Manual of Military Training by James A. Moss (best value ebook reader .TXT) 📕

the second cloths; fold the left end over to meet the turned-in edge of the right end, then fold the right end over the top, completing the bundle; tie with two exposed guys.

For folding pyramidal tents: The tent is thrown toward the rear and the back wall and roof canvas pulled out smooth. This may be most easily accomplished by leaving the rear corner wall pins in the ground with the wall loops attached, one man at each rear-corner guy, and one holding the square iron in a perpendicular position and pulling the canvas to its limit away from the former front of the tent. This leaves the three remaining sides of the tent on top of the rear side, with the door side in the middle.

Now carry the right-front corner over and lay it on the left-rear corner. Pull all canvas smooth, throw guys toward square iron, and pull bottom edges even. Then take the right-front corner and return to the right, covering the right-rear corner. This folds the right side of the tent on itself, with the crease in the middle and under the front side of the tent.

Next carry the left-front corner to the right and back as described above; this, when completed, will leave the front and rear sides of the tent lying smooth and flat and the two side walls folded inward, each on itself.

Place the hood in the square iron which has been folded downward toward the bottom of tent, and continue to fold around the square iron as a core, pressing all folds down flat and smooth, and parallel with the bottom of the tent. If each fold is compactly made and the canvas kept smooth, the last fold will exactly cover the lower edge of the canvas. Lay all exposed guys along the folded canvas except the two on the center-width, which should be pulled out and away from bottom edge to their extreme length for tying. Now, beginning at one end, fold toward the center on the first seam (that joining the first and second widths) and fold again toward the center so that the already folded canvas will come to within about three inches of the middle width. Then fold over to the opposite edge of middle width of canvas. Then begin folding from opposite end, folding the first width in half, then making a second fold to come within about 4 or 5 inches of that already folded, turn this fold entirely over that already folded. Take the exposed guys and draw them taut across each other, turn bundle over on the under guy, cross guys on top of bundle drawing tight. Turn bundle over on the crossed guys and tie lengthwise.

When properly tied and pressed together this will make a package 11 by 23 by 34 inches, requiring about 8,855 cubic inches to store or pack.

Stencil the organization designation on the lower half of the middle width of canvas in the back wall. (803)

Warning Calls

692. First call, guard mounting, full dress, overcoats, drill, stable, water, and boots and saddles precede the assembly by such interval as may be prescribed by the commanding officer.

Mess, church, and fatigue, classed as service calls, may also be used as warning calls.

First call is the first signal for formation for roll call and for all ceremonies except guard mounting.

Guard mounting is the first signal for guard mounting.

The field music assembles at first call and guard mounting.

In a mixed command, boots and saddles is the signal to mounted troops that their formation is to be mounted; for mounted guard mounting or mounted drill, it immediately follows the signal guard mounting or drill.

When full dress or overcoats are to be worn, the full dress or overcoat call immediately follows first call, guard mounting, or boots and saddles. (804)

Formation Calls

693. Assembly: The signal for companies or details to fall in.

Adjutant's call: The signal for companies to form battalion; also for the guard details to form for guard mounting on the camp or garrison parade ground; it follows the assembly at such interval as may be prescribed by the commanding officer.

It is also used as a signal for the battalions to form regiment, following the first adjutant's call at such interval as the commanding officer may prescribe.

To the color: Is sounded when the color salutes. (805)

Alarm Calls

694. Fire call: The signal for the men to fall in, without arms, to extinguish fire.

To arms: The signal for the men to fall in, under arms, on their company's parade grounds as quickly as possible.

To horse: The signal for mounted men to proceed under arms to their horses, saddle, mount and assemble at a designated place as quickly as possible. In extended order this signal is used to remount troops. (806)

Service Calls

695. Tattoo, taps, mess, sick, church, recall, issue, officers', captains', first sergeants', fatigue, school, and the general.

The general is the signal for striking tents and loading wagons preparatory to marching.

Reveille precedes the assembly for roll call; retreat follows the assembly, the interval between being only that required for formation and roll call, except when there is parade.

Taps is the signal for extinguishing lights; it is usually preceded by call to quarters by such interval as prescribed by Army Regulations.

Assembly, reveille, retreat, adjutant's call, to the color, the flourishes, ruffles, and the marches are sounded by all the field music united; the other calls, as a rule, are sounded by the musician of the guard or orderly musician; he may also sound the assembly when the musicians are not united.

The morning gun is fired at the first note of reveille, or, if marches be played before reveille, it is fired at the commencement of the first march.

The evening gun is fired at the last note of retreat. (807)

APPENDIX A

War Department,
Office of the Chief of Staff,
Washington, December 2, 1911.

