The Problem

Special Situation—Blue:

A regiment of Blue infantry, operating in hostile country, is marching on the (a)-(b) road, towards (c).

The support of the advance guard, composed of Companies A and B (less 1 platoon, Company B), is this time at (d). The reserve, consisting of the remainder of the battalion, is following at a distance of about 400 yards and the main body follows the reserve at a distance of 500 yards.

A (e) flank guard, consisting of the 3rd platoon, Company B, has arrived at this point (f) marching on the (g)-(h) road.

A force of the enemy is reported in the vicinity of (i) and detachments of mounted men have been operating in the direction of (j).

Situation No. 1:

You, Lieutenant A, commanding the (e) flank guard, and marching at the head of the main body of your command, have arrived at this point (f).

Required:

What is the formation of your (e) flank guard at this moment?

(Note.—The platoon is organized in accordance with column 8 T. O. 28-W. See Appendix I.)

Explanation of Letter Symbols

(a)-(b) The road on which the Blue regiment is marching. In military orders and problems roads are designated by naming places located on them. For example, the Longs-Emmitsburg-Fairplay road would mean the main road passing through these places. When military maps are made all cross-roads and road-forks should be numbered and all hills and other prominent topographical features either designated by their local names or given letter designations. This will greatly facilitate their designation in orders and messages. When maps have grid lines on them the location of points may be designated by the use of coordinates.

(d) The point on the main road where the support of the advance guard of the column has arrived. It should be about abreast of (f), (see below).

(e) The designation of the flank guard, right or left.

(f) The point at which the flank guard is supposed to have arrived. The point where the Terrain Exercise is to begin.

(g)-(h) The road on which it is intended that the flank guard is to march and along which the Terrain Exercise is to be conducted. This road should lie approximately parallel to and not more than a mile distant from the road on which the main body is marching. If no such network of roads exist, the Director may explain to the class the conditions and assume that the nearest road is about a mile distant and work out the problem on that assumption. This procedure strains the situation a little and robs it of some of its reality. The members of the class will have to make the best of it and will have to draw upon their imagination to picture it.

(i) A locality some miles distant in the direction of which the Blue force is marching.

(j) Localities or places some distance to the flank of the Blue force and in the direction of the road on which the flank guard is marching.

Procedure

The members of the class are conducted to (f) where the Terrain Exercise is to begin.

The Director distributes the sheets containing the Special Situation Blue and the Situation No. 1. A few minutes are allowed the members of the class to look them over. The Director then reads the problem aloud, the members of the class following from the copy in their possession, and makes such explanation as may be necessary. One or more members of the class are called upon to state their understanding of the tactical situation.

Explanation

The Director: “Before going ahead with this exercise I want to make a few remarks about a flank guard.

“Ordinarily the flanks of a column on the march may be protected by small patrols sent out from time to time from the advance guard. There are occasions, however, when patrols will not suffice, as in the present situation, where it is known that hostile troops are operating on the flank of our line of march. In this case it is necessary to send out a stronger detachment to march parallel to the route of the main body. This detachment is denominated a Flank Guard and is an element in the system of covering troops provided for the protection of a marching column.

“The flank guard marches abreast of the column and assumes the general formation of an advance guard, having a point thrown out to the front, followed by the remainder of the detachment, much as an advance party and support. Patrols are sent out to the exposed flank whenever necessary, and communication is maintained with the main body by means of small patrols or connecting files. In some cases it may be necessary to detach a small rear guard, as in the case where a flank guard has been attacked by a comparatively large force of the enemy and has taken up a position to hold them off until the main body can pass the danger point and the flank guard resume its march.

“The general duties of the flank guard are much the same as those of an advance guard; that is, to do everything possible to provide for the uninterrupted progress of the main body. All other duties are incidental to this and all have this prime object in view.”

Solution

The Director: “Lieutenant Williams, into what parts is your flank guard divided at this time?”

Lieutenant Williams: “I would have an advance party and a support. Each element would consist of one section of three squads each. From the advance party a point consisting of one squad would be sent to the front.”

The Director: “Had you thought of a formation in which the whole platoon is kept intact as one body with only a point of one squad out in front?”

Lieutenant Williams: “Yes, sir. I had considered that possible formation and abandoned the idea because we can cover more road space with the formation that I have adopted and the more road space the flank guard can cover without undue dispersion the more of the column of the main body it covers and protects.”

The Director: “All right. Now let us assume that we adopt your formation of an advance party with a squad as point and the second section as a support. What is the formation of your point, Captain Hastings?”

