TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

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The ENGLISH of MILITARY
COMMUNICATIONS

By
WILLIAM A. GANOE
Major of Infantry, United States Army

Assistant Professor of English
United States Military Academy

The Collegiate Press

GEORGE BANTA PUBLISHING COMPANY

Menasha, Wisconsin

Copyright, 1918
by
George Banta Publishing Company

PRINTED AND BOUND BY
GEORGE BANTA PUBLISHING CO.
MANUFACTURING PUBLISHERS
MENASHA, WISCONSIN

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

It is important in military matters that a writer shall express definitely the ideas he intends to convey and in such phraseology that there can be no misunderstanding of the language used. Carelessly or improperly phrased instructions have caused many miscarriages of military plans. The attainment of perfection in the use of language is a matter of painstaking study and the gradual refinement of practice. Merely dreaming of what one will do when responsibility is thrust upon him is not the way to prepare for successful achievement. It is the duty of every self respecting officer to be ready to do not only his best but to do what is right.

When one has qualified himself to write or dictate orders and instructions properly he has already learned to interpret those he may receive from others. Accuracy of language demands discipline of mind. Under our system of raising war armies much has had to be entrusted to men without either discipline of mind or of character. This makes it necessary for officers not only to be qualified themselves to prepare and to interpret orders, but to teach the art to others.

Carelessly written instructions are like contoured maps with the base data omitted, leaving one in doubt as to whether he is observing a hill or a depression. A recent instance of such carelessness, coming under my observation, may serve to illustrate this: orders were received at my headquarters to call out certain reservists for actual service and direct them to report at Fort Wayne, Indiana. In the execution of the order individual telegrams were dispatched during the night. As orders had been received previously to turn over for the training of such reservists several permanent posts, including Fort Wayne, near Detroit, Michigan, telegraphic inquiry was made to find out if a mistake had been made. The reply established that the Post of Fort Wayne, Michigan, and not the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was intended.

Modern warfare of nations-in-arms is vastly different from the campaigns and open field fighting of the smaller armies of past wars. Nations no longer entrust the preparation and solution of their military problems to old type of practical soldiers. Military Academies, War Colleges, and General Staff Colleges have become necessary to insure that only trained men shall be entrusted with the preparation of instructions for the employment of the forces.

To combine the study of tactical problems, the preparation of orders and the correct use of language, as contemplated by Major Ganoe, will afford a great advantage to the student of today, and should make the diaries, journals, and war histories of the future finished writings without necessity for editing. These are the true sources of military history, a knowledge of which is essential to the ambitious officer desirous of perfecting himself in his profession.

(signed) William Harding Carter,
Major General, United States Army.

PREFACE

This course of lessons has for its sole object a demonstration to the military man that rhetoric is a big part of his profession. If he sees this advantage early it is hoped that he will not slight his rich language as so many of us have done to our later regret. Vocational training in English! That is practically what this book is. It is recognizing rhetoric for the first time as a separate study in the field service regulations. Just as we take up topography, engineering, sanitation, and supply as sciences by themselves in order to fit our efficiency into the team work of battle later, so here we apply ourselves to that part of field work which helps us state our ideas in a proper military manner.

The course is in no way tactics, but it forms an excellent primer to tactics. It leads up to and aids in the solution of tactical problems by passing over military ground. Because it is a combination of analysis and synthesis, rhetoric, as we know, is, unlike the exact sciences, purely a secondary subject. Its material, whether of poetry, essay, or fiction, is indiscriminate in its selection of matter so long as the matter is good. The idea in this book is to make both the material and the treatment count—to place the emphasis upon the manner of expressing oneself and to let the student see incidentally the interesting military features as he is passing along. He will be learning what he has never before had the opportunity of taking up separately, and what will lead him more easily into intricate tactical paths afterwards.

Some will criticise the book in that the author is not conforming to the principles which he is enunciating. They will say, “He tells us to boil our communications to the clearest minimum while he himself deals in reiteration and illumination.” Although this objection appears just, it is nevertheless cursory. A closer view will reveal the fact that the purpose and readers of communications are quite different from the purpose and readers of a text book. One of the first principles we learn in rhetoric is to suit our treatment and diction to our purpose and readers. Commanders await with interest and expectancy the words of a field message or order. Students await with skepticism or inertia the chapters of their lessons. Although we rightly can prescribe the severest clearness for something which is bound to be absorbed, we cannot be satisfied with one precise, colorless statement of that which is likely to be ignored. The student must be cudgeled and enticed. As a proof of the correctness of this position, this course has been tried with unexpected success upon the Cadets of the United States Military Academy. The very items which have been repeated and highly colored have proven themselves to the instructors to be the very ones which have more easily driven the points home.

Grateful acknowledgment is made by the author to Lieut. Colonel L. H. Holt, Professor of English and History, who made the book possible; to Captain G. Hoisington, Infantry, for drawing a plate; to Captains J. R. N. Weaver, Infantry, R. H. Lee, Coast Artillery Corps, L. E. Moreton, Coast Artillery Corps, C. C. Benson, Cavalry, and J. H. Grant, 24th Infantry, for their valuable criticism; and to Major A. W. Chilton, Infantry, for the revision of the book in order to make it conform to the practical work passed over—by his disinterested correction the whole becomes more valuable as a text.

W. A. G.

CHAPTER I
OUR APPROACH TO A CRITICAL MATTER

All military language should be of the utmost brevity and clarity. Death and disaster are the direct results of ambiguity. Throughout all history mistaken directions and information have been the ruin of whole campaigns. Careless wording, like careless shooting, is not only ineffective but often suicidal.

The object of these few lessons is to give practice in putting the language of military communication into form. It is hoped that by means of certain technical and rhetorical principles the student may gain proficiency in expressing his thoughts as he intends them and as military efficiency demands them.

Our Field Service Regulations state that “clear and decisive orders are the logical result of definite and sure decisions.” But this statement does not imply that if a person arrives at a definite and sure decision, he gains clear and decisive phraseology without effort on his part. General Wagner, a pioneer among American military authorities, divides into completely separate operations the act of deciding upon a definite plan of action and that of drafting or framing orders which will carry that decision into effect. One is purely military and has to do with dispositions of forces; the other is mainly rhetorical and has to do with manipulations of language. Many a military man has decided certainly in his own mind what he is going to do in order to carry out his mission, only to be faced immediately with a harder task. He must set that definite idea in the mind of some one else. “How,” he sighs, “shall I put this so as to let my Captains, Smith and Jones, know exactly what I want?” He seats himself on a warm rock under the blazing sun and chews his pencil. What he at first writes down, he finds, is full of loop-holes and is not expressive of what he means. He tries again, crosses out words here and there, adds others, and changes his sentences until the whole is undecipherable. In disgust he tears up the paper and tries again. After fifteen minutes of such effort he holds in his hand a few paragraphs of which he is not proud, but which will have to do. There has been no want, perhaps, of clear tactical reasoning on his part, but rather a distinct lack of ability to drive common English home. His case, we find, is not exceptional. One has only to listen to the discussions of military beginners (or of some, alas, who are not military beginners) to hear this statement confirmed. How often after having given careful or even brilliant estimates of a situation will a man burst out with, “I know what I mean right here, but don’t quite know how to say it!” All the way along there has been a decided blank space between decision in the mind and embodiment in language.

