Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1917 — THE USE OF COVER. [ARTICLE]

THE USE OF COVER.

From a military standpoint—though not in the slightest sense from a moral or patriotic standpoint—a dead soldier is of no more use to his command. But if a dead soldier is of no further military value, a wounded soldier, like a sick soldier, is doubly useless, since he requires the attention and energy of other soldiers, either in first aid or in removing him to a place where he can be rescued by stretcher bearers, unless, o£ course, the action is too violent to allow for the Immediate care of the wounded. It Is, therefore, highly Important up to the point where It retards the military purpose to reduce the number of casualties. This is done, when deployed as skirmishers, by Increasing the Intervals, as explained in a previous article, by advancing in single file —In squad column —or by advantageous use of cover. All American boys will jremember the defeat of General Braddocks’ regulars by the Indians —a defeat which only the young Col. George Washington saved from utter disaster. The Indians fought from under cover—from behind trees —and the British grenadiers, accustomed to march into battle as If on dress parade, were thrown into consternation. That principle of fighting, from behind cover, was taken over by the American Minute Man at Bunker hill, and again the British regulars were Into confusion by volleys from a foe whom they could not see. The United States army has never wholly departed from this principle of warfare learned from the Indians, and the niodern system of deployment and skirmishing is but a further development of it From the American Indian, then, through the United States army, this method spread to Europe, and, rendered trebly necessary by the incredible deadliness of modern attack, has reached its most scientific stage in t&e trench warfare in France,

But it is not out of place to observe, as American officers will point out, that this very trench warfare, like nearly all the major inventions with which the present great conflict is being waged, is an American development. In the Civil war, before Vicksburg and before Petersburg, there were months of trench warfare, the same In principle, if less devastating, than that now in progress in Europe. The new soldier should give careful attention to the Individual use of cover. By taking advantage of natural cover that Is, throwing himself prone behind a clump of earth, a depression in the ground, a rock, a log or a bush —he will be able to conceal himself as much as possible while firing and while advancing, and this will give him opportunity for settling his sight, taking deliberate aim, and sending his bullet to the mark. He should, fire around the right of his concealment when this is possible, and when not possible, over the top. In order to advance in single file, the corporal will give the command "Squad column, MARCH!” He moves to the front, and the members of the squad oblique from their positions in the line toward him and fall in behind him at easy marching distances. The chief value of a squad column, however, Is understood to be to facilitate an advance over rough or brush-grown ground, since it is held to afford little material advantage in securing cover. -At "assemble,” the members of the squad advance to the right or left of the corporal, as the case may be, aid take their places in line. When in squad column, the order of the men in column behind the corporal is: No. 2 front rank. No. 3 rear rank. No. 2 rear rank, No. 3 front rank, No. 1 front rank. No. 1 rear rank, No. 4 rear rank.

The United States Government purchases 14250,000 electric lamps every year. v ' -t' ! --