Tactics and duties for trench fighting — Background and Themes

Principles over Prescriptions

The foreword’s opening sentence—that the book deals with principles and examples, not fixed rules—sets the tone for the entire work. This is not a rigid drill manual but a guide to thinking about trench warfare. The reader is told that “one must have knowledge of past and present methods to be ready for the next logical step of development.” This emphasis on adaptability is a thread that runs through the excerpts, from the initial formation discussions to the detailed defensive measures.

The endorsements from Fort Sheridan and the War Department confirm the manual’s intended audience: officer candidates who would carry these lectures into the field. The reader should note that the authors—a French captain and a U.S. Army major—bring combined experience from the Allied side, lending credibility to the tactical advice.

The Company as a Fighting Organism

Chapter I, “Organization of the Company for Battle Formations,” introduces the company as the basic tactical unit. The excerpts mention specialists, formations (initial, close order, approach march, skirmisher line, assaulting), and the composition of a typical company. The reader sees that the manual treats the company not as a mass of men but as a coordinated team with distinct roles.

Later, in the defensive section, the concept of a “support point” emerges—a localized stronghold whose captain must “keep up the offensive spirit” while organizing vigilant patrols. This dual responsibility—aggressive defense—is a key theme. The manual insists that defense is not passive; it aims to “inflict upon him as great a loss as possible.”

Reading the Enemy’s Preparations

The excerpt on “Revealing Symptoms of the Attack” is a standout for its concrete, observational detail. The manual lists specific indicators: increased patrols, artillery registration, barrage fires, air activity, convoys, smoke from kitchens, explosions in dumps, new parallels, and talkative prisoners. Each symptom is tied to a source (infantry, artillery, air service, observation, prisoners).

This section teaches the reader to see the battlefield as a web of clues. The intelligence officer must “perfect his system of observation” and “carefully sort and test” daily reports. The manual’s voice here is direct and procedural, reflecting its lecture origins. A first reader gains a practical checklist for anticipating an attack.

Preventive Measures and Camouflage

Once symptoms are detected, the manual prescribes “preventive measures” that involve perfecting the defense. New lines are created, old ones rectified, boyaux multiplied, and barbed wire belts arranged for all-round defense. Notably, the text mentions “additional false works” to waste enemy artillery fire and “the art of camouflage” used extensively.

This emphasis on deception and fortification shows that the manual values cunning as much as firepower. The reader is reminded that preparation is continuous: “The attack is an expected event for which all must be prepared.” The later excerpt on “Attack in Force” outlines phases—preparation, bombardment, assault, exploitation—and promises detailed countermeasures, which the manual delivers in subsequent pages.

For a first reading, focus on the manual’s dual nature: it is both a snapshot of 1917 tactical doctrine and a guide to flexible thinking. The excerpts reward attention to structure (company organization, defensive phases) and to the small details (symptoms, false works) that distinguish this from a generic textbook. The reader should treat each chapter as a lecture to be absorbed, not a rulebook to be memorized.

There’s something touching about a manual so certain of its moment, so earnest about the ground it holds. Reading it, I kept thinking of another place where soldiers waited through a hard winter, hoping the quiet held. The same patient vigil, the same fragile ordinary days. The old parks and pamphlets both keep that stillness. Morristown National Historical Park, a Military Capital of the American Revolution — Background and Themes carries it too.