Whether slang, profanity, or colloquialisms have cut into our ordinary speech to such an extent as to keep us at a loss for the apt word, or whether we have grown careless or slovenly in our habits of expression, is a matter with which we are not concerned here. We do know that we are continually hampered by our inability to state absolutely our meaning. This lack of skill in composition which besets us, we must overcome in our profession, for the sake of the lives dependent upon our words. Napoleon sitting at his desk scribbling off orders and messages as fast as his nimble fingers can travel, his secretaries standing about him grasping each finished piece from under his pen and sending it off immediately by courier without revision or correction, is a dazzling picture for the military leader to contemplate. In his writing, a commander capable of carrying out single-handed all the phases and minor items of the mightiest of campaigns could, no doubt, be precise and accurate habitually. He was a genius. Yet Napoleon had had long years of practice in putting his will into words; for, we are told, he began to compose orders and to think tactically and strategically at a time of life when most of us have not even chosen our careers. If, then, we can try our hand at transcribing our ideas in as formative a period as possible in our military careers, we, too, may attain a proficiency that will become a second nature with us. At least, we may put behind us a great part of this uninteresting but indispensable work of learning to control our language, before we confront the more serious task of straightening out tactical and strategical difficulties in the presence of the enemy.

Incidentally, while we are on our way in our progress in expression, we may pick up much valuable military information. In our practice with tactical language we must make use of certain facts which have been found by experience appropriate to certain happenings connected with officers’ and soldiers’ duties. We shall be in constant touch with the workings of patrols, advance guards, outposts, and forces in battle. Like so many reporters we shall be present at maneuvers putting our notes into graphic and specific form.

Now, however, we are going to rivet our attention to the main issue—the mastery of clear and brief military communication. It has been mentioned that such ready skill often prevents loss of battles and human life. It prevents another loss which we have not taken up separately—the loss of time. The officer who sat chewing his pencil on the warm rock threw away from ten to twelve minutes which might have been used profitably upon the accomplishment of his mission—an amount of time which might have given the very advantage needed to gain a complete victory over the enemy. If he had had a skilful working knowledge of his own Mother Tongue, the delay would not have occurred. His effectiveness was lost for want of power of expression. To illustrate further, consider for a moment an army post going about its routine duties of drill, guard, and police. Into the Adjutant’s office walks an individual who announces himself to be Major Smart of the Inspector General’s Department. On being introduced to the Colonel, he identifies himself, and gives immediate orders that the Colonel shall have his regiment on the parade ground ready for field service in fifteen minutes. When the troops are formed, the Inspector rides up to the Colonel, hands him a typewritten tactical problem, and asks for a solution of it as soon as possible. The Inspector then takes out his watch and observes. If the Colonel consumes more than a reasonable number of minutes in writing his orders, or if he shows a hesitancy in so doing, or if he must seek aid from his Adjutant, it is surprising to note how soon after Major Smart’s departure from the post, the Colonel receives a letter from Washington apprising him of his shortcomings, and recommending, for his own good, a speedy remedy. Because of the inroads upon efficiency, the War Department, like any good business firm, cannot brook vacillation or unwarranted loss of time.

We must, then, adopt some method or procedure by which we will effectually beat down the causes of this loss of time, battles, and life. After analysing past proficiencies and deficiencies in military communication, we spy out from all the roads to the goal open to us, two which appear to be shorter than the rest. If we guide ourselves along these we shall come upon our object in the quickest way. Since the first leads into the second, they are given here in order. We should strive: (1) To learn to find quickly expressions which will cover information and decisions that are trying to struggle into language; and (2) To plant that information and decision into the recipient’s understanding exactly as it was rooted in our minds.

The first process is that of defining thoughts exactly and briefly.

The second process is that of making those thoughts so unmistakable that the most stupid cannot misunderstand and the most captious cannot misinterpret.

After we have done the first, we should look over our work and be certain that we have done the second.

The first has to do with the kind of situation that faced the man who knew what he “wanted to say but couldn’t express himself.” Some authorities argue that there is no difference between clear thinking and clear expression. They give no place to the “mute inglorious Milton.” They would not concede that the man groping for language had formed a definite plan in his mind, because that plan was not definite enough to be expressed. “If he has not thought in language,” they say, “he has not really thought.” Their opponents claim that a man thinks in pictures, and that he conceives his ideas as a painter imagines objects. In his mind are the outlines and colors of what he considers. There is truth in both views of the matter. But it is likely from what we know of the training of the military man that his mind works more by visualizing the troops and by conjuring up the scene than by gaining his conceptions through words. His forces are moving along roads, occupying trenches, or surging into conflict. His map is not a plane surface with names upon it, but a vision of highways, waving corps, and rolling hills. He is looking at these things without mentally describing them. For the purpose of this course, we shall take the view that there are occasions where we deduce certain results, but are unable, because of unfamiliarity with framing good sentences or because of a small vocabulary, to communicate those results or deductions in accordance with common usage.

The second road can be illustrated by comparison with the first. There is a wide difference, although at first there does not appear to be, between merely stating a thing clearly and making it unmistakable. The first is but a negative approach to complete certainty of expression, but the second must be a positive one. The distinction is one more or less of attitude of mind, and although heretofore it has been overlooked as an entity in English text books and military regulations, it assuredly illustrates itself in two types of men who actually exist. The man who is content with merely making himself clear takes the attitude of, “O, well, they will get what I meant because any other interpretation is absurd or incorrect.” The man who is not content unless he makes himself unmistakable says, “I won’t let any of them have the slightest excuse for any other interpretation; when I get through there will be but one interpretation and that will be mine.” The first one in sending a message to his commanding officer locates himself by putting in his heading, “Irrigation ditch 500 yards east of southeast corner of Catholic Church.” He notices another irrigation ditch fifty yards further to the east, but says to himself, “If my commanding officer measures the distance on the map he will know which one I mean.” The second man, upon looking about him and discovering the other ditch, does not accept the chance of letting his commanding officer confuse the two ditches by a possible difference of maps or measuring instruments. He investigates further. By moving a few yards to the top of a hillock he notices that the farther ditch is entirely a dirt construction whereas the one he occupies is a concrete one. He confirms this intelligence by looking at his map which shows the ditches to be as he has made them out. He, therefore, heads his message, “Concrete irrigation ditch 500 yards east of southeast corner of Catholic Church.” This is a case where an added word has made the meaning more proof against error. There are similar cases where a word taken away, or the change of a phrase, clause, or sentence, will make the recipient of the communication more sure of the true state of affairs.

