VERBAL FIELD MESSAGE
OBSERVATION—ATTENTION—EXPOSITION
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 the _Heading_ and _Ending_ must be stated by the messenger
upon his arrival at his destination; and the _Body_ must 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’s _cavalry_ marching north on
Carlisle Road _at Hamilton_ 11:45 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 accurate _Body_ of the verbal
message, but the contents of the _Heading_ and _Ending_ of a similar
written one.
The above conversation is not exaggerated. It is not only what _does_
happen, but what _should_ happen. 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.
PROBLEMS
In each of the following problems try to condense the essential
facts, without loss of substance or truth, if possible, into one
sentence. The _Body_ only 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 the _Heading_ and _Ending_. 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 opposite you, 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. We have 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. Otherwise he 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’s sake 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.