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WAR DEPARTMENT
MANUAL
FOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND
PRIVATES OF
CAVALRY
OF THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES
1917
TO BE ALSO USED BY ENGINEER COMPANIES
(MOUNTED) FOR CAVALRY INSTRUCTION
AND TRAINING
WASHINGTON
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
1917
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Document No. 620.
_Office of The Adjutant General._
ADDITIONAL COPIES
OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE PROCURED FROM
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D. C.
AT
50 CENTS PER COPY
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, _June 28, 1917_.
The following Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of
Cavalry is published for the information and guidance of all
concerned.
[2582824 C.--A. G. O.]
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
TASKER H. BLISS,
_Major General, Acting Chief of Staff_.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. MCCAIN,
_The Adjutant General_.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page.
CHAPTER I. MILITARY DISCIPLINE AND COURTESY.................. 9
Section 1. Oath of enlistment.............................. 9
Section 2. Obedience....................................... 9
Section 3. Loyalty........................................ 11
Section 4. Discipline..................................... 11
Section 5. Military courtesy.............................. 13
Section 6. Saluting....................................... 13
Section 7. Rules governing saluting....................... 15
Section 8. Courtesies in conversation..................... 18
CHAPTER II. ARMS, UNIFORMS, AND EQUIPMENT................... 20
Section 1. The rifle...................................... 20
Section 2. Care of the rifle.............................. 21
Section 3. Cleaning the rifle............................. 23
Section 4. Uniforms....................................... 27
Section 5. The service kit................................ 30
Section 6. The surplus kit................................ 32
Section 7. Assembling equipment........................... 33
CHAPTER III. RATIONS AND FORAGE............................. 36
Section 1. The ration..................................... 36
Section 2. Individual cooking............................. 37
Section 3. The forage ration.............................. 41
CHAPTER IV. PERSONAL HYGIENE AND CARE OF THE FEET........... 43
CHAPTER V. EXTRACTS FROM CAVALRY DRILL REGULATIONS, 1916.... 50
Section 1. Definitions.................................... 50
Section 2. General provisions, individual instruction..... 54
Section 3. School of the trooper, dismounted.............. 57
Section 4. School of the trooper, mounted................ 112
Section 5. General provisions, elementary collective
instruction................................... 134
Section 6. Basic principles of the drill................. 134
Section 7. The school of the squad....................... 139
Section 8. Tent pitching................................. 176
CHAPTER VI. FIELD SERVICE.................................. 180
Section 1. Principles of training........................ 180
Section 2. Combat........................................ 181
Section 3. Patrolling.................................... 199
Section 4. Advance guards................................ 210
Section 5. Rear guards................................... 212
Section 6. Flank guards.................................. 213
Section 7. Outposts...................................... 213
Section 8. Rifle trenches................................ 219
CHAPTER VII. MARCHING AND CAMPING.......................... 223
Section 1. Breaking camp and preparation for a march..... 223
Section 2. Marches, camps................................ 225
CHAPTER VIII. TARGET PRACTICE.............................. 233
Section 1. Preliminary training and marksmanship......... 233
Section 2. Sight adjustment.............................. 233
Section 3. Table of sight corrections.................... 235
Section 4. Aiming........................................ 235
Section 5. Battle sight.................................. 236
Section 6. Trigger squeeze............................... 237
Section 7. Firing positions.............................. 238
Section 8. Calling the shot.............................. 240
Section 9. Coordination.................................. 241
Section 10. Advice to riflemen........................... 241
Section 11. The course in small-arms firing.............. 243
Section 12. Targets...................................... 244
Section 13. Pistol and revolver practice................. 245
CHAPTER IX. EXTRACTS FROM MANUAL OF INTERIOR GUARD
DUTY, 1914..................................... 254
Section 1. Introduction.................................. 254