To sum up as far as we have gone, we see that our object is to put military communication into proper form; that the failure to make our expression of the utmost brevity and clarity causes loss of efficiency, battles, and life; that a condition of inability to express ourselves exists widely; that by starting as early as we can to practice clear and brief form within the bounds of rhetorical and military rules (which, after all, are nothing more than those of common sense), we shall overcome this deficiency; and that for ourselves we are going to direct our course along two highways, viz.:

(1) To learn to find quickly expressions which will cover information and decisions that are trying to struggle into language; and

(2) To plant that information or decision in the recipient’s understanding exactly as it was rooted in our minds.

We have, so far, rehearsed the general attitude we must adopt toward conquering indefinite and lengthy expression. Because this weakness is so natural to us, we cannot afford to trifle with it if we wish to become a factor in battle. Positive decisions and information must be given in a positive way. Since no other kind of decision or information is countenanced in the military service, we must search for specific means of having our language stand sturdily by itself.

It must not choke our idea or our will, however little. Our decisiveness must reach our farthest superior or subordinate; and words, phrases, clauses, sentences, and paragraphs are going to be our only representatives. They alone will stand for us. Every pencil mark on that paper will be a part of the photograph of our intelligence. Our phraseology will be ourselves. We shall be judged by it, and rightly so, at a time when we shall have no chance to offer an amendment, an excuse, or an I-didn’t-mean-quite-that.

Guide-posts must mark our highways, if we are in earnest about our destination of brevity and clarity. In the specific hints which follow as to what to do and what not to do, there will be no attempt to point the way to literary effects which have entertainment for their sole object. Our effort must be to find a practical and speedy outlet for military information and decision through the most unmistakable channels. But since we must be terse and clear even to entertain, most of the rules of English will apply here. So we must not betray surprise or anguish when we are beset on our way by some old enemies with whom we have wrestled in rhetorics. In meeting them again we shall become the stronger because of the exercise on new and professional ground. The effort to put facts into forceful and compact form now, will create for us such a habit of brevity and clarity that later on we shall have room in our natural language for only such ideas and decisions as are brief and clear.

WHAT WE MUST NOT DO

As to Words.

1. Never use a term which depends upon the point of view of the observer, such as right, left, in front of, behind, on this side, beyond, and the like. Any of these directions may be turned askew in nine cases out of ten for the hearer or reader. Use instead north, east, etc.—the points of the compass—designations which do not change. To give an exact position of a place, state the number of yards it lies south, west, etc., of a certain point on the map or of a well-known object called a reference point.

Exceptions.—Right and left may be used in regard to individuals, banks of a stream, and flanks of troops, because their rights and lefts do not change. The right of a man is the side on which his right arm is no matter which way he faces; the right bank of a stream is the right as the observer faces down stream; the right flank of a body of troops is the right as the troops face the enemy. (Troops in retreat are supposed to be facing the enemy. The rear guard in reality is doing so.)

2. Do not use qualifying words such as, sort of, kind of, very, almost, quite, exceedingly, tremendously, somewhat, rather, nearly, and the like;

For,

(a). They lessen force, because they render uncertain ideas which should be definite; and

(b). They mean different things to different people. Smith’s almost may achieve; Jones’ almost may scarcely start.

3. Do not use slang. There is usually a word which will express the meaning more truthfully. “Putting it over” may mean complete victory or a sniper’s accurate shot. The phrase is not truthful.

4. Use no abbreviations except A. M., and P. M., and those given in Appendix 9 of our Field Service Regulations.[1] Noon and midnight should be written out fully.

5. Never use he, it, this, him, her, their, them, that, those, which, whose, or the like, without looking at them from every angle to make sure that they refer to a single word. If they refer to a whole statement or to two or more possible words, they are used wrongly. The addition of a noun will usually fix the meaning. Suppose you were to receive a message with this sentence in it:

The platoon leader assigned to one squad the wrong objective, and it delayed the firing.

Grammatically, the objective delayed the firing. Logically, either the act of the platoon leader or the squad delayed the firing. You make out by re-reading the whole message that it must have been the mistake of the platoon leader which delayed the firing. But in the meantime you have lost three minutes, and the government has lost that much efficiency.

And this or which in place of “and it” in the message would have made the sense no clearer. But and this error, or which error, makes the meaning unmistakable.

6. Never use a participle without inspecting it to see that it does not dangle—that it refers to the subject of the sentence rightly. Example:

“Looking over the crater, the periscope of the enemy was seen to turn.”

What this sentence really says is that the periscope was looking over the crater—a very possible happening. But all circumstances connected with the idea, after a series of mental deductions on the part of the reader, reveal that the writer had been looking over the crater at the periscope. The commander who received this information might have been led to believe that the periscope was situated in the crater. At least he was delayed, if not misled.

7. Do not use and except where necessary. Usually, when we connect clauses with it, we do not mean and, but some more expressive word such as because, whereas, when, etc.

8. Do not use any word which might not mean the same thing to any probable recipients, or might not commonly be understood. For instance, to a southerner evening means something different from its significance to a northerner, and to an Englishman clever has not the American meaning. Watch the words which have local standards.

As to Phrases and Clauses.

1. Do not allow a phrase or a clause to string out your expression when one word might answer. Boil your communication to the clearest minimum.

(a). We went back to headquarters with all possible speed. We hurried to headquarters.

Here the specific verb hurried does away with your phrase with all possible speed.

(b). When we were present in the cantonment, the soldiers looked as though they were quite hungry.

Our inspection of the cantonment revealed the soldiers to be hungry.

Here our inspection does away with the clause when we were present; and to be hungry does away with as though they were quite hungry.

This error of spreading words is common to ordinary writers and is most tiring and time-wasting to readers.

2. Do not omit words from your phrases and clauses where there is a chance for misunderstanding. Examples:

The detachment commander will be with the main body until 7 a. m. and thereafter the advance guard.

