Chapter XVI: Appendix: Forms of Complete Field Orders

While the following forms are given for the convenience of officers in the field, and with a view of securing uniformity in the service, it must be remembered that no two military situations are the same. The sequence in paragraph 3 is not obligatory, the commander arranging the details according to his best judgment.

_For an advance._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]
Troops 1. [Information of enemy and of our
supporting troops]
(a) Independent Cavalry: 2. [Plan of commander]
[Commander] 3. (a) [Instructions for independent
[Troops] cavalry—place and time of departure, roads
or country to be covered, special mission]
(b) Advance Guard: (b) [Instructions for advance guard—place
[Commander] and time of departure, or distance at
[Troops] which it is to precede the main body, route,
special mission]
(c) Main Body—in (c) [Instructions for main body—distance
order of march: at which it is to follow the advance guard,
[Commander][26] or place and time of departure]
(d) Right [left] Flank (d) [Instructions for flank guard—place
Guard: and time of departure, route, special mission]
[Commander] (e) [Instructions for signal troops—lines
[Troops] of information to be established, special
(e) Signal Troops: mission]
[Commander] (x) [Instructions for outpost—when relieved,
[Troops] subsequent duties]
4. [Instructions for field train—escort,
distance in rear of column, or destination
when different from that of main body, if
disposition not previously covered in “Orders”]
[Instructions for sanitary, ammunition, supply and engineer trains,
when necessary]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_For advance guards._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]
Troops 1. [Information of enemy and of our
supporting troops]
(a) Advance Cavalry: 2. [Plan of commander]
[Commander] 3. (a) [Instructions for advance
[Troops] cavalry—place and time of departure, roads
(b) Support: or country to be covered, special mission]
[Commander] (b) [Instructions for support—place and
[Troops] time of departure, route, special mission]
(c) Reserve—in order (c) [Instructions for reserve—distance at
of march: which it is to follow support]
[Troops] (d) [Instructions for flank guard—place
(d) Right [left] Flank and time of departure, route, special mission]
Guard: 4. [Instructions for field train—generally
[Commander] to join train of column if not previously
[Troops] covered in orders]
5. [Place of commander or where messages
may be sent, location of lines of information]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_A halt for the night—Camp with outpost._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops, including
independent cavalry]
2. [Plan of commander—to encamp or bivouac]
3. (a) [Designation of commander and troops of outpost,[27] general
line to be held, special reconnaissance, connection with other
outposts, if any]
(b) [Instructions for troops not detailed for outpost duty—location
of camp, designation of camp commander,[28] observation of flanks
and rear when necessary, lines of information, conduct in case of
attack]
4. [Instructions for field train—generally to join troops, though
if near enemy, field train of outpost troops may be held in rear][29]
[Instructions for sanitary, ammunition, supply, and engineer
trains, when necessary]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_For outposts._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

Troops 1. [Information of enemy and of our
supporting troops]
(a) Advance Cavalry: 2. [Plan of commander—to establish outpost
[Commander] approximate line of resistance]
[Troops] 3. (a) [Instructions for advanced cavalry
(b) Supports:[30] contact with enemy, roads or country to be
No.1[Commander] specially watched, special mission]
[Troops] (b) [Instructions for supports—positions
No.2[Commander] they are to occupy, and sections of line of
[Troops] resistance which they are to hold, intrenching,
No.3[Commander] etc.]
[Troops] (c) [Instructions for detached post—position
(c) Detached Post: to be occupied, duties, amount of
[Commander] resistance]
[Troops] (d) [Instructions for reserves—location,
(d) Reserve: observation of flanks, conduct in case of
[Commander] attack, duties of special troops]
[Troops] 4. [Instruction for field train if necessary]
5. [Place of commander or where messages
may be sent, location of lines of information]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued][31]

It is sometimes necessary to issue two outpost orders; the first as above, containing general instruction; the second, issued after an inspection of the line, and containing more definite instructions or involving changes.