The Infantry Drill Regulations, 1911, have been prepared for the use of troops armed with the United States magazine rifle, model 1903. For the guidance of organizations armed with the United States magazine rifle, model 1898, the following alternative paragraphs are published and will be considered as substitute paragraphs for the corresponding paragraphs in the text: 75 (in part), 96, 98, 99, 134, 139, 141, 142, 148 and 150.

By order of the Secretary of War:

LEONARD WOOD,
Major General, Chief of Staff.

Note. The paragraph numbers 75, 96, 98, etc., given above, follow the paragraphs below.

696. * * * Third.

The cut-off is kept turned down, except when using the magazine. (75)

* * * * *

697. Being at order arms: 1. Unfix, BAYONET.

If the bayonet scabbard is carried on the belt: Take the position of parade rest, grasp the handle on the bayonet firmly with the right hand, press the spring with the forefinger of the left hand, raise the bayonet until the handle is about 6 inches above the muzzle of the piece, drop the point to the left, back of hand toward the body, and glancing at the scabbard, return the bayonet, the blade passing between the left arm and body; regrasp the piece with the right hand and resume the order.

If the bayonet scabbard is carried on the haversack: Take the bayonet from the rifle with the left hand and return it to the scabbard in the most convenient manner.

If marching or lying down, the bayonet is fixed and unfixed in the most expeditious and convenient manner and the piece returned to the original position.

Fix and unfix bayonet are executed with promptness and regularity, but not in cadence. (96)

698. Being at order arms: 1. Inspection, 2. ARMS.

At the second command, take the position of port arms. (TWO.) With the right hand open the magazine gate, turn the bolt handle up, draw the bolt back and glance at the magazine and chamber. Having found them empty, or having emptied them, raise the head and eyes to the front. (98)

699. Being at inspection arms: 1. Order (Right shoulder, port), 2. ARMS.

At the preparatory command, push the bolt forward, turn the handle down, close the magazine gate, pull the trigger, and resume port arms. At the command arms, complete the movement ordered. (99)

700. Pieces being loaded and in the position of load, to execute other movements with the pieces loaded: 1. Lock, 2. PIECES.

At the command pieces turn the safety lock fully to the right.

The safety lock is said to be at the "ready" when turned to the left, and at the "safe" when turned to the right.

The cut-off is said to be "on" when turned up and "off" when turned down. (134)

701. Being in line or skirmish line at halt: 1. With dummy (blank or ball) cartridges, 2. LOAD.

At the command load each front-rank man or skirmisher faces half right and carries the right foot to the right, about one foot, to such position as will insure the greatest firmness and steadiness of the body; raises or lowers the piece and drops it into the left hand at the balance, left thumb extended along the stock, muzzle at the height of the breast. With the right hand he turns and draws the bolt back, takes a cartridge between the thumb and first two fingers and places it in the receiver; places palm of the hand against the back of the bolt handle; thrusts the bolt home with a quick motion, turning down the handle, and carries the hand to the small of the stock. Each rear-rank man moves to the right front, takes a similar position opposite the interval to the right of his front-rank man, muzzle of the piece extending beyond the front rank, and loads.

A skirmish line may load while moving, the pieces being held as nearly as practicable in the position of load.

If kneeling or sitting, the position of the piece is similar; if kneeling, the left forearm rests on the left thigh; if sitting, the elbows are supported by the knees. If lying down, the left hand steadies and supports the piece at the balance, the toe of the butt resting on the ground, the muzzle off the ground.

For reference, these positions (standing, kneeling, and lying down) are designated as that of load. (139)

702. FILL MAGAZINE.

Take the position of load, if not already there, open the gate of the magazine with the right thumb, take five cartridges from the box or belt, and place them, with the bullets to the front, in the magazine, turning the barrel slightly to the left to facilitate the insertion of the cartridges; close the gate and carry the right hand to the small of the stock.

To load from the magazine the command from magazine will be given preceding that of load; the cut-off will be turned up on coming to the position of load.

To resume loading from the belt the command from belt will be given preceding the command load; the cut-off will be turned down on coming to the position of load.

The commands from magazine and from belt, indicating the change in the manner of loading, will not be repeated in subsequent commands.

The words from belt apply to cartridge box as well as belt.

In loading from the magazine care should be taken to push the bolt fully forward and turn the handle down before drawing the bolt back, as otherwise the extractor will not catch the cartridge in the chamber, and jamming will occur with the cartridge following.

To fire from the magazine, the command magazine fire may be given at any time. The cut-off is turned up and an increased rate of fire is executed. After the magazine is exhausted the cut-off is turned down and the firing continued, loading from the belt.

Magazine fire is employed only when,