Captain Hodges: “Yes, sir. I would have signaled the rest of the point ‘DOWN’ so as to give them warning that the enemy is in sight. I will tell Pendleton ‘Signal back. Enemy in sight,’ because Lieutenant W will want to know immediately why the point has halted, and this will give him the information. Then I would go to the front and join Crane and Hanson.”
The Director: “Those are the points I wanted to bring out. You see them, Captain Harvey, do you not?”
Captain Harvey: “Yes, sir.”
The Director: “Now, Captain Harvey, let us take up your solution again. Let us say that you have joined Crane and Hanson. Just what are you going to do?”
Captain Harvey: “I would open fire on the enemy immediately. Then get the rest of the point up and have them join in the firing.”
The Director: “Do you agree with that procedure, Captain Hodges?”
Captain Hodges: “Not entirely, sir. I appreciate the necessity for opening fire right away so as to get the jump on the enemy, but I think we should get as many rifles up as possible before opening fire and disclosing our position to the enemy. I would try to get the whole point in position to fire before opening up, if I could. I would first make provision for Crane and Hanson to open fire by giving them firing data: ‘Range: —— yards. Target: enemy at (describe location of target briefly). Hold your fire.’ I would then signal the other members of the point to come up and, as they arrive, indicate the location of the target and announce the range to them.”
Captain Jones: “That solution seems to me to be all right if the enemy will remain inactive until all of this is done, but suppose he does not do so. Suppose he discovers us. Suppose he opens fire himself. Suppose he starts to retreat. Suppose he keeps coming along towards us.”
Captain Hodges: “I am coming to all of that. I would keep the enemy under observation. If he does anything that should cause us to open fire before all of the squad is up, I would open up with every rifle that is in position to fire. I would take no chances on the enemy getting the jump on me. It will only take a minute or two to get the men into position, and I think I am justified in delaying that long.”
Captain Jones: “I would make mighty certain that I did not wait too long before opening fire.”