The next afternoon the second battalion attends close order drill and the first takes its place at extended order. A lighter gayer crowd march forth to this exercise. Here they will have a little chance for individual leadership, the command of a platoon perhaps, or of a squad, or they will enjoy the comparative freedom and independence of the skirmisher. In the early part of the spring course the mechanism of the drill must be rehearsed upon the Plain. The parade ground is therefore dotted with prone and kneeling groups of platoon columns and of squad columns. The blast of the officer’s whistle, the simultaneous outstretching of the squad and platoon leaders’ arms as a signal, and the columns magically deploy into one long line of skirmishers. Once again the blast of the whistle sounds; more signals; bayonets are fixed and squads begin their rushes forward to the delight of the small boys and visitors who line the surrounding walks. Then follows the assembly and the companies do it all over again.
As soon as the mechanism is well learned, the battalion is taken up into the hills and maneuvered over all sorts of ground. Combat problems involving advance guard and outposts are worked out under the direction of the Tactical officer. In these exercises the actual command of the companies is in the hands of the cadets, but the Tactical officer, assisted by other officers, directs the drill. The cadets detailed for this drill called Field Training are assembled in front of the old gymnasium where the officer outlines the problem and gives the men a talk on the principles that are involved. Each man is made to understand just what he must do before he starts out and must know the general principles to be applied in cases that arise. A situation is assumed where the cadets are a force in the country of the enemy. They are to form, we will say, the advance guard of their regiment. The instructor gives to the cadets who are to command all information that he has of his own forces and of those of the enemy and he points out to the young commanders what is to be accomplished. The cadet officers are then called upon to communicate to the men under them the instructions that, in their opinion, are necessary to accomplish the mission. The officer stands near to make suggestions and corrections, or to point out errors of judgment. As soon as all understand what they are to do the command moves out to work out the problem.