There are occasions when it becomes proper not to write the field message, but to speak it. If the enemy is strong and active, so that a bearer of information runs grave risk of capture, the message is safer as a verbal one. In the case of the written one, both message and messenger are lost; in the case of the verbal one, only the messenger. Therefore, it is best to entrust the information to the care of the messenger’s mind. The facts deposited there should remain in readiness for the first opportunity of delivery.
There are times, too, when no chance is offered to write a message on account of the pressure of the enemy. The attention of a leader may be so occupied with warding off, or moving away from, strong hostile bodies, that work with pencil and paper becomes an impossibility.
The form of the written field message must be abbreviated. The gist of theHeadingandEndingmust be stated by the messenger upon his arrival at his destination; and theBodymust be contracted into one or two sentences depending upon the accuracy and intelligence of the messenger. Where officers are messengers the message may be lengthened. For our purpose and practice we must attempt the shorter form.
The usual procedure in sending off a verbal message may be represented by the following dialogue:
Patrol Leader (or Commander): “Swinton, go back at once to the Commanding Officer of our Outpost and say,—
Twelve enemy’s cavalry marching north on Carlisle Road at Hamilton 11:45 a. m. Repeat.”
Swinton: “I am going back to the Commanding Officer of our Outpost and say,—
Twelve of enemy marching north on Carlisle Road at 11:45 a. m.”
P. L.: “No, Swinton, twelve enemy’scavalrymarching north on Carlisle Roadat Hamilton11:45 a. m. Repeat again.”
Swinton: “I am to go back right away and say to Commanding Officer,—
Twelve enemy’s cavalry marching north on Carlisle Road at Hamilton 11:45 a. m. Repeat.”
P. L.: “Not quite; you are to go back to Commanding Officer of Outpost. Repeat again.”
Swinton: “I am to go back and say to Commanding Officer of the Outpost,—
Twelve enemy’s cavalry marching north on Carlisle Road at Hamilton at 11:45 a. m.”
P. L.: “That’s right. It is now 12 o’clock. Notice where we are located. I am going to continue on my mission toward the southwest. Do you understand?”
Swinton: “Yes, sir.”
When Swinton arrives at headquarters he ought thus to be able to give to his commanding officer not only the accurateBodyof the verbal message, but the contents of theHeadingandEndingof a similar written one.
The above conversation is not exaggerated. It is not only whatdoeshappen, but whatshouldhappen. It does happen because the average American has rarely developed his powers of attention to things outside of his interest. It should happen because every word in every good message is a vital word. Any omission or substitution is a loss.
In each of the following problems try to condense the essential facts, without loss of substance or truth, if possible, into one sentence. TheBodyonly will be attempted. In other words, that part of the dialogue which preceded the last speech of the Patrol Leader will be imitated. It is presumed that we are now conversant with the material of theHeadingandEnding. We shall, therefore, dispense with these parts of the message in the verbal exercise.
CAUTION.—Under no circumstances should there be any writing done in connection with the solution of the problems. A violation of this prohibition will destroy the value of the exercise.
1. You are alone in your aeroplane scouting north from your Division which is at Granite Hill. While you are flying low in the vicinity of B-A, you notice a moving cloud of dust which produces a dark spot on the road leading south from Guernsey. The haze extends from the lower edge of the “G” in Guernsey indistinctly through the town. You turn off and fly over Center Mills. When you return the head of the dust cloud has reached the first road-fork south of Guernsey and the tail of it is at the lower edge of the “G.” You land in twelve minutes at Granite Hill. It is one o’clock in the afternoon. You are so cold that you walk with difficulty. You call a Corporal of the Signal Corps to you and give him a verbal message.
2. You are sitting on the knoll at 624 immediately south of the “Sta.” in Granite Hill Station, 5-E. You see about fifteen horsemen cross the railroad tracks and ride up to the cross-roads to the east of you. It is half past ten in the morning when you see them split up into three parties, one riding southwest, one northeast, and one southeast on the three different roads in your vicinity. As the party on the road running southeast comes oppositeyou, they dismount. You can make them out to be cavalrymen of the enemy. As they start in your rear to cross the stream and to come toward you, you decide to send a verbal message.
3. You are proceeding from the cross-roads southwest of Plainview (B-5) toward Hershey Mill (B-6). When you approach the mill race you notice a quantity of smoke rising; when you come nearer you see the smouldering ruins of the mill. You go on to the Miller’s house and there perceive that the bridge has buckled in the middle and is lying on its side in the water. The Miller tells you that an aeroplane of the enemy went up and down the Conewago at six o’clock the evening before, until it finally landed a bomb upon the bridge. As it was circling to leave, it let another bomb drop upon the mill. You go to the Miller’s telephone and send a message.
4. You are lying on the long knoll 566, five hundred yards south of C-6. You are watching at half past two in the afternoon two infantrymen of the enemy who are walking along the edge of the stream to the west. You have been interested in their movements ever since they crossed the first road to the southwest several moments ago. While you are watching them, you are fired upon by what you estimate to be sixteen rifles from the woods to the south. You hasten north and give to one of your men a verbal message on the way.
5. You are proceeding south along the stream at 7⅓-E. At twenty minutes after eight in the morning you approach the more densely wooded section of country near the bridge. You look toward the cross-roads to the west and spy in the field some of the enemy loafing and talking at the letter “8” in 488. You see four stacks of arms and are making further observations, when you hear a rustle of undergrowth in the woods. Eight men rush out upon you.Three of your men are killed. You escape with one man. As soon as you are able, you give him a verbal message, and both of you take different routes back to headquarters.
