Manual of Military Training Part 42

In other respects conical tents are erected practically as in the case of pyramidal tents, as explained in par. 688. (801)

To Strike Common, Wall, Pyramidal, and Conical Wall Tents

=690. STRIKE TENTS.=

The men first remove all pins except those of the four corner guy ropes, or the four quadrant guy ropes in the case of the conical wall tent. The pins are neatly piled or placed in their receptacle.

One man holds each guy, and when the ground is clear the tent is lowered, folded, or rolled and tied, the poles or tripod and pole fastened together, and the remaining pins collected. (802)

To Fold Tents

=691. For folding common, wall, hospital, and storage tents:= Spread the tent flat on the ground, folded at the ridge so that bottoms of side walls are even, ends of tents forming triangles to the right and left; fold the triangular ends of the tent in toward the middle, making it rectangular in shape; fold the top over about 9 inches; fold the tent in two by carrying the top fold over clear to the foot; fold again in two from the top to the foot; throw all guys on tent except the second from each end; fold the ends in so as to cover about two-thirds of the second cloths; fold the left end over to meet the turned-in edge of the right end, then fold the right end over the top, completing the bundle; tie with two exposed guys.

=For folding pyramidal tents:= The tent is thrown toward the rear and the back wall and roof canvas pulled out smooth. This may be most easily accomplished by leaving the rear corner wall pins in the ground with the wall loops attached, one man at each rear-corner guy, and one holding the square iron in a perpendicular position and pulling the canvas to its limit away from the former front of the tent. This leaves the three remaining sides of the tent on top of the rear side, with the door side in the middle.

Now carry the right-front corner over and lay it on the left-rear corner. Pull all canvas smooth, throw guys toward square iron, and pull bottom edges even. Then take the right-front corner and return to the right, covering the right-rear corner. This folds the right side of the tent on itself, with the crease in the middle and under the front side of the tent.

Next carry the left-front corner to the right and back as described above; this, when completed, will leave the front and rear sides of the tent lying smooth and flat and the two side walls folded inward, each on itself.

Place the hood in the square iron which has been folded downward toward the bottom of tent, and continue to fold around the square iron as a core, pressing all folds down flat and smooth, and parallel with the bottom of the tent. If each fold is compactly made and the canvas kept smooth, the last fold will exactly cover the lower edge of the canvas. Lay all exposed guys along the folded canvas except the two on the center-width, which should be pulled out and away from bottom edge to their extreme length for tying. Now, beginning at one end, fold toward the center on the first seam (that joining the first and second widths) and fold again toward the center so that the already folded canvas will come to within about three inches of the middle width.

Then fold over to the opposite edge of middle width of canvas. Then begin folding from opposite end, folding the first width in half, then making a second fold to come within about 4 or 5 inches of that already folded, turn this fold entirely over that already folded. Take the exposed guys and draw them taut across each other, turn bundle over on the under guy, cross guys on top of bundle drawing tight. Turn bundle over on the crossed guys and tie lengthwise.

When properly tied and pressed together this will make a package 11 by 23 by 34 inches, requiring about 8,855 cubic inches to store or pack.

Stencil the organization designation on the lower half of the middle width of canvas in the back wall. (803)

Warning Calls

=692. First call, guard mounting, full dress, overcoats, drill, stable, water,= and =boots and saddles= precede the =a.s.sembly= by such interval as may be prescribed by the commanding officer.

=Mess, church, and fatigue=, cla.s.sed as service calls, may also be used as warning calls.

=First call= is the first signal for formation for roll call and for all ceremonies except guard mounting.

=Guard mounting= is the first signal for guard mounting.

The field music a.s.sembles at =first call= and =guard mounting=.

In a mixed command, =boots and saddles= is the signal to mounted troops that their formation is to be mounted; for mounted guard mounting or mounted drill, it immediately follows the signal =guard mounting= or drill.

When full dress or overcoats are to be worn, the =full dress= or =overcoat= call immediately follows =first call=, =guard mounting=, or =boots and saddles=. (804)

Formation Calls

=693. a.s.sembly:= The signal for companies or details to fall in.

=Adjutant's call:= The signal for companies to form battalion; also for the guard details to form for guard mounting on the camp or garrison parade ground; it follows the =a.s.sembly= at such interval as may be prescribed by the commanding officer.

It is also used as a signal for the battalions to form regiment, following the first =adjutant's call= at such interval as the commanding officer may prescribe.

=To the color:= Is sounded when the color salutes. (805)

Alarm Calls

=694. Fire call:= The signal for the men to fall in, without arms, to extinguish fire.

=To arms:= The signal for the men to fall in, under arms, on their company's parade grounds as quickly as possible.

=To horse:= The signal for mounted men to proceed under arms to their horses, saddle, mount and a.s.semble at a designated place as quickly as possible. In extended order this signal is used to remount troops.

(806)

Service Calls

=695. Tattoo, taps, mess, sick, church, recall, issue, officers', captains', first sergeants', fatigue, school=, and =the general=.

=The general= is the signal for striking tents and loading wagons preparatory to marching.

=Reveille= precedes the =a.s.sembly= for roll call; =retreat= follows the =a.s.sembly=, the interval between being only that required for formation and roll call, except when there is parade.

=Taps= is the signal for extinguishing lights; it is usually preceded by =call to quarters= by such interval as prescribed by Army Regulations.

=a.s.sembly, reveille, retreat, adjutant's call, to the color, the flourishes, ruffles=, and the =marches= are sounded by all the field music united; the other calls, as a rule, are sounded by the musician of the guard or orderly musician; he may also sound the =a.s.sembly= when the musicians are not united.

The morning gun is fired at the first note of =reveille=, or, if marches be played before =reveille=, it is fired at the commencement of the first march.

The evening gun is fired at the last note of =retreat=. (807)

APPENDIX A

War Department, Office of the Chief of Staff, Washington, December 2, 1911.

The Infantry Drill Regulations, 1911, have been prepared for the use of troops armed with the United States magazine rifle, model 1903. For the guidance of organizations armed with the United States magazine rifle, model 1898, the following alternative paragraphs are published and will be considered as subst.i.tute paragraphs for the corresponding paragraphs in the text: 75 (in part), 96, 98, 99, 134, 139, 141, 142, 148 and 150.

By order of the Secretary of War: LEONARD WOOD, Major General, Chief of Staff.

=Note.= The paragraph numbers 75, 96, 98, etc., given above, follow the paragraphs below.

=696.= * * * Third.

The cut-off is kept turned down, except when using the magazine. (75)