BATTALION. The unit of organization of troops consisting of several companies, usually four, and so called from being origi nally a body of men arranged for battle. A battalion of infantry is generally divided into an even number of companies and the com panies are equalized by transferring men from the larger to the smaller. In each battalion there is a color-guard, composed of a color sergeant and seven corporals, which is posted as the left four of the right-centre company. The color-sergeant carries the national color. The regimental color (when present) is car ried by a sergeant, who takes the place of the corporal on the left of the color-sergeant. A battalion of cavalry is usually composed of four companies, but may be composed of a less number or a greater number, not exceed ing seven. The interval between companies in line is eight yards. In whatever direction the battalion faces the companies are desig: nated numerically from the right to the left in line and from the head to the rear when in column, first company, second company, and so on. In whatever direction the battalion faces the companies to the right of the centre of the battalion in line constitute the right wing; those to the left of the centre constitute the left wing. If there be an odd number of companies in line the centre company belongs to the right wing. A battalion of artillery con sists of any number of batteries from two to five. The interval between batteries in line is 28 yards. In horse-batteries the interval is 36 yards. In whatever direction the battalion faces the batteries are designated numerically from the right to the left in line and from the head to the rear when in column, first battery, second battery, and so on. In whatever direc tion the battalion faces the batteries to the right of the centre of the battalion in line con stitute the right wing; those to the left of the centre constitute the left wing. If there be an odd number of batteries the centre battery al ways belongs to the right wing. Battalion training, the means whereby the smallest num ber of independent units may be organized for manoeuvre and for combat, should be intensive and directed primarily at the instruction of the company officers in the handling of units and sub-units in their mutual relationship and should be mainly concerned with the tactical employment of the fighting power of com panes in mutual support. The battalion com
mander should apply in practice the principles of command and tactical leadership, a knowl edge of which he has gained by study and ex perience, and should at times direct, but not command, his battalion in exercises designed to involve specific features of the minor phases of training, the elements of which have pre viously been subjects of drill-ground training. A concrete case should be stated calling for the actual employment of the troops concerned. The strength and character of the opposition to be expected will be controlled by the bat talion commander. Besides the application of appropriate tactical principles adapted to the ground in nse, opportunity should be afforded of making incidental and appropriate use of previously acquired knowledge of signaling, of constructing field fortifications or pioneer work, of the passage of obstacles, of screen ing from the observation of air craft, etc. The greater the variety of incidents Intro duced the more instructive will these exercises be.
As the result of trench warfare and inten sive training, the tactics of a battalion in de fense have changed as drastically as in attack. If the enemy now assaults a position he must first pass through the curtain of fire of artil lery. If the range becomes shorter he meets rifle fire and the machine guns, each firing 500 shots a minute. Then at 150 yards from the trench he is met by a second barrage of fire of bombs from the rifle grenades. If there be any survivors they are met at 40 yards by bombs thrown by hand, by close rifle fire and machine guns that spray bullets. If any reach their objective they face bayonets. The whole attack is under a dense white smoke of hun dreds of exploding bombs. Each man has his specified work and his particular weapon, in the use of which he has been found to display a special aptitude. Each man has a responsi bility which never fell to the share of the in dividual infantryman in the old-fashioned at tacit. See ARMY ORGANIZATION ; TACTICS, MIL ITARY ; TELEGRAPH BATTALIONS.