What is really stated is that the advance guard will be with the main body after 7 a. m.—an unintended statement. Make your grammar accord absolutely with your meaning. Add the with which belongs before the advance, and notice how the sense is brought out. Again,

They order us to go to Brownsville and do impossible things.

In this sentence do they order us to do impossible things, or do they themselves do impossible things?

Add the sign of the infinitive where it belongs before do. And to do impossible things reads unmistakably.

3. Do not use a participial phrase without first inspecting it to see that it holds but one idea.

Having changed our position, the enemy was confused.

What this sentence really says is that the enemy, when he had changed our position, was confused. This meaning is evidently not intended from the very nature of the statement.

It is clearer and more accurate to use a finite form of the verb instead of the participle; as,—

Because we changed our position we confused the enemy.

Or if you can condense with accuracy,

The change in our position confused the enemy.

As to Sentences.

1. Avoid long involved sentences. Even if they are grammatically well constructed, they are liable to rhetorical error. The following sentence because of its length violates unity:

“The organization of the German army is today well known to American Army officers, and experience has shown that German problems and solutions of a complex character changed in translation to conform to American units are often more troublesome for the student to understand than the original would be, as, on account of the difference in the size of the units, it is often necessary in reading such a translation to go back to the German organization in order to explain a distribution of troops, which, though simple for a German division, would be an awkward one for a division organized after our own Field Service Regulations.”

The first thought given to the reader is that “the organization of the German army is today well known to American Army officers.” The last thought of the sentence is that the “explanation of a distribution of troops would be an awkward one for a division organized after our own Field Service Regulations.” The path from the first thought to the second is long and winding. In fact the two do not belong in the same sentence as the sense stands.

With a simple change we can make the whole easier to read:

The organization of the German army is today well known to American Army officers. Their experience has shown that German problems and solutions of a complex character changed in translation to conform to American units are often more troublesome for the student to understand than the original would be. On account of the difference in the size of the units, it is often necessary in reading such a translation to go back to the German organization in order to explain a distribution of troops, which, though simple for a German division, would be an awkward one for a division organized after our own Field Service Regulations.

The reader has been allowed to take in a thought at a time instead of three thoughts at once.

In spite of the injunction in our Field Service Regulations that “short sentences are easily understood,” such long and involved expressions as the above have abounded among military writers. In war, this continuous motion in a single sentence has marred undertakings; in peace, it has robbed efficiency. It has been an incubus upon general orders, and even communications in the field.

CAUTION.—By short sentences we do not mean choppy sentences—sentences unnecessarily short as,—

The battalion halted for the night. It ate supper. Then the battalion relieved the outpost.

Here the reader has been stopped when he should have been kept going, for there is in reality but one thought in the three separate sentences. They should be combined into some such form as this,—

After the battalion had halted for the night and had eaten supper, it relieved the outpost.

The proper relation of ideas is here expressed for the reader. He knows that the relief of the outpost is the main consideration, depending in point of time upon the halt and supper. And the whole thought is not too big for him to take in as he reads.

The first error, illustrated by the sentence concerning German organization, is a fault common to older writers. They have allowed themselves to grow into the habit of adding qualifying phrases and clauses to sentences already completed until their additions come to swamp the originals. The second error, illustrated by the sentence concerning the battalion relieving the outpost, is a fault common to young writers. They have not yet formed the habit of relating in their own minds the separate ideas of a complete thought.

The happy mean between these two indefinite extremes is the one we wish to find—the sentence that gives speedy and accurate intelligence.

2. Do not use compound sentences containing and, save where they cannot be avoided. Here is a common piece of slovenliness found in such a construction.—

The wagon trains pulled out and the troops ate breakfast.

Any one of the following is more definite.

After the wagon trains pulled out the troops ate breakfast.

The wagon trains pulled out before the troops ate breakfast.

As the wagon trains pulled out the troops ate breakfast.

The writer in the first instance was too lazy or stupid to think out the specific meaning of and for the reader.

Remember, also, that the use of and to connect clauses leads us into the treacherous “run-on sentences”—the sentence that flits from subject to subject like an old gossip.

“They fell into the trap and so the commanding officer’s orders were lost and they remained there twenty days and were finally removed to a prison camp and there winter soon came on and finally they were released and went home in the spring.”

The sentence, in addition to having too many ideas in it, has them unrelated.

WHAT WE MUST DO

As to Words.

1. Every geographical name must be printed in capitals, thus,—

WEST POINT, MARNE RIVER, PARIS.

This rule does not mean that the names must be printed, merely, but that every letter must be capitalized legibly.

If the place be not pronounced as it is spelled, it should appear thus,—XENIA (Zē′-nĭ-ä), POUGHKEEPSIE (Pṓ-kĭp′-sĭ), CHIHUAHUA (Chḗ-wä′-wä).

A road must be designated by enough points to make it unmistakable along the entire course considered; thus:—

BIGLERVILLE—582—CENTER MILLS. (See map, A-8 and 7.) The 582 inserted in this case keeps the course from being confused with the turn-off toward GUERNSEY. If the course were intended to lie through GUERNSEY, the road would appear thus,—

BIGLERVILLE—GUERNSEY—CENTER MILLS.

2. Use the words of one syllable preferably. You will find that the longer words come to you more readily but are usually more hazy in meaning. You will gain vigor and clearness by the cultivation of Anglo-Saxon.

3. Do not connect two sentences by a comma; for example:—

The phrase does not imply motion, thus it would mean nothing to say that the battery is advancing on the line Twins-Concrete Ford.

The error here is not so much one of punctuation as of sentence idea. Somehow, the thought does not run smoothly. We find that two separate thoughts without much relationship have been compressed into a single sentence—into something which should be a complete whole, and go from capital to period without break. Oftentimes, by showing this relationship, we may bring the idea within bounds of a single sentence; for example:—

Since the phrase does not imply motion, it would mean nothing to say that the battery is advancing on the line, etc.

4. Watch the position of your adverbs. When you mean,—

We captured almost all the ammunition,

Do not say,—

We almost captured all the ammunition.

The first means that we captured at least a part of the ammunition; the second means that we were close to success, but failed to capture ammunition.

5. Use the words head and tail when speaking of a column of troops. The head is the leading element and the tail is the other end, no matter in which direction the column happens to be facing.

6. In the newspaper or book that you are reading, every time you meet a new word make it yours. Look up the meaning in the dictionary until you are sure that you know how to use the word.

