Since a march would most likely be the first happening of any note after midnight May 2/3, the diary would start with a march table. Reveille, 3-30 a. m. Breakfast, 3-45 a. m. First call, 4-10 a. m. Assembly, 4-15 a. m. Head of column moved out, 4-17 a. m. First Halt at SQUARE CORNERS, 5-02 a. m. Second Halt at LIBERTY, 5-51 a. m. Third Halt at MILES RIVER, 6-41 a. m. Fourth Halt at SMITH’S FARM, 7-47 a. m. Message from C. O., 72d Infantry; received 400 yards west HOPE FARM, 8-40 a. m. Fifth Halt at Orchard near HOPE FARM, 8-47 a. m. Extent of march: 13-2 miles. Went into defensive position on SILERS RIDGE at 9-15 a. m. Right of I Company at SILERS FARM—Left of M Company at rail fence corner. Began building standing trench at 9-25 a. m. Dinner, cooked ration, 11 a. m. Finished trenches, saps, and entanglements 4 p. m. Supper, 4-30 p. m. Bivouacked 800 yds. in rear of trenches at 8 p. m. Enemy’s harassing patrol wakened command at 11 p. m.; otherwise no activity. Weather: clear and cool. Slight rain between second and third halts. Roads: good metal roads entire march. Camp: Bivouac grassy gentle slope—dry ground. Water: Spring 200 yds. rear of center of position—capacity for regiment. Health: Command generally exhausted after march with full packs and with 60 rounds per man, and especially after digging. On sick report—16; absent sick—8. Ammunition: On hand, including amount on persons of men—118,200 rounds. 1 ammunition wagon returned to LIBERTY at 12, noon, for refilling. Rations: 4 days’ supply on hand. Forage: 1 day’s forage on hand. 1 wagon returned to LIBERTY at 2 p. m. to refill. Losses: 1 private, K Company, killed by enemy’s harassing patrol. Captures: none. Road and Position sketches covering day’s operations enclosed. Copies of battalion commander’s march and defense orders, also copies of one message from regimental commander, enclosed. By order of Major Jenkins: H. E. BOTTOMLY, 1st Lieut., Bn, Adj. 3d Bn. The original of the above is sent to the regimental commander and a copy is retained by the battalion. The above data, supplemented with the sketches, messages, and orders enclosed, furnish a complete history of the battalion’s doings for the day. Blanks are furnished from the War Department from time to time to enable Adjutants (whose duty it is to keep the War Diary) to fill in the data more quickly. REPORTS Reports cover a wide range of subjects. When a leader is in doubt as to whether an event is important enough to report, he had better take the wise course and send in his description of what has happened. Very few occurrences in the military service are so unessential as to be rightfully ignored.