“While it is not contemplated that any member of this class will ever be called upon to conduct the operations of the point of an advance guard, all should be familiar with what happens when he gives someone else an order to do so.”
The Director passes out the papers containing Situation No. 2, reads the situation aloud and calls upon one or more members of the class to give their understanding of it.
You, Sergeant Roberts, have been designated to command the point, consisting of the first squad. Your men have been turned over to you by the platoon commander. You have been ordered to move out and get your distance and formation.
_The Director_: “Captain Sands, what is a point?”
_Captain Sands_: “A point is an element of an advance guard that precedes the advance party.”
_The Director_: “That is right, and it is no more or less than a fighting patrol that is assigned a definite line of march. Its operations are conducted on that basis. It can afford to be bold and aggressive because the advance party is close at hand to back it up. What factors govern the formation of the point, Lieutenant Wallace?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “The point must have a formation that renders it the least vulnerable to hostile fire. This means dispersion. On the other hand, the dispersion should not be so great that the commander is not able to control its operations. I should say that a patrol formation, where the men march in pairs on opposite sides of the road, would be suitable.”
_The Director_: “What should be the distances between the men?”
_Lieutenant Wallace_: “Twenty to 25 yards. That distance would provide the necessary dispersion, and at the same time there would be sufficient compactness to insure control.”
_The Director_: “Where will the point commander march, Lieutenant Ralston?”
_Lieutenant Ralston_: “He should march at the head of the point.”
_The Director_: “Do you agree with that statement, Captain Harvey?”
_Captain Harvey_: “No, sir; I do not. It seems to me that the commander should be free to go wherever he is needed. He should not be tied down to any one place.”
_The Director_: “I agree with you. There are other reasons why he should not habitually march at the head of the point. In the first place, the man at the head of the point must always be on the lookout for the enemy, and if the point commander is the man his whole attention will be devoted to that task and there will be very little leadership exercised in the point. Again, we do not want to take a chance on our point commander becoming a casualty unnecessarily. He has been placed in command, presumably because he is the best man fitted for the job. He knows the plans for the day’s work better than any of the other men. If he becomes a casualty on the first few shots, there may be no one to take his place without some confusion and delay. If the point commander marches a little distance back, say in the second or even third pair, he will be sufficiently close to the front to perform his duty. I prefer to have him in the second pair. Before leaving this subject of the formation of the point I would like your opinion, Captain Hughes, on the question of deploying the men in a line of skirmishers at extended intervals.”
