CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.
  PAGE
  1. War 1
  Eternal peace 1
  War the ultimo ratio of state policy 2
  Courts of arbitration 3
  2. Strategy and Tactics 4
  Definition of strategy and tactics 4
  Relation of strategy to tactics 6
  3. The Method of Instruction 7
  Value of examples 8
  Applicatory method 10
  Advantages and disadvantages 10
  Arrangement of the subject matter 12
  4. Drill Regulations 13
  Instructions for campaign 15
  Regulations and the science of combat 15
THE FORMAL TACTICS OF INFANTRY.
I. ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT 19
  1. The Importance and Employment of Infantry 19
  Relative strength as compared to other arms 19
  Élite infantry. Guards 21
  Jägers and riflemen 22
  Mountain infantry 23
  Machine guns 24
  Mounted infantry 25
  Patrols and scouting detachments 27
  Cyclists 28
  Snowshoe runners 30
  2. The Tactical Unit 32
  3. Organization 34
  The company 34
  Peace and war strength 35
  The battalion 36
  The regiment 37
  The brigade 37
  4. Intrenching Tool Equipment 38
  5. The Load of the Infantryman 39
  Comparison of the loads carried by infantrymen in various armies 40
II. THE FORMATIONS 41
  1. The Issue of Orders 41
  Trumpet signals 41
  2. The Purpose of Formations. Comparison Between Line and Column 42
  Assembly and route formations 42
  Maneuver and combat formations 43
  Napoleonic columns 44
  Comparison between line and column 44
  The origin of column tactics 44
  3. The Company 46
  (a) Formation of the company 46
  Number of ranks 46
  Interval and distance 47
  Front and facing distance 48
  (b) Division of the company into three or four platoons 48
  Losses among officers 50
  4. Length of Pace and Marching 53
  Comparison (table) 54
  Double time 55
  5. Movements of the Company in Line 56
  6. The Columns of the Company. Movements in Column. Formation of Line 56
  Column of twos 56
  Column of squads 57
  Route column 57
  Column of fours 58
  Double column of squads 59
  Comparison of column of fours with column of squads 59
  The importance of the squad 59
  The employment of the column of squads 59
  Company column 60
  Column of platoons 61
  Column of sections 61
  Guidon flags 63
  Posts of platoon commanders 63
  Movements in column 64
  Suggestions made by Colonel Fumet, French Army 65
  7. The Battalion 67
  Normal formation of the German battalion 67
  The color 68
  Formations in various armies 69
  The value of double column 71
  The battalion in route column 72
  8. The Regiment and the Brigade 73
  Formation in line or in echelon 73
  9. Extended Order 75
  Thin and dense skirmish lines 75
  (a) The formation of the skirmish line 78
  (b) Movements in skirmish line 81
  Advance by rushes 82
  Time required for making a rush. Strength of the force making the rush 83
  Rising 84
  Short or long rushes 85
  Advance by crawling 86
  Lessons of the Boer War 88
  Lessons of the Russo-Japanese War 89
  Provisions of the various regulations relative to the advance by rushes 90
  Fire while in motion 92
  Examples of the employment of fire while in motion 93
  Examples of the employment of rushes 93
  (c) Reinforcing the firing line 96
  (d) Closing up. Assembling. Re-forming 97
  10. Supports 98
  Duties 98
  Distance 99
  Commander 100
  Movements 100
  Formation 100
  Supports in rear of the firing line or not? 101
  11. Comparison Between Close and Extended Order 102
  Necessity of drill 104
  Combat drill 105
  Training 105
  Training of leaders 109
III. THE POWER OF FIREARMS AND EXPEDIENTS FOR MINIMIZING LOSSES 111
A. THE POWER OF FIELD ARTILLERY 111
  1. The Field Gun 111
  Percussion shrapnel 111
  Time shrapnel 112
  Shell 115
  The French obus allongé 115
  2. The Light Field Howitzer 116
  3. The Heavy Field Howitzer 118
  4. Expedients for Minimizing the Effect of Fire 118
  (a) Increasing the difficulties in the adjustment of the hostile fire 119
  (b) Minimizing the effect of fire 120
  5. The Results Obtained by Artillery Against Various Targets 122
  French data 123
  6. The Effect of Shrapnel Bullets on Animate Targets 125
B. INFANTRY FIRE 126
  1. The Effect of a Single Projectile on Animate Targets 126
  Explosive effect 127
  Tumbling bullets 127
  2. The Effect of “S” Bullets on Materials 131
IV. THE EMPLOYMENT OF INFANTRY FIRE 132
  Stunning and exhaustive effect 132
  The engagement at Modder River, Nov. 28, 1899 132
  1. Fire Discipline 133
  The employment of the bayonet; bayonet fencing 134
  2. Fire Control and Fire Direction 134
  Squad leaders 135
  Company commanders 136
  Uncontrolled fire 136
  Russian experiences in the Far East 137
  3. Selection of the Line to be Occupied 138
