Visiting PatrolCard No. 5Director’s Key1. Distribute Situation No. 5 and explain.2. Disposition of prisoners—send back to support commander.3. Explain why send prisoner to support commander.4. Instructions to prisoner.5. Orders to Kline and message to support commander. Conduct prisoner back. Notify commander of Outguard No. 2. Contents of message to support commander.6. Move on to Outguard No. 3. Identification.
Visiting PatrolCard No. 5
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
1. Distribute Situation No. 5 and explain.
2. Disposition of prisoners—send back to support commander.
3. Explain why send prisoner to support commander.
4. Instructions to prisoner.
5. Orders to Kline and message to support commander. Conduct prisoner back. Notify commander of Outguard No. 2. Contents of message to support commander.
6. Move on to Outguard No. 3. Identification.
The class is now conducted to the sentinel post of outguard No. 3 where the following situation is distributed:
Situation No. 6:
You have arrived at outguard No. 3. The outguard has just been alarmed by the sentinel. The outguard commander suggests that you, Corporal Canes, accompany him to the sentinel post. You agree. The Corporal and yourself and the two members of your visiting patrol proceed towards the sentinel. As you approach the sentinel identifies you and calls “Silence.” He tells you that he has heard a suspicious noise in front of his post and points in the direction from whence it came.
Required:
What do you do?
The Director: “Captain Hall, what would you do under the circumstances?”
Captain Hall: “It is the business of the visitingpatrol to investigate suspicious incidents that may be reported by the sentinels. So I would go out and investigate this one. I would take the two men of my patrol with me.”
The Director: “We will assume that you are senior to the outguard commander. Would you give him any instructions?”
Captain Hall: “I think I would have him send out a small patrol to the interval between outguard No. 3 and No. 2.”
Lieutenant Barry: “That is a point I had been thinking about and I had just decided that I would not do that.”
The Director: “On what line of reasoning did you base the decision?”
Lieutenant Barry: “Well, sir, if I were Corporal Canes and going out with my visiting patrol I would not want any other patrol out working around in my immediate vicinity. There would be too much danger of an accident. I would have to put in about half of my time watching out for the other patrol to keep from shooting them or to keep them from shooting me. I am sure if I knew another patrol from the outguard were out here I could not devote my undivided attention to my reconnaissance of the enemy. I would have Corporal R bring two of his men up to the sentinel post and remain there until I get back or if anything happens to me to come to my assistance. I would have the remaining men of the outguard remain on the alert at their post.”
The Director: “I think you are right in all you have said and I feel sure that Captain Hall will agreewith you on reconsideration. Is that not so, Captain Hall?”
Captain Hall: “Yes, sir.”
The Director: “We then decide that Corporal Canes is to make the reconnaissance with the two remaining men of his visiting patrol; that he is going to have Corporal R bring up two men of the outguard to the vicinity of the sentinel post and that the remainder of the outguard is to remain at the alert at its post. Now, Lieutenant Hunt, just how will you put this decision into the form of orders?”
Lieutenant Hunt: “I would issue my orders as follows:
“‘You have all the information of the enemy and our own troops.
“‘The visiting patrol will conduct a reconnaissance in that direction (indicating).
“‘Manley and Harrison will follow me at the usual distance.
“‘Corporal R, have two men of your outguard come up here. If anything happens to my patrol come to our assistance. Have the remainder of your men remain at the outguard on the alert.’
“When all is ready I will say:
“‘Manley and Harrison, follow me.’
“We will proceed in Indian file towards the suspicious noise reported by the sentinel.”
Visiting PatrolCard No. 6Director’s Key1. On arrival at Outguard No. 3 distribute Situation No. 6 and explain.2. Duty of visiting patrol to investigate suspicious occurrences on outpost line.3. Question of Patrol from outguard.4. Visiting patrol makes reconnaissance. Two men brought up to sentinel post as a reserve. Outguard to remain in place at the alert.5. Orders.
Visiting PatrolCard No. 6
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
1. On arrival at Outguard No. 3 distribute Situation No. 6 and explain.
2. Duty of visiting patrol to investigate suspicious occurrences on outpost line.
3. Question of Patrol from outguard.
4. Visiting patrol makes reconnaissance. Two men brought up to sentinel post as a reserve. Outguard to remain in place at the alert.
