Chapter VIII

ARTILLERY TACTICS 109-148
MATERIEL OF LIGHT FIELD ARTILLERY, U. S. ARMY 109-110
Subdivisions of a battery 109
Signal equipment. Ammunition 109
Description of carriage and sights.
Weights behind the teams 109-110
Front covered by fire of a battery 110
DISPOSITIONS OF ARTILLERY ON THE MARCH. Combat trains.
Field trains. Protection of long columns 110
Usual dispositions of battery and combat trains in action 110
Concealment from hostile observation 110-111
DUTIES OF ARTILLERY PERSONNEL. Artillery commander.
Regimental commander. Battalion commander.
Battery commander. Lieutenants. Reconnaissance officer.
Sergeants and corporals. Scouts, signalers,
agents and route markers 111-113
Artillery officers with supreme commander and with
advance guard 113
KINDS OF FIRE. Masked and unmasked fire. Defilade. Fire for
adjustment, demolition, registration and effect. Direct
and indirect laying. Salvo fire, continuous fire, volley
fire and fire at will. Time fire and percussion fire.
Area of burst of shrapnel. Fire at single and at
successive ranges, sweeping fire 113-116
Individual and collective distribution. Adjustment 116
Firing data. Aiming point 116
OBSERVATION AND CONTROL OF FIRE 117-118
Post of officer conducting the fire 117
Battery commander’s station and auxiliary observing
stations. Location 117
Aiming points. Location 117-118
TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF FIELD ARTILLERY 118-128
Covering the front of a defensive position 118
Considerations governing the dispositions of
artillery in attack 118-120
Position in interval between frontal and enveloping attack.
Position on the flank 120
Ranges in attack and defense 120
Mission of the artillery 120-121
Operations of attacker’s artillery during the combat 120-121
Dispositions and employment of artillery in defense.
Dagger batteries 121-122
Advantages enjoyed by defense 121-122
Firing over heads of friendly troops 122
Movements to position 122
Supports for the artillery. Machine guns 122
Positions and duties of artillery. By whom prescribed 122
Positions “for immediate action,” “in observation,” and
“in readiness.” Subdivision for action 122-124
Positions of field and combat trains. Communication 123
Subdivision of battalions and batteries 123
Grouping of artillery. Fire control 124-125
Artillery “reserves.” Number of guns to place in action 123-124
Positions of ammunition trains 124
Special tasks and duties of artillery. Counter batteries,
infantry batteries, etc. 124
“Prepare for action.” “March Order” 125
Changes of position during action. Why, how and when made.
Economy of ammunition 125-126
Co-operation of artillery and other arms 126
Dummy emplacements 126
Horse artillery 126
Ranges, targets, ammunition employed, etc. 126
Oblique, enfilade and frontal fire 127
Moving across country to position 127
Supports for the artillery 127
Ranging and bracketing 127
ARTILLERY WITH ADVANCE GUARDS, REAR GUARDS AND OUTPOSTS 127-128
PROBLEM INVOLVING A BATTERY IN POSITION.
(Duties of personnel. B. C. and auxiliary observing
stations. Limbers and combat trains. Field trains.
Communication. Moving to position, etc., etc.) 128-130
BATTALION OR LARGER UNIT IN ACTION 130-132
EMPLOYMENT OF HEAVY FIELD ARTILLERY 132-136
Heavy field ordnance of U. S. Army.
Description, ranges, etc. 132-133
Organization and methods of fire 133-135
Tactical employment. Heavy artillery on the march 133-136
Motor transport 136
EMPLOYMENT OF MOUNTAIN ARTILLERY 136-138
Description of materiel. Tactical employment 136-138
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY 138-139
Types of guns 138
Effective ranges 138
Observation and fire control 139
Function of anti-aircraft artillery 139
REMARKS CONCERNING THE TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT
OF LIGHT FIELD ARTILLERY 139-143
Subdivision of battalions 140
Positions for artillery and combat trains 140
Concealment and covered approach to position 140-141
Positions between frontal and enveloping attacks 140
Positions for direct fire 140
Flash defilade 140
Ranges 141
Movements of artillery daring an action 141
Elimination of “dead space” 141
Reconnaissance 141
Battery commander’s station 141
Use of shrapnel and shell. Ranging 141
The artillery duel. Firing over heads of infantry 141
Proper targets for artillery. Co-operation with other arms 141
Place of artillery commander 142
General positions for artillery in attack and defense 142
Orders and instructions to artillery. What to include
and what to omit 142-143