  4. The Strength of the Firing Line 139
  5. Ascertaining Ranges 140
  Influence of the knowledge of the range upon the efficacy of the fire 140
  Ascertaining ranges by pacing or galloping 141
  Influence of the terrain upon the length of pace 141
  Errors of estimation 142
  Provisions of various regulations 143
  Memorizing distinguishing marks on the enemy 144
  Scaling the range from maps 144
  Obtaining the range from other troops 145
  Trial volleys fired for the purpose of obtaining proper sight elevation 145
  Range finding instruments 146
  6. Selection of a Target and Time for Opening Fire 147
  Short or long range fire 147
  Limit of long range fire 147
  The moral effect of withholding the fire 151
  Marshal Bugeaud’s narrative 151
  Provisions of various regulations 153
  General rules for opening fire in attack and defense 154
  7. Pauses in the Fire 155
  8. Kinds of Fire 157
  Volley fire and fire at will; bursts of fire (rafales) 158
  The rate of fire 160
  The influence of the rate of fire upon the efficacy of fire 161
  The volley 163
  Bursts of fire (rafales) 164
  9. Rear Sight Elevations and Points of Aim 165
  10. Commands 166
  11. The Observation of the Fire 167
  12. The Effect of Fire 167
  Comparison between losses produced by infantry and artillery fire 167
  (a) Influence of training 168
  (b) Influence of the error in estimating the range 170
  (c) Fire effect as regards time. Number of rounds to be expended 172
  (d) Additional influences affecting the accuracy of fire 173
    Wolozkoi’s theory of the effect of the constant cone of misses 173
  (e) Influence of rifle-rests in firing 178
  (f) Influence of the ground 179
  Danger space and beaten zone 179
  Firing upon hill positions 183
  Indirect rifle fire 184
  Ricochets 185
  13. Losses In Action 185
  Losses in the various formations 186
  Losses among officers 189
  14. The Moral Effect of Fire 191
  The impressions produced upon General Bonnal by the battle of Wörth 191
  Surrenders of British troops in South Africa 192
  Limit of endurance in battle 193
  The “void of the battlefield” 194
  Mixing of organizations 195
  Fighting power of improvised units 197
  Overcoming crises in action 198
V. DEPLOYMENTS FOR ACTION 201
  1. Normal Procedure 201
  The normal attack 202
  Drill attack 204
  2. Concentration, Development, and Deployment for Action 205
  Development for action 207
  Deployment for action 209
  3. The Battalion, the Regiment, and the Brigade 210
  The battalion 210
  The regiment 214
  The brigade 216
  Base units 218
  Examples of changes of front 220
  4. Distribution in Depth and Frontage of Combat Formations 222
  Dangers of distribution in depth 222
  Plevna and Wafangu 222, 223
  Distribution in depth necessary during the preparatory stage 224
  Contrast between distribution in depth and frontage 225
  Dangers of over-extension (Spicheren) 225, 226
  Influence of fire effect and morale upon frontage 227, 228
  Influence of the task assigned a force 231
  Delaying actions. Night attacks. Defense 232, 233
  Approximate figures for the extent of front that may be covered 233
  Frontage of the several units 235, 236
  The Boer War 238
  The Russo-Japanese War 239
  Table of troops per km. of front 240
  Recapitulation of the most important points governing frontage 241
  Provisions of various regulations 241
  5. Combat Orders 243
  Combat tasks 243
  Division of work in staffs 245
  6. Communication on the Battlefield 246
  Signal and wig-wag flags 246
  Signal arrangements in the Austrian, French and British armies 248
  7. Local Reconnaissance of the Infantry 248
  Reconnaissance in force 251
  The object of local reconnaissance 251
  Scouting detachments 252
  8. The Importance of the Terrain 254
  The attack over an open plain 255
  The French group attack 256
  Combat sections 257
VI. MACHINE GUNS 259
  1. Development of the Arm 259
  Mounting and method of transportation 261, 262
  2. The Power of Machine Guns 262
  Kinds of fire 263
  Combat value of machine guns and infantry 267
  3. Infantry Versus Machine Guns 268
  Conduct of troops when exposed to machine gun fire 268, 269
  4. Machine Guns in Germany 270
  Organization 270
  Formations 273, 274
  Machine gun companies 275
  5. Going Into Position 276
  6. The Fire Fight 283
  Machine guns in the engagement at the Waterberg 283
  7. Machine Guns in Other Countries 284
  Switzerland 284
  Austria 286
  England 289
  Japan and France 290
  Russia 290
  Machine guns at Liao Yang, 1904 291
  8. The Employment of Machine Gun Batteries 293
  Rencontre and attack 295
  Rear guards 295
  Defense 295
  Coöperation with cavalry 296