5. Orders.
The class is now conducted to a point about 100 yards to the front of the sentinel post of Outguard No. 3, where Situation No. 7 is distributed and such explanation as may be necessary is made.
Situation No. 7:
You have arrived at this point. You discover a cavalryman’s horse, fully equipped, tied to that tree. You reconnoiter the vicinity but can find no other signs of the enemy.
Required:
What action do you take?
The Director: “Lieutenant Williams, how do you size up the situation?”
Lieutenant Williams: “I have come to the conclusion that the enemy prisoner told the truth when he said he was lost. I do not believe there are any other men of the enemy in this immediate vicinity. Hadthere been other men with the prisoner he surely would not have dismounted and tied his horse to a tree. If there were more in the party one man would have been left out here to hold the horse while the prisoner went forward to reconnoiter on foot. I arrive at the conclusion that this is his horse and that he is a member of the enemy patrol that was operating over on the right of our line. He got lost and was trying to find some of the men of his own patrol when he ran into us. I do not think he realized that he was inside of our lines at the time he was captured.”
The Director: “Has any member of the class a different version of the affair than what Lieutenant Williams has just explained?”
Captain Hastings: “I do not think we would be justified in assuming that there are no more of the enemy in this vicinity. Two enemy scouts have been captured that we know of. These two men were not scouting around here alone. There must be more of them somewhere. It may be that others have come in contact with our outguards that we have not heard about.”
The Director: “Have you heard any firing tonight along our lines?”
Captain Hastings: “No, sir.”
The Director: “Don’t you think that if there had been very much enemy activity along our lines that there would have been firing somewhere? I think it is fair to assume that. I believe we would be pretty well justified in assuming that the enemy activity is limited to perhaps a patrol from which our prisoner became lost.
“The question now before us is what are we goingto do? Lieutenant Wallace, what would you do?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “I would get this horse back as quickly as possible and then I would extend my reconnaissance farther to the front.”
The Director: “Where would you send the horse?”
Lieutenant Wallace: “I would send him back to the support commander.”
The Director: “Where would you send him, Lieutenant Ralston?”
Lieutenant Ralston: “I am not so sure I would send him anywhere for the present. If we are to continue our reconnaissance to the front I do not figure that I would spare a man to send the horse back. In any event I would send him no farther than outguard No. 3. And I am not so sure that I would go any farther on the reconnaissance. I do not think a visiting patrol—so few men—should go very far in front of the line of observation at night.”
The Director: “Captain Harvey, what do you think about all of this?”
Captain Harvey: “I agree with Lieutenant Ralston. Another point that presents itself to me is this: When the support commander gets the prisoner we sent back he will probably send our section leader out with a patrol to reconnoiter the front and the sergeant will want to see me and get what information I have. The natural place for him to come first to find me will be outguard No. 3. I think I should get back there at least by the time the patrol from the support reaches there. I estimate that I could stay around here for a few minutes yet, but I would have to be getting back pretty soon.”
The Director: “What would be your decision based on your sizing up of the situation?”
Captain Harvey: “To send the horse back to outguard No. 3 right away.
“Manley and myself would stay out here in concealment for, say five minutes longer, and then go back to the outguard by way of the sentinel post.”
The Director: “Any member of the class that does not agree with that decision? (After waiting a moment.) There seems to be none, so we will agree to that solution of the problem.”
Visiting PatrolCard No. 7Director’s Key1. Conduct class to a point 100 yards in front of sentinel post of Outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 7.2. Size up situation. Estimate of connection of enemy prisoner with the cavalry horse.3. Disposition of horse.4. Future action of patrol commander.5. Decision; send horse to Outguard No. 3; Go to Outguard No. 3 to meet commander of patrol sent out from support.
Visiting PatrolCard No. 7
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to a point 100 yards in front of sentinel post of Outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 7.
2. Size up situation. Estimate of connection of enemy prisoner with the cavalry horse.
3. Disposition of horse.
4. Future action of patrol commander.
5. Decision; send horse to Outguard No. 3; Go to Outguard No. 3 to meet commander of patrol sent out from support.
The class is now conducted to outguard No. 3, at which place Situation No. 8 is distributed and explained.
