The English of military communications

by William Addleman Ganoe

Hasten your march until you are clear of JEPSOM.
SMITH,
Chief of Staff.

Copies to all Commanders.
By Lieut. Jones to officer in charge of trains.

Birmingham,
8 Sept. ’25, 9-50 a. m.

To Captain Mott, commanding trains:

Our advance guard met at 9-30 a. m. two battalions hostile infantry at GARLINGTON.

Have trains keep well closed and follow main body without distance.

NORTON,
Colonel, commanding.

The first two examples are of the formal type. The third one is less so.

Verbal orders are usually transmitted by officers. However, if the order consists of a single sentence such as, “The trains will halt two hours at Bingham,” it may be transmitted by an enlisted man.

Although there is more latitude in the form of written order than in that of the field order, the one should be as brief and unmistakable in its construction as the other. The paragraph structure and sequence should be as logical and unified as English composition can make them.