COLUMN, in military tactics, a formation in which the units (soldiers, squads, sections, platoons, companies, troops, squadrons or bat talions) are arranged from front to rear, or in general any formation with relatively great depth and a narrow front. Columns are found in different forms both in dose and in ex tended order. In close order they may be divided into those that are purely drill for mations and those that are march formations. The drill-formation columns may be open, when the distance between two successive units per mits wheeling or turning into line, or close, when this is not possible. The units of which close columns are formed are companies in America, platoons in Great Britain. Double columns are used by several countries.
The. marching formation of infantry in America is the column of squads, in which the change from line into column is made by the bodily turning of the squad, a body two men deep and four men wide, under the command of a corporal. Germany has a similar forma tion, but provides for a place for the officers, sergeants and other file-closers in the column, and not merely beside it. Great Britain and most other countries form the column from the line and vice-versa without a bodily shifting of distinct units. The change from line to column is accomplished in Great Britain by the com mand "Form-Fours!", on which odd numbers front and rear stand fast, and even numbers step to the rear and right. In France the minor units of the column of route are drawn up side by side; the section, under the com mand of a subaltern or adjutant, consists of four parallel squads in single file, which open i up fan-wise in deploying into line. Column of
twos or fours is the universal cavalry marching formation; column of sections is that of artillery.
In open order lines of small columns are used by infantry to gain ease of movement through brush and security from fire, especially on reverse slopes. They are also far easier to manoeuvre than lines. In the American army, these columns are either squad columns, in single file, under a corporal, or platoon columns, in double file, under a sergeant or subaltern. In the French army, a section deploys into squad columns by the mere lateral separation of its squads. The French often arrange their squad columns in two echelons.
The principle of the column formation, that of echelonment in depth, is emphasized strongly by the French in actual fighting tactics. It enables one to secure that the reinforcement of a depleted body of troops shall come from its own organization, and that as little confusion of conunand as possible shall result.
The term ((column)) is also used of the sup ply, ammunition, engineer and sanitary trains in the line of communication. These start from a rail-head or water-head, and turn over their supplies, etc., to the trains proper or take up wounded at refilling or distributing points.
Consult Balcki 'Tactics) (tr. Fort Leaven worth 1915) ; United States Small Arms Firing Manual; Infantry Drill Regulations; Cavalry Drill Regulations; Field Artillery Drill Regula tions; Field Service Regulations. See also ARTILLERY ; CAVALRY ; INFANTRY ; LINE ; TAC TICS.