Situation No. 8:
You have arrived at outguard No. 3. On your way back the outguard commander who was at the sentinel post joined you. He left the two additional men at the sentinel post. You explained to him what happened on your reconnaissance to the front.
At this moment Sergeant Hamilton, the section leader in command of a patrol of one squad from thesupport, arrives, and states that he has been ordered to make a reconnaissance to the front of our line of observation. Patrols are going out from the other supports to reconnoiter their fronts. Sergeant Hamilton says:
“Corporal Canes, give me all the information you have.”
Required:
State the information you, Corporal Canes, would give to Sergeant Hamilton.
The Director: “Now, I assume that each of you have followed the details of the problem. You know just what has taken place. Now, I want each of you to write out on your pads just what you would say to Sergeant Hamilton in reply to his instructions,
“Give me all the information you have.”
“I want you to write down the exact words that you would use if you were Corporal Canes.”
When all the members of the class have completed their solutions they will be collected and again distributed, making sure that no man receives his own solution back again.
The Director calls upon one or more members of the class to read the solution in his possession and it is discussed.
At the conclusion of this the Director will submit the following solution for discussion (copies of this will be distributed to the class):
“When my patrol arrived about midway between outguard No. 2 and outguard No. 3 we captured asoldier of the enemy. I asked several questions. He refused to answer, except that he said he was lost. I sent him back to the support and came on over to outguard No. 3. On arriving there the sentinel told me that he had heard a suspicious noise out in front of his post. I took two men and went out about 100 yards where I found a cavalry horse, fully equipped. Sent him back to the outguard here. Made examination to see if I could find any evidence of other horses or men. Found none. Stayed a few minutes out there. Heard nothing.”
The Director reads the solution aloud. The members of the class follow from the copy in their possession.
The Director: “This is merely one solution of the problem. There may be others equally good. This situation was devised to give you practice in imparting information that you may have. On occasions like this time may be limited and the information will have to be given hurriedly and without waste of words. The idea is that you should state the circumstances of the incidents in the fewest words possible and at the same time make clear just what has happened. You will find practice of this kind very valuable and will pay you large dividends on actual service.”
The Director: “This is the conclusion of our Terrain Exercise on the subject of the visiting patrol. I feel sure that if any one of you ever have occasion to order out visiting patrols that you will have a better idea of how they go about their tasks than youpreviously had. I am sure that you know what a visiting patrol is and what it is supposed to do.
“I am sure you will appreciate how necessary it is for your non-commissioned officers to be trained in this work so they may know how to meet the situations and solve the problems that may confront them.
“In outlining the future action of Corporal Canes’ patrol I may say that Sergeant Hamilton now assumes responsibility for the further reconnaissance to the front of the line of observation. Corporal Canes will send Harrison back to the support commander with the horse with a verbal message. Cline has again joined him at outguard No. 3. The three men, Corporal Canes, Manley and Cline continue the operations of the visiting patrol, going on over to outguard No. 1 of support No. 3 and then back to their own support. On arrival there Corporal Canes finds that it is about time for him to start out on the rounds with his 2 o’clock patrol. This has been his busy night.”
Visiting PatrolCard No. 8Director’s Key1. Conduct class to position of outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 8 and explain.2. Have members of class write out solutions on pad. Collect and distribute. Read and comment.3. Distribute solution for discussion. Read it aloud.4. Explain that this is merely a solution.5. Situation designed to give practice in stating information.6. Conclusion of Terrain Exercise. Knowledge of work of visiting patrol. Necessity for training of non-commissioned officers.7. Future action of visiting patrol. Send back horse. Continue patrol to outguard No. 1 of support No. 3; thence to support. Time to go out with 2 o’clock patrol.
Visiting PatrolCard No. 8
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
Director’s Key
1. Conduct class to position of outguard No. 3. Distribute Situation No. 8 and explain.
2. Have members of class write out solutions on pad. Collect and distribute. Read and comment.
3. Distribute solution for discussion. Read it aloud.
4. Explain that this is merely a solution.
5. Situation designed to give practice in stating information.
6. Conclusion of Terrain Exercise. Knowledge of work of visiting patrol. Necessity for training of non-commissioned officers.
7. Future action of visiting patrol. Send back horse. Continue patrol to outguard No. 1 of support No. 3; thence to support. Time to go out with 2 o’clock patrol.