Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ TRAINING INFANTRY BY JOHN F. MORRISON Colonel of Infantry U. S. CAVALRY ASSOCIATION Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 1914 COPYRIGHT. 1914. BY JOHN F. MORRISON Ketcheson Printing Company Leavenworth PREFACE In my commissioned service of over thirty-three years I have spent over twenty-two years with my regiment and three years in training a battalion of college cadets. I have been intimately associated with the national guard of one state and have had experience with the guard of four other states. I have seen something of foreign troops in both peace and war. In these many years I have observed the methods of training employed by a number of officers. Our infantry training has improved over what I first knew but there still exists in places a lack of completeness and system. Of late years a much greater interest than formerly has been taken in the tactical instruction and training of our officers and the progress has been marked. The tactician is, however, but the skilled mechanic; the tools with which he works are his troops. New recruits are like the lump of ore, of no use until converted into steel and then forged into shape. The making of this tool from the raw material is our principal business during peace. At the request of officers with whom I have often talked and corresponded on the subject of training infantry, this little book of suggestions has been prepared. It is based on my own experience and observation and what others have told me of their work. It is offered by an older officer to his younger brothers in the infantry in the hope that it may be of some service to them. J. F. M. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE 3 INTRODUCTION 7 CHAPTER I THE ESSENTIAL AND THE DESIRABLE 9 KNOWLEDGE AND HABIT II GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF TIME 19 WINTER AND SUMMER WORK III FIRE SUPERIORITY 32 FIRE DISTRIBUTION, CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE, SIGNALS IV COMBAT 44 THE COMPANY, BATTALION, REGIMENT V ARTILLERY FIRE 70 EFFECTIVENESS, FORMATIONS TO MEET TEAM PLAY VI PATROLS, ADVANCE AND REAR GUARDS, OUTPOSTS 89 VII MARCHING 104 PREPARATIONS, INSTRUCTION, PRACTICE VIII THE NATIONAL GUARD 113 ESSENTIAL TRAINING FOR, ARMORY WORK AND SUMMER CAMPS IX INSPECTIONS 130 YEARLY, COMPANY AND BATTALION EXAMINATIONS X TRAINING A NEW REGIMENT 134 PRINCIPLES, SCHEDULE FOR XI RECRUITING 161 NEED FOR A CHANGE, PLAN, REASONS