The English of military communications

by William Addleman Ganoe

APPENDICES[25]

APPENDIX
Forms of Complete Field Orders

While the following forms are given for the convenience of officers in the field, and with a view of securing uniformity in the service, it must be remembered that no two military situations are the same. The sequence in paragraph 3 is not obligatory, the commander arranging the details according to his best judgment.

For an advance.
Field Orders	[Title]
No. —	[Place]
[Reference to map used]	[Date and hour]
Troops	1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
(a) Independent	2. [Plan of commander]
Cavalry:	3. (a) [Instructions for independent cavalry—place and time of departure, roads or country to be covered, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(b) Advance Guard:	(b) [Instructions for advance guard—place and time of departure, or distance at which it is to precede the main body, route, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(c) Main Body—in	(c) [Instructions for main body—distance at which it is to follow the advance guard, or place and time of departure]
order of march:
[Commander][26]
(d) Right [left] Flank Guard:	(d) [Instructions for flank guard—place and time of departure, route, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(e) Signal Troops:	(e) [Instructions for signal troops—lines of information to be established, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
	(x) [Instructions for outpost—when relieved, subsequent duties]
	4. [Instructions for field train—escort, distance in rear of column, or destination when different from that of main body, if disposition not previously covered in “Orders”]
[Instructions for sanitary, ammunition, supply and engineer trains, when necessary]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
	[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

For advance guards.
Field Orders	[Title]
No. —	[Place]
[Reference to map used]	[Date and hour]
Troops	1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
(a) Advance Cavalry:	2. [Plan of commander]
[Commander]	3. (a) [Instructions for advance cavalry—place and time of departure, roads or country to be covered, special mission]
[Troops]
(b) Support:	(b) [Instructions for support—place and time of departure, route, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(c) Reserve—in order	(c) [Instructions for reserve—distance at which it is to follow support]
of march:
[Troops]
(d) Right [left] Flank Guard:	(d) [Instructions for flank guard—place and time of departure, route, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
	4. [Instructions for field train—generally to join train of column if not previously covered in orders]
	5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent, location of lines of information]
	[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

A halt for the night—Camp with outpost.
Field Orders	[Title]
No. —	[Place]
[Reference to map used]	[Date and hour]
1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops, including independent cavalry]
2. [Plan of commander—to encamp or bivouac]
3. (a) [Designation of commander and troops of outpost,[27] general line to be held, special reconnaissance, connection with other outposts, if any]
(b) [Instructions for troops not detailed for outpost duty—location of camp, designation of camp commander,[28] observation of flanks and rear when necessary, lines of information, conduct in case of attack]
4. [Instructions for field train—generally to join troops, though if near enemy, field train of outpost troops may be held in rear] [29]
[Instructions for sanitary, ammunition, supply, and engineer trains, when necessary]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
	[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

For outposts.
Field Orders	[Title]
No. —	[Place]
[Reference to map used]	[Date and hour]
Troops	1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
	2. [Plan of commander—to establish outpost approximate line of resistance]
(a) Advance Cavalry:	3. (a) [Instructions for advanced cavalry contact with enemy, roads or country to be specially watched, special mission]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(b) Supports:[30]	(b) [Instructions for supports—positions they are to occupy, and sections of line of resistance which they are to hold, intrenching, etc.]
No.1[Commander]
[Troops]
No.2[Commander]
[Troops]
No.3[Commander]
[Troops]
(c) Detached Post:	(c) [Instructions for detached post—position to be occupied, duties, amount of resistance]
[Commander]
[Troops]
(d) Reserve:	(d) [Instructions for reserves—location, observation of flanks, conduct in case of attack, duties of special troops]
[Commander]
[Troops]
	4. [Instruction for field train if necessary]
	5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent, location of lines of information]
	[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued][31]
It is sometimes necessary to issue two outpost orders; the firstas above, containing general instruction; the second, issued after aninspection of the line, and containing more definite instructions orinvolving changes.

For positions in readiness.
Field Orders	[Title]
No. —	[Place]
[Reference to map used]	[Date and hour]
1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
2. [Plan of commander—to take up a position in readiness at or near ——]
3. (a) [Instructions for cavalry—to reconnoiter in direction of enemy, special mission]
(b) [Instructions for artillery—position or place of assembly]
(c) [Instructions for infantry—position or place of assembly, points to be especially held, reconnaissance]
(d) [Instructions for engineers—position or place of assembly]
(e) [Instructions for signal troops—lines of information]
4. [Instructions for field trains, sanitary, ammunition, supply and
engineer trains if not previously covered in orders—generally to halt at designated localities in rear, ready to move in any direction]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
	[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]