Captain Hastings: “It would be in the ‘Boni Point’ formation, the men marching on alternate sides of the road with a distance of about 20 yards between them.”

The Director: “I think that formation would be just right for this occasion. What is the next element of the flank guard?”

Captain Hastings: “The connecting files, sir.”

The Director: “How many of them?”

Captain Hastings: “I would have two at least.”

The Director: “Wouldn’t one man be sufficient as a connecting file?”

Captain Hastings: “At this particular point one man would, but there are places on this road where one man would not be able to keep up the communication, and to make sure of that being done all the time I would detail two men. The duty is no more arduous than marching with the point or the advance party, and I do not consider that it is any hardship.”

The Director: “Lieutenant Wallace, what would be the distance from the rear man of the point to the head of the advance party?”

Lieutenant Wallace: “About two hundred yards.”

The Director: “What would be the distance from the advance party to the head of the support?”

Lieutenant Wallace: “I would have that about 350 yards.”

The Director: “You will want to keep in communication with the main body on the (a)-(b) road. How would you accomplish that?”

Lieutenant Wallace: “I would send out two men to march so that they can see the main body and the flank guard. I realize that they cannot do this all the time but they will be able to do it at sufficiently frequent intervals to keep both bodies informed if anything unusual happens.”

The Director: “Would you have a patrol out on the exposed flank at this time?”

(Note.—The answer to this question will depend upon the lay of the country on the exposed flank. If it is close, a patrol will be necessary. If it is open to the limit of effective rifle fire a patrol would not be necessary. In any event, the Director should bring out the principles stated below, at some point in the Terrain Exercise.)

“No, sir; I do not see the necessity for a patrol on the exposed flank at the present. We can see all the country to the limit of effective rifle range from the road, and I think a patrol there would be a waste of men. If, later on, the topography should demand it, I would send out such patrols as may be necessary. At what distance they would march from the column cannot be stated. It would depend entirely upon the country. They would have to go out far enough to see something more than can be seen from the road, if they are to be of any use.”

The Director: “You are exactly right. I think all the members of the class will agree with you. There is no necessity for wearing men out on flank patrol duty, beating their way over rough country and climbing fences, when they accomplish no useful purpose. Never order a disposition unless there is a sound tactical reason for it. Then when the time comes your men are ready to put forth superhuman efforts, if need be, to help you accomplish your mission. On the solution of these small problems in actual service rests your success or failure as a tactical leader of men. You must remember that it is the combination of these small tactical situations that go to make up the big maneuvers.”

The Director: “What would be the march formation of the support, Lieutenant Ralston.”

Lieutenant Ralston: “I would have three squads in the support. I would have them march with a column of files on each side of the road. I would have two squads on this side of the road towards the enemy and one squad on the other side.”

The Director: “What are the advantages of this formation?”

Lieutenant Ralston: “It makes easier marching than in a column of squads; the column is not so vulnerable to enemy fire; if a deployment to the front is necessary it may readily be effected by deploying the leading squad of each column to the right and left respectively and deploying the rear squad of the column towards the enemy in rear of them. If a deployment to the flank towards the enemy is necessary it is practically already made for we have two squads on that flank now, and all the men will have to do is get a little more interval, the squad on the side of the road away from the enemy will get their proper interval and are in the right position for a small reserve; and deployments can be made without any confusion in case of sudden attack.”

The Director: “I think we can all agree that you have the proper formation. Now, I want each member of the class to draw a rough sketch of the road at this point and show on it the detailed formation of the flank guard. Make the scale large so you can show the details.”

Procedure

When the sketches are completed the Director distributes a mimeographed sketch showing the disposition of the flank guard in order that the members of the class may compare their sketches with it.

Flank Guard Card No. 1

Director’s Key

1. Conduct class to place where the Terrain Exercise is to begin. Distribute the problem. Read and explain. Have members of class explain their understanding of the problem.

2. Explain necessity for employment of a flank guard:—protection of exposed flank; where march; formation; patrols; rear guard; duties.

3. Solution:—formation; advance party and support; covers more road space; dispersion; formation of point; connecting files; distances between elements; communication with main body.

4. Flank patrols:—necessity for; do not use except when necessary.

5. Marching formation of support. Advantages of column of files on each side of the road:—easy marching; invulnerability to enemy fire; deployments facilitated.

6. Have class make sketch; distribute sheets showing solution and compare with sketches made.

Procedure

The class is conducted along the road on which the flank guard is supposed to be marching to the point where a road leading from the flank where the enemy is reported, enters it. It may be assumed that the flank guard has marched a mile or more to reach this point.

The Director distributes the sheets bearing Situation No. 2, to the members of the class.