6. You are reconnoitering south along the railroad track from Biglerville. When you reach the siding at 626, you notice that part of the track exactly opposite “B,” both on the siding and main line, is completely blown away. You count ten ties burning at the side of the road. While you are making an inventory of the situation, you are fired upon by a machine gun mounted on a flat car near the next bridge to the south. The car apparently filled with men seems to be approaching. Your patrol scatters to the fields. You give one man a verbal message.
7. You have been sent with two men to find out whether the Conewago is fordable at any point between Table Rock and Fidler, B-7. After some search you find a crossing directly south of the zero in the number 540 which marks the contour of that height. Some time ago you sent a written message to the effect that there was a picket located at the Logan farm house. You have finished searching thoroughly that part of the stream assigned to you, when a strong party of the enemy is seen approaching your position from A. Logan. You give your remaining man a verbal message. Each takes a separate route.
8. You are in charge of a small reconnoitering patrol going south from Boyd School House. As you approach the marsh (7-4¼5, bottom) at the west of the road, you see three pieces of artillery stuck in the mud up to their hubs. You find that the guns are 3 in. field pieces. While you are investigating their mechanism in order to confirm your opinion that they belong to hostile troops, about forty men of the enemy with ropes and tackle appear about 400 yards to the south. You hurry away under cover, and find a telephone. You send a verbal message over the wire at twenty minutes to five in the evening.
9. You are delivering a message by motor cycle from Center Mills to Granite Hill Station. You are riding at about thirty miles an hour on a road supposedly clear of the enemy, when you are met by a fusillade from the woods in the vicinity of Henderson Meeting House. As you pass the road-fork, shots follow you and you feel a sharp pain in the calf of your leg. You speed up to pass the cross-roads at Hunterstown, and in two minutes reach Granite Hill Station. At twenty minutes after nine in the morning you dismount from your motor cycle and direct an infantryman standing near you to take a verbal message to headquarters in addition to the written one you hand him.
10. You are Captain Williams in command of Company B, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry. You are acting as a support during the Outpost duty of your battalion. You are at 592, northwest of the Good Intent School House, D-7, and are engaged in driving back a company of infantrymen which is attacking you from the stream to the west. At twenty-five minutes to ten in the morning you are suddenly attacked also by a platoon of infantry from the direction of Herman. The nearest friendly troops are those at battalion headquarters. You are in a serious predicament. You at once send a verbal message by an intelligent sergeant.
We have doubtless demonstrated to our own satisfaction by means of the problems above how difficult it is to frame a message briefly and unmistakably. It might be well to inquire why we have had this trouble. An analysis may not only reveal, but also remedy, the cause of our inability to achieve the desired result.
We find upon investigation that we have permitted certain practical talents to lie unused in our minds. Wehave not acquired the habit of observing anything outside of our desire, of listening to anything outside of our interest, and of explaining anything outside of simplicity. Strict observation, attention, and exposition are the ordinary tools of a military man. Let him develop them to the highest degree and he has done no more than is expected of him.
Here, between the study of the field message, which informs commanders, and the field order, which directs troops, it is especially fitting for us to reckon with mental improvement. For it is in this interval between the information’s coming to, and the decision’s going from, a leader that the fateful question arises, “What is my plan?” His thoughts, before they arrive at a decision, must take in and classify in a certain definite order all obtainable and pertinent facts. He must assemble all his data before he can take the slightest risk as to how his troops are to act. Lives are at stake in the passing minutes; victory is awaiting the decision. In all this stress and excitement the commander must observe and listen as if he were stalking a deer in a thicket. And when his mind is made up he must formulate his decision as if he were sitting before his own peaceful hearth writing a letter. But he must do both in one per cent of the time allowed for stalking deer or writing letters.
To acquire this ability, he must have regarded beforehand the development of these three talents as a necessity. If he has caused himself to be a faithful observer, so that he is capable of taking in many details at once, if he has compelled himself to be a keen listener so that he can absorb every word instantly, if he has made himself into a skilful instructor so that he can express rapidly his exact wishes and knowledge, he will be able, when the crisis comes, to give his entire attention to his plan. Otherwisehe will be hampered. If he has not observed, if he has not listened, he will be able neither to decide nor to state his will forcibly.
The following hints may show us our deficiencies:
1. In regard to the scope and habit of observation,—
(a) Look out of the window, count off to yourself five seconds, turn about and see how much of the view or of its salient features you can describe.
(b) After you have taken your next long walk through the woods or open country, go over in your mind your journey. Pick out points along the course and see whether you know in regard to each: (1) the appearance and number of trees within your view, (2) the rise and fall of the ground within your view, (3) or the direction you next took.
(c) What is the exact color of the hair or eyes, or the shape of the hands of your closest associates?
(d) Have someone place five articles on a plane surface while your back is turned. Look at the objects for ten seconds; then look away and describe fully their appearance and position.
2. In regard to the power and habit of listening,—
(a) Have someone read aloud to you three sentences capable of being understood by a person of ordinary intellect. Try to repeat in your own words every idea given in the reading.
This is not a memory exercise.
(b) The next time you find yourself interrupting someone, check yourself at once, and try to repeat in your own mind the substance of what the speaker has last uttered.
(c) The next time you find yourself a part of an audience to which a sermon or lecture is being delivered, say to yourself, “I am going to get at least for practice’ssake every idea this speaker has to offer.” Then note how short a time it is before you miss a phrase.
3. In regard to the power of exposition,—
(a) With your hands behind your back, try to describe in a sentence each one of the following articles:
A barrel, a scabbard, a tea kettle, a potato, a billiard cue, a chrysanthemum, a dumb-bell, your shoes, a fox terrier, a grand piano.
(b) Give the shortest complete description you can of the parts and working of a rifle.