_For positions in readiness._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
2. [Plan of commander—to take up a position in readiness at or
near ——]
3. (a) [Instructions for cavalry—to reconnoiter in direction of
enemy, special mission]
(b) [Instructions for artillery—position or place of assembly]
(c) [Instructions for infantry—position or place of assembly,
points to be especially held, reconnaissance]
(d) [Instructions for engineers—position or place of assembly]
(e) [Instructions for signal troops—lines of information]
4. [Instructions for field trains, sanitary, ammunition, supply and
engineer trains if not previously covered in orders—generally to halt
at designated localities in rear, ready to move in any direction]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_For defense positions._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
2. [Plan of commander—to take up a defensive position at or
along ——, for the purpose of ——]
3. (a) [Instructions for artillery—position, target, intrenching,
etc.]
(b) [Instructions for fighting line—division of front into sections
and assignment of troops thereto, intrenching, etc.]
(c) [Instructions for reserve—troops and position]
(d) [Instructions for cavalry—usually to cover with its main
force the more exposed flank, a detachment being sent to patrol the
other; reconnaissance]
(e) [Instructions for engineer—defensive work, clearing field of
fire, preparation of obstacles, opening roads, etc.]
(f) [Instructions for signal troops—to establish lines of
information]
4. [Instructions for sanitary train—location of dressing stations
and station for slightly wounded]
[Instructions for ammunition train—location of ammunition distributing
stations]
[Instructions for field and supply trains, if not previously covered
in orders]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_For an attack._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

1. [Information of enemy and of our supporting troops]
2. [Plan of commander—indicating the general plan of attack,
usually to envelop a flank]
3. (a) [Information for artillery—position, first target, generally
hostile artillery]
(b) [Instructions for holding attack[32]—commander, troops,
direction and objective]
(c) [Instructions for main attack—commander, troops, direction
and objective]
(d) [Instructions for reserve—commander, troops, position]
(e) [Instructions for cavalry—generally to operate on one or both
flanks, or to execute some special mission]
(f) [Instructions for engineers—any special mission]
(g) [Instructions for signal troops—to establish lines of
information between the commander and the main and secondary attacks,
artillery, reserves, etc.]
4. [Instructions for sanitary train—location of dressing stations
and stations for slightly wounded when practicable]
[Instructions for ammunition train—location of ammunition distributing
stations]
[Instructions for field and supply trains, if not previously covered
in orders]
5. [Place of commander or where messages may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_Note._—In war it is not always possible to issue a complete attack order like the above, disposing of an entire command. In unexpected encounters, for instance, orders must be given as the situation develops.

_For a retreat._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

Troops 1. [Information of enemy and of our
(a) Leading Troops: supporting troops]
[Commander] 2. [Plan of commander—to retire in
[Troops] direction of ——]
(b) Main Body—in 3. (a) [Instructions for leading
order of march: troops—place and time of departure, route,
[Troops] special mission]
(c) Rear Guard: (b) [Instructions for main body—place
[Commander] and time of departure, route]
[Troops] (c) [Instructions for rear guard—distance
(d) Right [left] Flank from the main body or place and time of
Guard: departure, special mission]
[Commander] (d) [Instructions for flank guard—place
[Troops] and time of departure, special mission]
(e) Signal Troops: (e) [Instructions for signal troops—lines
[Commander] of information]
[Troops] (x) [Instructions for outposts—when
relieved, subsequent duties—usually forming
the rear guard]
4. [Instructions for field and divisional
trains—place and time of departure, route,
escort; these trains are generally some
distance ahead of the column]
5. [Place of commander or where messages
may be sent]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

_For rear guards._

Field Orders [Title]
No. — [Place]
[Reference to map used] [Date and hour]

Troops 1. [Information of enemy and of our
supporting troops]
(a) Reserve—in order 2. [Plan of commander—mission of rear
of march: guard]
[Troops] 3. (a) [Instructions for reserve—place and
(b) Support: time of departure, or approximate distance
[Commander] from main body, reconnaissance]
[Troops] (b) [Instructions for support—place and
(c) Rear Cavalry: time of departure or distance from reserve,
[Commander] any special reconnaissance]
[Troops] (c) [Instructions for rear cavalry—place
(d) Right [left] Flank and time of departure, road or country to be
Guard: covered, special mission]
[Commander] (d) [Instructions for flank guard—place
[Troops] and time of departure, route, special mission]
4. [Instructions for field train when
necessary—usually to join the train of main
body]
5. [Place of commander or where messages
may be sent—location of lines of information]
[Authentication]
[How and to whom issued]

MARCH TABLE

In movements of large forces on several roads, it is sometimes desirable to prescribe the daily marches of the various columns for two or more days. In such cases the order may often be simplified by appending or incorporating a march table usually in the following form, each column providing its own security.

_March Table._

—— Army, from —— [date], to —— [date].

[Reference to map used.]

=====+===================+===================+==================
Date | —— Division | —— Division | Army Hq.
-----+-------------------+-------------------+------------------
| Location of main| Location of main| Location at end
| body or of advance| body or of advance| of each day’s
| guard at end of | guard at end of | march.
| each day’s march, | each day’s march, |
| and line of march,| and line of march,|
| if necessary. | if necessary. |
=====+===================+===================+==================