At the first opportunity, employ it in your conversation or writing. Sooner or later “dope” and the eternal “damn” will have ceased to fill in endless crevices in your talk and their places will have been taken by incisive words. You will awake to find that you are expressing yourself more easily and plainly. On the other hand, every word you pass over or for which you merely consult the dictionary, is a tool cast aside in your building of an officer. Every bit of slang or profanity which now crowds out the appropriate word will later rise up and clog your thought at a time when you are making your utmost endeavor to put into clear, forceful English your plan of action or your order.

As to Phrases and Clauses.

Remember to place phrases and clauses nearest the words they modify.

Captain George will divide the tools equally among the battalions which are fit for felling timber.

The change of the italicized clause to its proper position next the word tools, gives the intended meaning.

As to Sentences.

1. Use the short complex sentence; such as:—

An attack is expected tomorrow from strong hostile forces whose advanced troops are near FORT MONTGOMERY.

The enemy’s infantry disappeared to the south as soon as our advance cavalry came over the hill.

The use of when, since, because, where, whenever, although, after, till, until, as, so long as, now that, whence, whither, inasmuch as, that, in order that, so that, and lest, with the finite form of the verb is a good construction to practice.

Notice how compact and explicit is the following:—

Lest the enemy should turn your flank, keep veering to the east.

Try to put this same thought into twelve words by means of a different construction.

2. When you start with one kind of construction, keep it up unless there be some good reason to change it. If you begin with the past tense and third person, have the past tense and third person continue throughout the sentence or sentences.

It is reported that extensive preparations are being made in the vicinity of CAMBRAI and the enemy has stored railroad material there.

It is reported that the enemy has made extensive preparations at CAMBRAI and has stored railroad material there.

Which sentence reads along with less break?

Again,

It is advisable to advance part of the ammunition columns and that the division should follow at 200 yards.

Better,

It is advisable to advance part of the ammunition columns and to have the division follow at 200 yards.

Now that specific guides have been posted near the grammatical turns of the road, let us look at two general rules covering everything we do.

1. Write legibly.—Rain, wear in the pocket, dim and fading lights, and crumpled paper are going to make havoc of your orders and messages in war time. Your commanding officer must be able to make out your script as well as your meaning. Now is the moment to make your handwriting a size or two larger and noticeably plainer.

2. Inspect the form. After you have written your ideas legibly, look at them searchingly to see that they mean only what you intend.

You cannot be too cold-blooded about this act for two reasons.

In the first place, there is a habit which is strong upon us. We have all been too prone to state a thing haphazardly, and then to exclaim, “You know what I mean!” The person addressed, of course, is not going to acknowledge that he has not the brains to understand; so the jumble is never smoothed out. Thus in nine-tenths of our off-hand moments we have been accustomed to say what we do not mean. The habit is so strong that when we find ourselves dealing with matters of life and death, we are still liable to whisper to ourselves, “O, well, he’ll get it.” The result is that the part of the order, message, or report, which struck us as having our usual clearness, is a puzzle to the recipient.

In the second place, the impression has grown up in the minds of many that substance, no matter how it is mixed, is all that is necessary. There has come about a certain proud disregard of the manner in which a thing is expressed. Too many technical books have failed of their purpose because the writer, although he was an expert in his line, did not know how to present his subject in an attractive form. In the same way explanations have failed upon the drill ground, and lectures have made excellent tacticians appear like school-boys. The very manner of communication has not only spoiled the taste for the subject matter but has hindered its absorption. His audience has not understood his explanation.

In inspecting your work, take the attitude that the recipient is skeptical of everything you have said.

It is assumed that you wish to fasten in your mind everything in this chapter. The following method is suggested as the best short-cut:

1. Make an outline of the whole chapter, expressing the main idea of each paragraph and sub-paragraph in two or three words.

2. Close your books.

3. With the aid of your outline see whether you can call to your mind everything the paragraph or sub-paragraph means.

CHAPTER II
MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS

The following are the various types of military communication:

Field messages convey verbal or written information by messenger or wire.

Reports are written accounts of some enterprise, undertaking, or event, such as a reconnaissance, march, or battle.

War diaries are daily records of events kept during campaign by each battalion and higher organization. From the entries in these diaries the facts of our military history are obtained.

Letters of instruction, issued by higher commanders, regulate in a general way movements covering much time and space. Army and Corps commanders may, by visits and conferences, often communicate verbally the substance of letters of instruction.

Field orders, issued verbally or in writing by commanders of tactical units, regulate the tactical actions of troops, and such strategical actions as are not covered by letters of instruction.

General orders are written directions having to do with the general administration of a command. They contain the necessary details for carrying out injunctions from higher authority, for keeping up standing instructions, and for publishing results of special and general courts-martial.

Orders (when not used as a general term) refer to the instructions communicated to troops by commanders of divisions and of separate brigades in regard to combat, field, ammunition, supply, sanitary, and engineer trains.

Special orders cover such matters in regard to individuals as are not necessary to be communicated to the entire command.

Operation orders, as we now use the term in reference to trench warfare, are the orders governing a certain enterprise along a given sector of the front. Although they are even more precise than field orders, they contain more details on account of the wide difference between trench and open warfare.

Circulars are printed from time to time by various bureaus and departments of the War Department, and by purchasing officers, for the publication of data pertaining to the business of a bureau or department.

Bulletins publish, usually in pamphlet form, information for the military service.

Both circulars and bulletins have the force of orders.

Memoranda are published from time to time by commanding officers to embody directions not vital or sweeping enough for general or special orders. Memoranda have the force of orders.

Official correspondence consists of official letters, returns, rolls, estimates, requisitions, and certain routine reports.

These types of communication have been defined in order to give a general survey of the many kinds of written and oral expression of which military men should become masters. Although the task appears huge, proficiency can be gained by attention to the hints suggested in [Chapter I].

In order to apply those suggestions in a practical way, we must now sort out from all of the above types those which should press themselves most upon our attention. Certainly all these types cannot be equally necessary for our immediate study. Possibly if we classify them from the point of view of the occasion for their use, we may see more clearly how to treat them.

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO STRESS

It is evident that we are going to have to write messages, field orders, and operation orders when the enemy is upon us, and when every second is vital. If we must stop in that crisis and putter over the forms and methods of drafting our thoughts, how useless we shall be! When that time comes, one thing alone should occupy our conscious thought—our military idea. That will be sufficient to keep busy the most brilliant intellect.

In order that we shall have, then, perfect freedom to grapple with tactical, strategical, or logistical difficulties on the field of battle, let us learn the forms and methods of messages, field orders, and operation orders as soon as possible.

In so doing we shall discover two things,—

(1) That messages, field orders, and operation orders have a bearing upon each other in the sequence given, and

(2) That the work of framing them will give us the greatest possible practice in writing all other types of communication.

