United States. War Department

“ The infantry must have the tenacity to hold every advantage gained, the individual and collective discipline and skill needed to master the enemy's fire, the determination to close with the enemy in attack, and to meet him with the bayonet in defense. Infantry must be trained to bear the heaviest burdens and losses, both of combat and march. ”

“ Loyalty means that you are for your organization and its officers and noncommissioned officers--not against them; that you always extend your most earnest and hearty support to those in authority. No soldier is a loyal soldier who is a knocker or a grumbler or a shirker. Just one man of this class in a company breeds discontent and dissatisfaction among many others. You should, therefore, not only guard against doing such things yourself but should discourage such actions among any of your comrades. ”

“ The troop, platoon, or squad must be formed promptly at the prescribed time—not a minute or even a second late. All must wear the exact uniform prescribed and in the exact manner prescribed. When at attention there must be no gazing about, no raising of hands, no chewing or spitting in ranks. The manual of the rifle, the pistol, the saber, and all movements must be executed absolutely as prescribed. A drill of this kind (p. 013) teaches discipline. A careless, sloppy drill breeds disobedience and insubordination. In other words, discipline simply means efficiency. ”

“ It is enough to know that the person giving the order, whether he be an officer, a noncommissioned officer, or a private acting as such, is your lawful superior. You may not like him, you may not respect him, but you must respect his position and authority, and reflect honor and credit upon yourself and your profession by yielding to all superiors that complete and unhesitating obedience which is the pleasure as well as the duty of every true soldier. ”

“ The patrol leader assembles the men detailed for the patrol. He inspects their arms and ammunition and satisfies himself that they are in suitable condition for the duty. He sees that none has any papers, maps, etc., that would be of value to the enemy if captured. He sees that their accouterments do not glisten or rattle when they move. He then repeats his instructions to the patrol and assures himself that every man understands them. He explains the signals to be used and satisfies himself that they are understood. He designates a man to take his place should he be disabled. ”

“ The duties of the outguard are to observe the enemy, to guard the outpost from surprise, and to make a preliminary resistance to the enemy's advance. The strength of the outguard will vary according to its object. When an important road, which at night will afford a line of advance, or a bridge is to be covered, or when several posts are established from an outguard it should be of considerable strength, a section or a platoon. When mere observation and alarm are all that is required four men will suffice. One corporal and seven privates are a good number to use as an outguard ”

“ And just as truly as every bend in that high-tide mark turns out around a promontory, or in around a bay, so will every bend in a contour stand for a hill or a valley, pointing to the lowlands if it be a hill, and to the height if it mark a valley. ”

“ Independence must not become license. Regardless of the number of subordinates who are apparently supreme in their own restricted spheres, there is but one battle and but one supreme will to which all must conform.
Every subordinate must therefore work for the general result. He does all in his power to insure cooperation between the subdivisions under his command. He transmits important information to adjoining units or to superiors in rear and, with the assistance of information received, keeps himself and his subordinates duly posted as to the situation. ”

“ In making an attack the infantry is always supported when possible by its own artillery, which continues to fire over its head until the infantry arrives very close to the enemy's trenches. This fire is helping you a great deal by keeping down the fire of the enemy's infantry and artillery. Therefore, don't think you are being fired into by your own artillery because you hear their shells and shrapnel singing through the air or bursting a short distance in your front, but rather be thankful you are receiving their help up to the very last minute. ”

“ His duty is, first, to understand just what the order requires, and, second, to proceed at once to carry out the order to the best of his ability.
"Officers and men of all ranks and grades are given a certain independence in the execution of the tasks to which they are assigned and are expected to show initiative in meeting the different situations as they arise. Every individual, from the highest commander to the lowest private, must always remember that inaction and neglect of opportunities will warrant more severe censure than an error in the choice of the means." ”

“ Every part of the rifle must be kept free from rust, dust, and dirt. A dirty or rusty rifle is a sure sign that the soldier does not realize the value of his weapon, and that his training is incomplete. The rifle you are armed with is the most accurate in the world. If it gets dirty or rusty it will deteriorate in its accuracy and working efficiency, and no subsequent care will restore it to its original condition. The most important part of the rifle to keep clean is the bore. If, after firing, the bore is left dirty over night, it will be badly rusted in the morning ”

“ It adds a great deal to the value of a soldier if he knows how to use a map to find his way. If he knows how to make a rough sketch of the country, showing the position of roads, streams, woods, railroads, bridges, houses, villages, fields, fences, hills, etc., he has added to his value as a soldier very much, indeed, because a rough sketch of a country will give more and better information at a glance than can be obtained by reading many pages of written description. ”

“ A successful Cavalry march whether in peace or war is one that places the men and horses at the time and place needed in the best possible condition for the service required. Failure of mounted troops to successfully carry out a mission is due as a rule to exhaustion or injuries to the horses rather than to the men.
The training of officers of all grades must be such that solicitude for the condition of horses on the march is second nature; constant effort should be made, however severe the work, to stimulate the pride of the trooper in having and in keeping his mount in fit condition ”

