Part 33 (1/2)

When practicable, the patrol leader may communicate with the main body by means of visual signaling.

PART III.--MARCHES AND CAMPS.

MARCHES.

_TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE._

623. Marching const.i.tutes the princ.i.p.al occupation of troops in campaign and is one of the heaviest causes of loss. This loss may be materially reduced by proper training and by the proper conduct of the march.

624. The training of infantry should consist of systematic physical exercises to develop the general physique and of actual marching to accustom men to the fatigue of bearing arms and equipment.

Before mobilization troops should be kept in good physical condition and so practiced as to teach them thoroughly the principles of marching. At the first opportunity after mobilization the men should be hardened to cover long distances without loss.

625. With new or untrained troops, the process of hardening the men to this work must be gradual. Immediately after being mustered into the service the physical exercises and marching should be begun.

Ten-minute periods of vigorous setting-up exercises should be given three times a day to loosen and develop the muscles. One march should be made each day, with full equipment, beginning with a distance of 2 or 3 miles and increasing the distance daily as the troops become hardened, until a full day's march under full equipment may be made without exhaustion.

626. A long march should not be made with untrained troops. If a long distance must be covered in a few days, the first march should be short, the length being increased each succeeding day.

627. Special attention should be paid to the fitting of shoes and the care of feet. Shoes should not be too wide or too short. Sores and blisters on the feet should be promptly dressed during halts. At the end of the march feet should be bathed and dressed; the socks and, if practicable, the shoes should be changed.

628. The drinking of water on the march should be avoided. The thirst should be thoroughly quenched before starting on the march and after arrival in camp. On the march the use of water should, in general, be confined to gargling the mouth and throat or to an occasional small drink at most.

629. Except for urgent reasons, marches should not begin before an hour after daylight, but if the distance to be covered necessitates either breaking camp before daylight or making camp after dark, it is better to do the former.

Night marching should be avoided when possible.

630. A halt of 15 minutes should be made after the first half or three-quarters of an hour of marching; thereafter a halt of 10 minutes is made in each hour. The number and length of halts may be varied, according to the weather, the condition of the roads, and the equipment carried by the men. When the day's march is long a halt of an hour should be made at noon and the men allowed to eat.

631. The rate of march is regulated by the commander of the leading company of each regiment, or, if the battalions be separated by greater than normal distances, by the commander of the leading company of each battalion. He should maintain a uniform rate, uninfluenced by the movements of troops or mounted men in front of him.

The position of companies in the battalion and of battalions in the regiment is ordinarily changed daily so that each in turn leads.

632. The marching efficiency of an organization is judged by the amount of straggling and elongation and the condition of the men at the end of the march.

An officer of each company marches in its rear to prevent undue elongation and straggling.

When necessary for a man to fall out on account of sickness, he should be given a permit to do so. This is presented to the surgeon, who will admit him to the ambulance, have him wait for the trains, or follow and rejoin his company at the first halt.

633. Special attention should be paid to the rate of march. It is greater for trained than for untrained troops; for small commands than for large ones; for lightly burdened than for heavily burdened troops. It is greater during cool than during hot weather. With trained troops, in commands of a regiment or less, marching over average roads, the rate should be from 2-3/4 to 3 miles per hour. With larger commands carrying full equipment, the rate will be from 2 to 2-1/2 miles per hour.

634. The marching capacity of trained infantry in small commands is from 20 to 25 miles per day. This distance will decrease as the size of the command increases. For a complete division the distance can seldom exceed 12-1/2 miles per day unless the division camps in column.

635. In large commands the marching capacity of troops is greatly reduced by faulty march orders and poor march discipline.

The march order should contain such instructions as will enable the troops to take their proper places in column promptly. Delay or confusion in doing so should be investigated. On the other hand, organization commanders should be required to time their movements so that the troops will not be formed sooner than necessary.