  Machine guns versus artillery 297
  English views 297
  Swiss views 299
VII. INFANTRY VERSUS CAVALRY 301
  Deployment for firing 303
  Moral effect of a charge 306
  Aiming positions 307
  Time for opening fire 308
  Selection of sight elevation 310
  Kind of fire 310
  Distribution of fire 311
  Charge of the French Cuirassiers of the Guard 311
  Advance against cavalry 313
  Infantry versus dismounted cavalry 313
  Provisions of various regulations 314
VIII. INFANTRY VERSUS ARTILLERY 316
  1. The Passage of Infantry Through Artillery Lines 316
  2. The Advance Under Artillery Fire 318
  Increasing the difficulties in the adjustment of the hostile fire 318
  Fire for effect 320
  Formations used by infantry when under artillery fire Russo-Japanese War 322
  Lessons of war 321, 323
  3. Firing on Hostile Artillery in Position 324
  Cover afforded by steel shields 324
IX. THE ATTACK 329
  Attack and defense compared 329
  1. The Surprise 330
  Examples of surprises 331
  2. The Rencontre 333
  Conduct of the advance guard 334
  Issue of orders 336
  Conduct of the main body 338
  Provisions of various regulations 339
  Examples 339
X. THE ATTACK ON AN ENEMY DEPLOYED FOR DEFENSE 340
  1. Lessons of War 340
  Boer War 340
  The infantry attack in the Russo-Japanese War 340
  Russian infantry 340
  Japanese infantry 341
  Examples 343, 344
  2. The Conditions Upon which Success Depends 345
  3. Preparation of the Attack 346
  Reconnaissance. Preparatory position 346
  4. The Coöperation of Infantry and Artillery in Battle 351
  Preparation of the assault 352
  5. The Point of Attack 355
  6. Envelopment 356
  Holding attack 357
  Launching the enveloping force 359
  Separation of holding and flank attacks 361
  Provisions of various regulations 362
  7. Removal of Packs 363
  8. The Employment of Machine Guns 365
  9. The Conduct of the Attack 365
  The advance of the firing line 365
  Distances 368
  The fire fight 369
  The superiority of fire 370
  Fixing bayonets 372
  10. The Assault 373
  The decision to assault 373
  The decision to assault emanating from the firing line 375
  Fire support during the assault 379
  Bayonet fights 382
  Wounds produced by cutting weapons 384
  Assaulting distances 385
  Conduct after a successful attack 385
  Conduct after an unsuccessful attack 386
  11. The Use of the Spade in Attack 387
  Sand bags 390
  Results of Russian experiments 390
  Provisions of various regulations 392
  General rules governing the use of the spade in attack 393
  12. The Employment of Reserves 394
  Launching or withholding reserves 395
  13. The Conduct of the Leaders in Action 399
  14. United Action Versus Tactical Missions 401
  The attack on the “Tannenwäldchen” at Colombey Aug. 14, 1870 402, 403
  The attack on Grugies (St. Quentin) 403
  The dangers of assigning tasks 405
XI. THE DEFENSE 408
  1. The Passive Defense 409
  2. The Defense Seeking a Decision 409
  Troops required to occupy the position 410
  Division of the position into sections 411
  Advanced positions 413
  3. Fortifying the Position 415
  Battalion groups 417
  Observation of the foreground 420
  Clearing the foreground 421
  Dummy intrenchments and masks 421
  Cover trenches and communicating trenches 421
  Obstacles 422
  Russian views 422
  4. The Conduct of the Defense 423
  Protection of the flanks 425
  Employment of machine guns 425
  Occupation of the position 426
  5. The Counter-Attack 428
  Position of the general reserve 429
  The moment for making the counter-attack 432
  The counter-attack after the position is carried 433
  The counter-attack in conjunction with a movement to the rear 434
  Frontal counter-attack 436
  Provisions of various regulations 438
XII. THE RETREAT 440
  Breaking off an action 441
  Rallying positions 442
XIII. CONTAINING ACTIONS 445
  The delaying action and the holding attack 445
XIV. THE INFANTRY COMBAT ACCORDING TO VARIOUS DRILL REGULATIONS 448
  The Austrian Drill Regulations of 1903 448
  The Italian Drill Regulations of 1903 and 1906 451
  The French Drill Regulations of 1904 453
  The British Drill Regulations of 1905 459
  The Japanese Drill Regulations of 1907 463
  The Russian Drill Regulations of 1907 466
  The Swiss Drill Regulations of 1908 466
XV. THE EXPENDITURE AND SUPPLY OF AMMUNITION 468
  1. Historical Sketch 468
  Table showing ammunition supply of the various armies of the world 475
  2. Regulations Governing the Supply of Ammunition in Armies 476
  Germany 476
  Austria 479
  Russia 480
  France 480
  England 482
  Italy 483
  3. What Deductions May Be Made From the Regulations of the Various Armies 483
INDEX 487
INDEX OF EXAMPLES FROM MILITARY HISTORY 527