4. You are lying on the long knoll 566, five hundred yards south of C-6. You are watching at half past two in the afternoon two infantrymen of the enemy who are walking along the edge of the stream to the west. You have been interested in their movements ever since they crossed the first road to the southwest several moments ago. While you are watching them, you are fired upon by what you estimate to be sixteen rifles from the woods to the south. You hasten north and give to one of your men a verbal message on the way.
5. You are proceeding south along the stream at 7⅓-E. At twenty minutes after eight in the morning you approach the more densely wooded section of country near the bridge. You look toward the cross-roads to the west and spy in the field some of the enemy loafing and talking at the letter “8” in 488. You see four stacks of arms and are making further observations, when you hear a rustle of undergrowth in the woods. Eight men rush out upon you. Three of your men are killed. You escape with one man. As soon as you are able, you give him a verbal message, and both of you take different routes back to headquarters.
6. You are reconnoitering south along the railroad track from Biglerville. When you reach the siding at 626, you notice that part of the track exactly opposite “B,” both on the siding and main line, is completely blown away. You count ten ties burning at the side of the road. While you are making an inventory of the situation, you are fired upon by a machine gun mounted on a flat car near the next bridge to the south. The car apparently filled with men seems to be approaching. Your patrol scatters to the fields. You give one man a verbal message.
7. You have been sent with two men to find out whether the Conewago is fordable at any point between Table Rock and Fidler, B-7. After some search you find a crossing directly south of the zero in the number 540 which marks the contour of that height. Some time ago you sent a written message to the effect that there was a picket located at the Logan farm house. You have finished searching thoroughly that part of the stream assigned to you, when a strong party of the enemy is seen approaching your position from A. Logan. You give your remaining man a verbal message. Each takes a separate route.
8. You are in charge of a small reconnoitering patrol going south from Boyd School House. As you approach the marsh (7-4¼5, bottom) at the west of the road, you see three pieces of artillery stuck in the mud up to their hubs. You find that the guns are 3 in. field pieces. While you are investigating their mechanism in order to confirm your opinion that they belong to hostile troops, about forty men of the enemy with ropes and tackle appear about 400 yards to the south. You hurry away under cover, and find a telephone. You send a verbal message over the wire at twenty minutes to five in the evening.
9. You are delivering a message by motor cycle from Center Mills to Granite Hill Station. You are riding at about thirty miles an hour on a road supposedly clear of the enemy, when you are met by a fusillade from the woods in the vicinity of Henderson Meeting House. As you pass the road-fork, shots follow you and you feel a sharp pain in the calf of your leg. You speed up to pass the cross-roads at Hunterstown, and in two minutes reach Granite Hill Station. At twenty minutes after nine in the morning you dismount from your motor cycle and direct an infantryman standing near you to take a verbal message to headquarters in addition to the written one you hand him.
10. You are Captain Williams in command of Company B, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry. You are acting as a support during the Outpost duty of your battalion. You are at 592, northwest of the Good Intent School House, D-7, and are engaged in driving back a company of infantrymen which is attacking you from the stream to the west. At twenty-five minutes to ten in the morning you are suddenly attacked also by a platoon of infantry from the direction of Herman. The nearest friendly troops are those at battalion headquarters. You are in a serious predicament. You at once send a verbal message by an intelligent sergeant.
We have doubtless demonstrated to our own satisfaction by means of the problems above how difficult it is to frame a message briefly and unmistakably. It might be well to inquire why we have had this trouble. An analysis may not only reveal, but also remedy, the cause of our inability to achieve the desired result.