MORE PROBLEMS ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE FIELD MESSAGE 1. (Three messages.) On July 18, 1930, you are Corporal Flint in charge of a reconnoitering patrol sent out from the 61st Infantry which is acting as Rear Guard to the 19th Brigade, and which is withdrawing from Goldenville through Table Rock. As you proceed south along the stream which flows past Herman, 500 yds. south of C-7, you stumble upon one of your own regiment seriously wounded and lying at the “V” in Varney, in the open field. He tells you that a regiment of Cavalry of the enemy passed by the nearest farm house going northeast on the dirt road when the sun was overhead. You ask the people of the farm house, who are manifestly in sympathy with the enemy, what they know about the occurrence, but they refuse to answer. On the road are many fresh hoof-marks. You begin to write your message at the Varney farm house at half past three in the afternoon. When you have finished you proceed southwest along the same road and along the creek bed toward the race-track. At the bottom part of the “S” in Stock Farm, you leave your men in the field under cover and go south along the edge of the main road toward Boyd School House. You see several patrols of the enemy but you press on. You have not gone far, however, before you spy a low heavy cloud of dust ahead which seems to be moving toward you. At the Boyd School House Cross Roads it turns west at twenty-five minutes to six. It takes the column, which you now make out to be infantry in column of squads, three minutes and forty seconds to pass the cross-roads (175 Infantry in column of squads can pass a given point in one minute). Since the patrols of the enemy are becoming rather thick, you decide to make your way back to the “K” in Stock Farm. There you finish writing another message at a quarter after seven. You have scarcely sent it off when there is a noise among the corn-stalks near you. You lie low and have your men, whom you have now collected about you, do the same. A friendly uniform appears through one of the corn-rows; it is just light enough for you to make it out. You give a low whistle and signal at which the wearer of the uniform approaches. He turns out to be Sergeant Black of your regiment who is leading a combat patrol. He tells you that he counted twenty passenger coaches hitched together on the railroad to the southwest. The engine was pointed toward the north and opposite the “r” in C. Topper at four o’clock. The enemy’s soldiers were crowding around trying to hurry into the coaches. After the Sergeant leaves you, you try to make your way back to your company. At a quarter to twelve you have arrived under cover of the fields and woods near the road-fork 646 just south of Hamilton when you hear the rumble of wheels close behind you to the south. One of your men counted twelve pieces of light artillery which turned off the road and unlimbered just south of 664. You begin to write another