The message.—The general term message may refer to (1) any informal or short communication, (2) any directions or orders too abbreviated to be known as field orders, or (3) any piece of information transmitted in the presence of the enemy.

Number 1 is too broad for treatment here. Moreover, the ready skill in composing anything of its nature should follow easily from what we are about to practice.

Number 2 is to be considered in connection with field orders.

Number 3, then, is the important one for us to take up now. From its definition it is already familiar to us as

THE FIELD MESSAGE

Since it deals entirely with the communication of information, it might be well to inquire from what sources this information is to be derived, in order that we may know something about the kind of material with which we are going to deal. Just as a stenographer acquaints herself with some of the workings of her employer’s business in order to attain the greatest amount of usefulness, so we should now look over the vast amount of territory which the contents of field messages cover in order to gain the maximum efficiency in composing these communications. Accordingly, we find that higher commanders, adjoining troops, inhabitants of the country, newspapers, letters, telegraph files, prisoners, deserters, spies, maps, and reconnaissances, are all sources of valuable military information. It is from these that we shall obtain our data.

Most of all, however, will the fighting man obtain his from reconnaissance—the work of gathering information in the field. From the moment of entering the theatre of operations to that of abandoning it, there is necessary a constant quest of knowledge of the enemy’s composition, morale, material, disposition, and activities. No leader can act intelligently without this information, and, since he cannot hope to get it in person, he must depend for its acquisition upon certain reconnaissance units, chief of which is the patrol.

Our concern with these reconnaissance units lies in the fact that the information which they gather must be sent to the commander by messages. If no one in the patrol is capable of sending back accurate and timely written information, the reconnaissance has failed, and the patrol might as well have remained in camp. The good field message is the strong link between the reconnoitering party and the main body. The poor field message is a gap which no amount of courageous effort in ferreting out facts from a wary enemy will bridge. The ideal reconnaissance, then, is one which keeps a constant stream of accurate and reliable messages flowing back to the proper recipient.

The main factors which go to make up accuracy and reliability of field messages are keen observation and faithful expression. Both of these faculties can be cultivated, and indeed are so closely allied that they ought to be considered together. It is quite difficult at times to tell where one leaves off and the other begins. If a man puts in his message, “The enemy was seen over the hill,” and another, witnessing the same occurrence, states that “seven hostile infantrymen lay down on the military crest of hill 307 at 4-17 p. m.,” which one has keenly observed? Which one has faithfully expressed himself? Is it possible that the first man did not see any of the details of the second message? Or did he fail to put them down faithfully? In whatever way we answer these questions, we are brought to the realization that the second man applied both faculties to an equal extent. And, therefore, we are led to the conclusion that from the standpoint of complete expression we must take things quickly, precisely, and accurately, and put them out certainly, specifically, concretely, unmistakably, and faithfully.

The field message is not used by the reconnaissance unit exclusively. An exchange of communications might be necessary between commanders to tell of changing conditions. The enemy has developed an unexpected attack, reinforcements are urgently needed, etc. This message will differ slightly in form from the ordinary field message which will be analysed below, but it will be of the same essential type, and will make the same demands upon brevity and clearness.

FORMS FOR FIELD MESSAGES

The Infantry Drill Regulations state that “the authorized message book should be used and the form therein adhered to.” This book, issued by the Signal Corps, contains fifty message blanks with fifty duplicating sheets, so that fifty messages may be sent and a copy of each retained. The front of the blank appears as on next page.

The back of the blank is divided into squares. By means of a ratio between the size of these squares and certain scales for maps, a fairly accurate sketch is possible.

Caution.

Remember that a message may not always go direct from sender to receiver, but may be relayed by several methods of communications—buzzer, helio, or flag. Think how errors may creep in at each change of method, and guard against them by making your message one of telegraphic brevity and unmistakable clearness.

By means of this sketch, the message may often be shortened, for the sender can refer by letter or number to various points on the sketch, whereas he would otherwise be compelled to describe positions or to go into detail at length. When he does draw a sketch, he should refer to it somewhere on the bottom of the face of the message thus: (See sketch over) or (See sketch reverse side).

The sketch is not usually duplicated.

The reverse side of the message blank appears thus:

Scale of Sketch ... ins. = 1 mile.

When scale is 6 ins. = 1 mile, each small square is 50 yards.
When 3 ins. = 1 mile, each one is 100 yards.
When 6 ins. = 1 mile, V.I. = 10 ft. When 3 ins. = 1 mile, V.I. = 20 ft.

The form of address of the regulation envelope for this message appears below. It is probably best explained by an extract from paragraph 36, Field Service Regulations, which reads as follows: “Messages carried by a messenger are usually enclosed in envelopes properly addressed. The envelope when not marked ‘confidential’ is left unsealed, so that commanders along the line of march may read the contents. Upon the envelope is written the name of the messenger, his time of departure, and rate of speed. The last is indicated as follows: Ordinary, rapid, or urgent. Ordinary means five miles an hour for a mounted man; rapid, about 7 or 8 miles an hour; and urgent, the highest speed consistent with certainty of arrival at destination. The recipient notes the time of receipt upon the envelope and returns the latter to bearer.”

UNITED STATES ARMY FIELD MESSAGE

To . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(For signal operator only.)

When sent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Rate of speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Name of Messenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

When and by whom rec’d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This Envelope Will Be Returned to Bearer

We should certainly be armed with a Field Message Book when the crucial moment for writing a message arrives. But it so happens, especially in open warfare, that that article of equipment may have been left in the saddlebags, or have been borrowed by a friend. At any rate it is not present for duty when we want it. However, we are always able to produce a piece of paper or clothing—something upon which to write—from someone of the party present. It behooves us, then, to learn to compose a message without the aid of a blank. Indeed, this idea is contained in the latter part of the quotation from the Infantry Drill Regulations—“and the form therein adhered to.”

We are not compelled to memorize the form of the Field Message Blank. We can, however, analyse it so that it will fix itself in our memory and will be a part of what we must know in regard to the field order. And we can gain a knowledge of this form rather by adhering to the field message blank than by departing from it. Yet we need not know its entire form but simply what contents are necessary and what order they must have.

In the first place the field message may be divided into three parts:

The Heading,
The Body,
The Ending.

The Heading should contain:

The Name of Sending Detachment,
The Location of Sending Detachment (Place),
The Date,
The Hour of Issue,
The Number of the Message.