“ FIRE DISCIPLINE.
254. "Fire discipline implies, besides a habit of obedience, a control of the rifle by the soldier, the result of training, which will enable him in action to make hits instead of misses. It embraces taking advantage of the ground; care in setting the sight and delivery of fire; constant attention to the orders of the leaders, and careful observation of the enemy; an increase of fire when the target is favorable, and a cessation of fire when the enemy disappears; economy of ammunition." (Small-arms Firing Manual.) ”

“ When, by long-continued drill and subordination, you have learned your duties, and obedience becomes second nature, you have acquired discipline. It call not be acquired in a day or a month. It is a growth. It is the habit of obedience. To teach this habit of obedience is the main object of the close-order drill, and, if good results are to be expected, the greatest attention must be paid to even the smallest details. ”

“ Any officer or soldier who misbehaves himself before the enemy, runs away, or shamefully abandons or delivers up any fort, post, camp, guard, or other command which it is his duty to defend, or speaks words inducing others to do the like, or casts away his arms or ammunition, or quits his post or colors to plunder or pillage, or by any means whatsoever occasions false alarms in camp, garrison, or quarters, shall suffer death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct. ”

“ It is a terrible truth that one man who violates any of the great rules of health may be the means of killing many more of his comrades than are killed by the bullets of the enemy.
It is therefore most important that every soldier should learn how to take care of his health when in the field and that he should also insist that his comrades do not violate any of the rules prescribed for this purpose. ”

“ In order to allow men to regain their wind, or should the fire of the enemy be so effective as to prevent a further advance without reinforcement, advantage may be taken to lie close in cover, or hasty fire trenches may be thrown up in order to allow the line to maintain its position. "To go back under fire is to die."
When a platoon is firing, all noncommissioned officers watch every opportunity to make the fire more effective. ”

“ Superiors are forbidden to injure those under their authority by tyrannical or capricious conduct or by abusive language. While maintaining discipline and the thorough and prompt performance of military duty, all officers, in dealing with enlisted men, will bear in mind the absolute necessity of so treating them as to preserve their self-respect. Officers will keep in as close touch as possible with the men under their command and will strive to build up such relations of confidence and sympathy as will insure the free approach of their men to them for counsel and assistance. ”

“ Never lose touch with your squad. Every individual, as well as every unit, should always be acting under the control of some higher commander. This is necessary if there is to be any unity of action. Therefore if you lose your squad, or it becomes broken up, join the first squad you can find and obey your new squad leader as loyally and as cheerfully as you did your own.
Infantry approaches the battle field in columns of squads. While yet several miles from the enemy's position the troops may come under artillery fire. ”

“ All officers and noncommissioned officers have power to part and quell all quarrels, frays, and disorders among persons subject to military law and to order officers who take part in the same into arrest, and other persons subject to military law who take part in the same into arrest or confinement, as circumstances may require, until their proper superior officer is acquainted therewith. And whosoever, being so ordered, refuses to obey such officer or noncommissioned officer or draws a weapon upon or otherwise threatens or does violence to him shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. ”

“ On green men entering upon their fight, the sound of the projectile whistling through the air, the noise, flash, and smoke on the burst of the shrapnel, and the hum of the various pieces thereafter, all produce a very terrifying effect, but old soldiers soon learn to pay little attention to this, as the danger is not great. ”

“ Under no circumstances will any man leave the ranks without permission from his company or higher commander. If the absence is to be for more than a short while, he must be given a pass showing his name, rank, and organization, and the reason he is permitted to be absent. If sick, it is better to wait by the roadside at some comfortable place for the arrival of the surgeon or the ambulance. In any case, the soldier keeps his rifle and equipment with him, if possible. Soldiers absent from their organization without a pass will be arrested and returned to their command for punishment. ”

“ If you have lost your squad or your squad leader, join the leader nearest to you. This is the way the game is played.
As long as the fight lasts every available rifleman must be kept in the firing line. The first and last consideration is to win the battle. Therefore, under no circumstances will any soldier be permitted to go to the rear, either for ammunition or to assist the wounded.
If the attacking force can no longer advance, it is much safer to throw up hasty intrenchments and await the arrival of reinforcements or darkness than it is to retreat. ”

“ Only one or two men in each squad should fix their bayonets at the same time, in order that there may be no marked pause or diminution in the fire at this critical stage of the engagement.
In order to be effective in combat, the platoon must be thoroughly trained to work as a team. Each noncommissioned officer must be conversant with the signals and commands and the proper methods for instantly putting into effect the orders of his platoon commander. Each private must be trained until he instinctively does the right thing in each phase of the action. ”

“ The offensive alone gives decisive results.
A quick and energetic offensive minimizes losses.
An advance against the enemy's position once entered upon must be continued. To go back under fire is to die.
The best way to hold down the fire of the enemy and to diminish his power to inflict losses is to bring the position he occupies under well conducted and continued fire.
Present as small a target as possible to the enemy by utilizing every bit of cover the ground affords.
Individual skill in marksmanship is an advantage in battle only when united with fire discipline and control. ”

“ The firing line advances from position to position by means of rushes. At long range the entire line may rush forward at the same time, but as the range decreases one part of the line rushes forward while the remainder keeps up a hot fire on the enemy. The number taking part in each rush decreases as the fire of the enemy becomes warmer, until perhaps only one squad, or even less, rushes or crawls forward at a time, protected by the fire of the rest of the company. The distance covered by each rush also becomes less and less. ”