ing assured that each man will go about his task in an intelligent manner and carry out his part of the operation efficiently. To be more specific, can you take any one of your noncommissioned offi- cers at random and after informing him of the contents of the first two paragraphs of the outpost order say: "Sergeant Williams, with the first platoon move out at once and cover the posting of the outguards," and know that this task is going to be efficiently carried out? Can you say to another: "Corporal White, with your squad form out- guard No. 2, which will be posted at the road fork , and cover the approaches from the east," and feel reasonably assured that Corporal White will select the proper location for his outguard; that he will post one double-sentinel post in the best location for observation and conceal- ment; that he will instruct his sentinels and give them their proper orders; that he will establish communication with the adjoining outguards and sentinels, and that he will prepare his position for defense? Again, can you say to another : "Outguard No. 2 has reported a flag of truce about 300 yards in front of sentinel No. 1. Corporal Jones, take four men of your squad, go out and conduct the parlementaire to me," with the assurance that Corporal Jones knows how to carry out his mis- sion in all its details? Can you select any one of your noncommissioned officers, detail six men and place them under his command as a reconnoitering patrol for work in front of the outpost line ; give him the information of the enemy and your own troops ; assign him a mission and tell him where to send his messages, and feel that he will be able to conduct the operations of that patrol in the manner that you would wish it conducted? Can you send any one of your sergeants out in command of the point of your advance guard and feel that he knows what to do and how to do it? He may have a good general idea of the methods to be employed while the point is just marching along the road. Let a shot be fired from the front. What will he do? The chances are that he will halt and "await instructions." I have seen this procedure time and time again at maneuvers. I have seen an advance guard consisting of a whole battalion deployed against six infantrymen. I have seen another entire battalion deploy to drive twenty dismounted cavalrymen from a sunken road and delay the main body for a considerable length of time when every minute was precious. 6 Tactical Walks It is to pru\id