and has marched the company
to a piece of ground suitable for practicing this particular
operation, and which the company commander has himself visited
beforehand (The ground should always be visited beforehand by the
company commander, who should be thoroughly familiar with it. If
possible, ground suitable for practicing the operation in question
should always be selected.) The operation should begin about 1200
yards from the enemy's position. After pointing out the enemy's
position to the company, the particular part of his line it is
intended to assault and the direction the company is to advance, the
company commander would then proceed something like this: "We are part
of a battalion taking part in a battle, and there are companies to our
right and left, with a support and reserve in our rear. So far we have
been advancing over ground that is exposed to hostile artillery fire
(or not exposed to hostile artillery fire, according to the actual
country). We have just come under the enemy's infantry fire also, and
consequently we must change our method of advancing. Our immediate
object is to get forward, without expending more ammunition than is
absolutely necessary, to a position close enough to the enemy to
enable us to use our rifles with such deadly effect that we will be
able to gain a superiority of fire. Now, is this place sufficiently
close for the purpose? No, it is not--it's entirely too far away. Is
that next ridge just in front of us close enough? No, it is not; it is
at least 1,000 yards from the enemy's position. As a rule, we must get
from eight to six hundred yards from the enemy's position before the
real struggle for superiority of fire begins.

"The following are the main points to which attention must be paid
during this part of the advance:

"1. We must halt in good fire position from which we can see and fire
at the enemy, and from which we can not be seen very clearly.

"2. We must advance very rapidly over any open ground that is exposed
to the enemy's artillery or rifle fire.

"3. We must find halting places, if possible under cover, or under the
best cover available, so as to avoid making our forward rushes so long
that the men will get worn out, and begin to straggle long before they
get close enough to the enemy to use their rifles with deadly effect.

"4. Whenever possible, company scouts should be sent on ahead to
select fire-positions."

Of course, the above points will have been