For example, the whole heading would appear something like this:

Combat Patrol, 318th Infantry,

Cross Roads 500 yds. south of CLINTON SCHOOL HOUSE.
No. 3. 9 Jan. 18. 9-45 p. m.

Location of sending detachment means the exact spot upon which sender is located at time of writing.

The date should be given always as above in the sequence, day, month, year. This combination prevents the numerals from being confused. In naming a night both days should be mentioned thus: Night 4/5 Feb. 18.

The time should always have the dash between the hour and minutes.

Messages sent on the same day from the same sending detachment are numbered consecutively. Each day or each mission starts a new series.

If a map referred to is not the one on the reverse side of the message, the sender should designate the name or number of the map used, immediately below the number of the message.

The Body of the message contains the following:

To Whom Sent,
The Body Proper.

The Body Proper has the following sequence for its information:

1. Enemy.
2. Your Own Troops.
3. Terrain.
4. Your Plan.

The body then would appear something like this:

“To Commanding Officer, Advance Guard, 71st Brigade:

Squadron of enemy’s cavalry encamped in meadow 600 yards southeast of here. Our officer’s patrol, which we met at ZION CHURCH at 8-10 a. m., reported two regiments enemy’s infantry intrenched at railroad one mile south of here. Tail of our second battalion at PARKSBURG steel bridge 7-20 a. m. Battalion was marching south. MARTIN’S CREEK unfordable at any point between SMITH’S CORNERS and GREENSBURG. Will move southeast from here along creek bed in order to complete mission.”

On account of lack of space, paragraphing is impossible: but if this sequence is followed the thought is easily gained. If some one of our own troops tells us concerning the enemy, this information should come between 1 and 2, and should be definitely shown to be hearsay and not our own observation.

Of course, all of the parts, 1, 2, 3, and 4, do not always occur. The order is nevertheless followed.

The Ending consists of

The Signature

which, in turn, consists of the sender’s surname and his rank, thus,

FLETCHER,
SGT.

The outline of the whole message construction, then, would be as follows:—

The message we have composed, when assembled, would appear as follows:

Combat Patrol, 318th Infantry,

Cross Roads 500 yds. south of CLINTON SCHOOL HOUSE.
No. 3. 9 Jan. 18. 9-45 a. m.

To Commanding Officer Advance Guard, 71st Brigade:

Squadron of enemy’s cavalry encamped in meadow 600 yards southeast of here. Our officer’s patrol, which we met at ZION CHURCH at 8-10 a. m., reported two regiments enemy’s infantry intrenched at railroad one mile south of here. Tail of our second battalion at PARKSBURG steel bridge 7-20 a. m. Battalion was marching south. MARTIN’S CREEK unfordable at any point between SMITH’S CORNERS and GREENSBURG. Will move southeast from here along creek bed in order to complete mission.

FLETCHER,
SGT.

(See sketch reverse side.)

Caution.—Remember that “your own troops” means friendly supporting troops and not the troops of which you are in immediate command.

CHAPTER III
PROBLEMS IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE FIELD MESSAGE

“An intrinsically good tactical exercise,” says Griepenkerl,[2] “loses by faulty composition and careless or illegible handwriting.... A rambling mode of expression, a long-winded, elaborate style, is unmilitary. Therefore, test your order to see whether you cannot cross out some superfluous word, or whether you cannot think of some shorter and more suitable mode of expression; grudge every word.”

But he goes on to say in another place that clearness takes precedence over brevity; “therefore, rather use a long expression where a shorter one might be misunderstood. Brevity must never lead to superficiality.”

Griepenkerl was speaking of orders. Yet our Field Service Regulations state that “most of the rules adopted to secure clearness in orders apply equally to messages.”

In the following problems which are designed for practice in framing field messages, we should adhere not only to Griepenkerl’s advice, but also to the hints, forms, and cautions of Chapters I and II. Remember that each time a faulty form or expression is used, some commanding officer is halted or hindered, retarded or confused. The highest premium should be placed upon correct form and expression.

With the selection of material from the purposely misleading and sometimes ill-stated problems below, you may, however, have difficulty. Certainly all of the long narrative, often in soldier jargon, cannot be placed in the message. Some facts must be eliminated as unessential. What you should let your commanding officer know can be determined sometimes only by technical experience. However, Major General Morrison’s[3] caution along this line should be repeated here for your help: “We all recognize the fact that, as a rule, the sooner information reaches headquarters, the more valuable it is. But this applies only to information which really has value. If you are in doubt as to whether or not information would be valuable, give headquarters the benefit of the doubt and send it in.” So you see that if you are not quite decided about stating a detail, it is better to give the information than to withhold it. Therefore, exclude only those items which would on the ground of common sense be pointless.

In extracting and writing your messages from the problems given, it will be assumed that you do not know whether or not the recipient is provided with a map similar to your own. It may be taken for granted, however, that he is acquainted with the names which appear on your map.

It may also be assumed that you have drawn a sketch on the reverse side of your message sheet.

In reading your map the signs and abbreviations, explained in Appendix 4, Field Service Regulations, will aid you.

A scale of yards is at the bottom (the south) of your map. By the use of a slip of paper, distances in yards may be measured off from place to place.

Wherever it is stated in these problems that a person writes a message, the student should construct that same message. In so doing:

(1) Assemble your information in proper sequence,

(2) Give it proper and unmistakable expression, and

(3) Inspect it thoroughly in order to be positive that you have given it proper sequence, and proper and unmistakable expression.

Hold yourself strictly accountable for every expression which could be put into better form.

Caution.—The hour in the heading of message is the time of signature.

PROBLEMS

1. On January 27, 1926, you are Corporal Peck in charge of a reconnoitering patrol from the advance guard of the third battalion of the 177th regiment of Infantry. You are proceeding along the road east to Hunterstown from 549 (D, 5 and 6). You arrive at the east edge of J. Bell’s orchard when you see several men at the zero in 602. With the aid of your field glasses you make out four field pieces and limbers to be turning to the north off the road just opposite to, and south of, the men. The vehicles soon disappear behind the knoll of 602. You can see that the men are wearing the enemy’s uniform. After five minutes of observation, the men go out of sight on the far side of the hill, and nothing further happens. After you have written your message at half past four o’clock in the afternoon, you travel under cover of the creek and fields in the general direction of Henderson Meeting House, in the hope of finding out more about the force in the vicinity of 602.

