The Problem
Situation No. 7:
You have arrived at this point. You discover a cavalryman’s horse, fully equipped, tied to that tree. You reconnoiter the vicinity but can find no other signs of the enemy.
Required:
What action do you take?
Solution
The Director: “Lieutenant Williams, how do you size up the situation?”
Lieutenant Williams: “I have come to the conclusion that the enemy prisoner told the truth when he said he was lost. I do not believe there are any other men of the enemy in this immediate vicinity. Had there been other men with the prisoner he surely would not have dismounted and tied his horse to a tree. If there were more in the party one man would have been left out here to hold the horse while the prisoner went forward to reconnoiter on foot. I arrive at the conclusion that this is his horse and that he is a member of the enemy patrol that was operating over on the right of our line. He got lost and was trying to find some of the men of his own patrol when he ran into us. I do not think he realized that he was inside of our lines at the time he was captured.”
The Director: “Has any member of the class a different version of the affair than what Lieutenant Williams has just explained?”
Captain Hastings: “I do not think we would be justified in assuming that there are no more of the enemy in this vicinity. Two enemy scouts have been captured that we know of. These two men were not scouting around here alone. There must be more of them somewhere. It may be that others have come in contact with our outguards that we have not heard about.”
The Director: “Have you heard any firing tonight along our lines?”
Captain Hastings: “No, sir.”
The Director: “Don’t you think that if there had been very much enemy activity along our lines that there would have been firing somewhere? I think it is fair to assume that. I believe we would be pretty well justified in assuming that the enemy activity is limited to perhaps a patrol from which our prisoner became lost.
“The question now before us is what are we going to do? Lieutenant Wallace, what would you do?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “I would get this horse back as quickly as possible and then I would extend my reconnaissance farther to the front.”
The Director: “Where would you send the horse?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “I would send him back to the support commander.”
The Director: “Where would you send him, Lieutenant Ralston?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “I am not so sure I would send him anywhere for the present. If we are to continue our reconnaissance to the front I do not figure that I would spare a man to send the horse back. In any event I would send him no farther than outguard No. 3. And I am not so sure that I would go any farther on the reconnaissance. I do not think a visiting patrol—so few men—should go very far in front of the line of observation at night.”
The Director: “Captain Harvey, what do you think about all of this?”
Captain Harvey: “I agree with Lieutenant Ralston. Another point that presents itself to me is this: When the support commander gets the prisoner we sent back he will probably send our section leader out with a patrol to reconnoiter the front and the sergeant will want to see me and get what information I have. The natural place for him to come first to find me will be outguard No. 3. I think I should get back there at least by the time the patrol from the support reaches there. I estimate that I could stay around here for a few minutes yet, but I would have to be getting back pretty soon.”
The Director: “What would be your decision based on your sizing up of the situation?”
Captain Harvey: “To send the horse back to outguard No. 3 right away.
“Manley and myself would stay out here in concealment for, say five minutes longer, and then go back to the outguard by way of the sentinel post.”
The Director: “Any member of the class that does not agree with that decision? (After waiting a moment.) There seems to be none, so we will agree to that solution of the problem.”
Visiting Patrol Card No. 7
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to a point 100 yards in front of sentinel post of Outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 7.
2. Size up situation. Estimate of connection of enemy prisoner with the cavalry horse.
3. Disposition of horse.
4. Future action of patrol commander.
5. Decision; send horse to Outguard No. 3; Go to Outguard No. 3 to meet commander of patrol sent out from support.
Procedure
The class is now conducted to outguard No. 3, at which place Situation No. 8 is distributed and explained.