“Paragraph 3. Orders for the several elements of the command.
“Paragraph 4. Administrative and communication arrangements.
“Paragraph 5. The place where messages are to be sent, or where the commander will march.
“This form of field order has stood the test of time and, what is more to the point, it has proved to be a suitable and effective method of issuing orders in time of war. When we went to France we found the long-winded, highly detailed orders that were the development of years of trench warfare. No one read them and, if they did, they did not understand them. We used them in order to conform with requirements from higher headquarters. When we really got down to the business of fighting and had to produce results we fell back on our own simple five paragraph order, and it met all the requirements. Get the elements of this order firmly fixed in your minds and follow them. They are applicable to any body of troops, large or small.
“The next point I want to bring out is the necessity for letting every man in the platoon know what the work for the day is to be. This information is imparted to them in the form of a verbal order by the platoon commander, which embraces the points brought out in the ‘Estimate of the Situation,’ which we have just discussed.”
Solution
The Director: “Captain Hall, based upon the decision reached in our ‘Estimate of the Situation’ and the discussion prior thereto, state your solution of the problem in detail.”
Captain Hall: “I give the command: 1. Platoon, 2. ATTENTION; then follow with: 1. With ball cartridges, 2. LOAD. After all pieces are loaded and locked, I give the command: 1. Order, 2. ARMS. I then give the command: AT EASE, and direct: ‘Give me your attention.’ I then issue my order as follows:
“Small Red forces are reported in the direction of (c) (indicating the direction). Our brigade marches towards (b), by the (j)—(k)—(l) road, which is —— miles to the —— of here. Our battalion continues its mission as a right (left) flank guard. Our company forms the advance guard. The company, less this platoon, is the support and follows us at a distance of about 400 yards.
“‘This platoon forms the advance party.