2. On August 27, 1920, you are Sergeant Fenton of a left flank patrol sent out from the second battalion (27th Infantry) which is marching north, as an advance guard to its regiment, toward 546 from Hunterstown. As you come out into the open to the west of the J. Bell farm house, you receive a volley from about twenty rifles from the woods at the north. Two of your men are killed. With the remainder of your men you retire hastily under cover of the Bell orchard to the stream bed which you follow to the north until half way between the Bell house and the “R” in Beaverdam. There you go through the fields to the west until you get a glimpse of the high ground in the vicinity of 574. You can make out through the corn-rows infantrymen deployed and lying down facing you. They extend along the fence for fifty yards on each side of the dirt road. You can see a field piece half way between the ends of the fence and at the edge of the woods. You go back to where you left the stream and write your message. You hand it to one of your men at 20 minutes past two in the afternoon for delivery. You then crawl forward leaving your men under cover in the stream, and remain in observation in the corn-field.

3. You are 1st Sergeant James in charge of a combat patrol from the 38th Infantry which is on outpost duty for the 8th Division at Granite Hill (5, bottom). In passing the house at 5-E the farmer tells you that yesterday at noon he saw about one hundred and fifty saddle-horses in a lot near the cross-roads in Hunterstown. On questioning him further he tells you that there were quite a lot of soldiers about, having a good time, and wearing the enemy’s uniform. You keep on your course. When you arrive at the orchard near 603 it is after nightfall. You hear voices and laughing at the northern edge of the orchard just south of the “6” in 603. You sneak up until you can make out four of the enemy’s infantrymen sitting about a little fire. You charge with bayonets fixed, kill three and capture one. He is half drunk on apple-jack and talks freely. He says his brigade is in bad shape, has marched four days and nights without stopping, has a big outpost at Woodside School House, and that he himself is with a bunch of the advance cavalry in the town. At a quarter of ten at night you hand your message to a member of your patrol for delivery. You then proceed along the road toward 549, looking for more information. You arrive there, having seen nothing of value, the next day at 7 a. m., July 18, 1940.

4. On June 21, 1920, you are a first lieutenant in charge of an officer’s patrol from the 80th Cavalry which is operating as Independent Cavalry for the 190th Division. It is six o’clock in the evening when as you are riding along the road from Texas to Biglerville, three of the enemy jump out upon you. In the struggle which ensues the three are overpowered and sabred by your superior force. You search the dead men, but find nothing upon them but ornaments indicating they belong to the 27th Cavalry. You dismount, tie your horses in the orchard near the word Stiner, and proceed with two of your men along the railroad track toward Biglerville. Near 626 you look toward the town to find the space between you and it well dotted with tents. Placing your men well under cover in the woods, you lie down in the culvert at 626. Before taps is blown in the enemy’s camp, from conversations which have gone on in your vicinity, you have learned that a regiment of cavalry has been encamped there for two days, that no other force is about, and that the regiment will move out at five the next morning, marching toward Goldenville. You write your message at 9:15 p. m. After it is sent, you take up your position again in the culvert.

5. On the 19th of February, 1940, a visiting patrol in charge of Corporal Eaton sent out from 2d Battalion, which is acting as outpost for the 81st Infantry, is on its way to a picket of friendly troops. Its route lies from Boyd School House, E-8 toward McElheny. As it approaches the bridge near the 4 in the 480 contour, it hears footsteps of men hurrying into the timber to the east. The suspicions of the patrol being aroused, it looks about and discovers loose earth scattered over the snow at the abutments of the bridge; upon further investigation it finds fuses leading from the center of the pile of fresh earth. The message is finished on the spot at exactly midnight. After the messenger has departed the corporal and one man remain on guard over the mines whose fuses were cut before the messenger left.

6. You are Corporal Peters sent out with a visiting patrol from Company A, 2d Battalion of your regiment. Your company is Support number 2 of the outpost at the “K” in Oak Ridge, E-8. As you approach Boyd School House, you are not challenged as you expect. You hurry on to where the sentry of the picket should be posted at the cross-roads, only to find him dead of a bayonet thrust. You go to the south side of the school house and there find the remainder of the picket in their blankets in the same condition. You put your hand on one of the men and find that his body is still warm. At fifteen minutes to three, September 30, 1932, you complete your message at the spot where you found most of the picket dead. You then take your remaining man with you and together perform double sentry duty at the cross-roads.

7. On July 4, 1925, you are Sergeant Black in charge of an harassing patrol sent out from the 68th regiment of Infantry which is acting as outpost for the 12th Division. At a quarter to twelve at night, you have just fired two volleys from Boyd School House in the direction of Oak Ridge, and are proceeding toward C. Topper’s to do the same there, when, as you cross the railroad one hundred yards south of the “r” in Topper, you stumble upon a wagon wheel imbedded in the earth. Cautious inspection reveals four howitzers camouflaged. With the aid of known measurements upon your hand you find that the calibre of each is 6 inches. You finish a message at a quarter to one and then proceed as you intended.

8. On the 21st of August, 1919, you are Sergeant Stuart sent out in charge of a contact patrol from the 99th Infantry acting as outpost of the 32d Brigade. After hard work during which you are nearly captured at the cemetery near Henderson Meeting House, you arrive with your patrol, at ten minutes to nine in the evening, at 601 just west of Hunterstown. A regiment of the enemy’s infantry has been defeated by your troops during the day and it is your duty to find out what you can about the enemy’s whereabouts and intentions. As you look across to the west you see lights in the fields between R. Smith’s farm house and J. Bell’s. You make your way carefully down the hill to the farm house at D-6. As you lie in the edge of the woods nearest the house you count fifteen rows of tents by the glow from the fires. You see no animals or picket lines. The fires die down shortly and the talking ceases. You take turns on watch with the senior man of your patrol. At a quarter to one while you are on watch, fires begin to spring up at the ends of the company streets. Shortly afterwards a young soldier comes to the nearby farm house to get water. He grumbles loudly that he must get up in the middle of the night and complains that the first sergeant has ordered the company to be in ranks at one fifty. You get your message off at five minutes after one and remain in observation of the camp.

9. (Two messages.) On May 31, 1940, you are Corporal Decker in charge of a reconnoitering patrol from the 71st Regiment of Cavalry acting as Advance Cavalry to the 18th Division. You are proceeding toward Heidlersburg from Friends’ Grove School House, and you arrive at 5-A. When, proceeding to the east, you are half way through the woods, you hear hoof-beats on the road to the north. Having proceeded due east, you now arrive at the edge of the woods. There you see several mounted men of the enemy halted near the road fork 545, but the trees in the ravine make it difficult for you to see them clearly. Near the main cross-roads of the town you see a hundred or more dismounted men holding their horses. After watching them for a few moments you realize that the horses are being watered. At five minutes to five you start to write your message where you are. After sending it off you remain to see what is going to happen further.