“I would then double-time up to the point. As I pass Corporal Smith I would say: ‘Watch for signals from the advance party.’”
Captain Harvey: “That solution seems to be all right, but don’t you think Lieutenant Wallace would come forward to the point when it halted? In that case he would know all about the situation, and it would not be necessary to send the message back to him.”
The Director: “I am very glad you brought up that point, Captain Harvey. No; I do not think Lieutenant Wallace would leave his advance party at such a critical moment. In my opinion it would be absolutely wrong if he did. In the first place, he has no business up with the point. Sergeant Roberts is either capable of handling it or he is not so. If he is, he should be let alone to solve his own problem; if he is not capable, he should be relieved. On advance guard duty the commander of each element will have plenty to do if he sticks to his own job and does not go molesting that of someone else.”
Procedure
The class should now be conducted 200 or 300 yards farther along the road. It is here halted and the Director states: The point has now gotten into formation and is continuing the advance. A message has been sent back to the advance party commander as indicated in our solution a few minutes ago. At this moment you see about six mounted men of the enemy off in that direction (points out the location toward the flank).
Solution
The Director: “Captain Hodges, how do you size up the situation now?”
Captain Hodges: “I estimate that the mounted men are the survivors of the patrol that we fired on. They are working around to the flank of the column to secure information of the strength and composition of our main body. Having this information, it is my job to get it back to the advance party commander as soon as possible in order that proper measures may be taken to beat off the enemy patrol and keep him from getting the information he wants. I would send a verbal message back by Alley, who is marching just behind me in the point.”
The Director: “Now, let us assume that I am Private Alley. Give me the message that you would send back.”
Captain Hodges: “I would fall back to where Alley is marching, and as we walk along say to him: