Chapter XI: The War Diary—the Report—routine Orders

We have heretofore considered those communications which aid combat. We now take up those which have no direct bearing upon the outcome of an engagement. We have seen how the _field message_ makes possible by its fresh information the plan for battle, how the _field_ and _operation orders_ frame that plan for battle, how the _order_ maneuvers the trains in connection with battle, and how _letters_ of _instruction_ issue general directions for a campaign of many battles. We now come to the place where the maneuver, enterprise, or undertaking is over. For a variety of future benefits we must have a record of those occurrences. The _War Diary_ and _The Report_ are the communications which perform that office.

THE WAR DIARY

Just as certain individuals keep journals of their lives, so the higher military units keep diaries of their existences. “The War Diary is a record of events kept in campaign by each battalion and higher organization and by each ammunition, supply, engineer, and sanitary train. Entries are made daily and should form a concise history of the military operations. A day comprises 24 hours covered

Each day’s record will commence with a march table, or statement of the operations or location of the organization, including an account of weather, roads, camp, health of troops, etc., and a statement of the supply of ammunition, rations, and forage. This will be followed by a chronological record of events, including time and place of issue and receipt of orders and messages, with a copy or a synopsis of contents.

It is of especial importance that the exact hour and place at which movements are begun and ended, and orders or important messages sent or received be noted. After an engagement, the war diary will contain a report of losses and captures and will be accompanied by a sketch showing the positions of the command at the most important phases.

Each day’s record will be attested by the commander or by the adjutant; and, with attached copies of orders and messages sent and received, will be forwarded daily to the next higher commander, who as soon as practicable, after the receipt thereof, will forward the war diary direct to the War Department.

Commanders of armies, or of units not components of a higher command, will forward their war diaries direct to the War Department.”[18] Thus these documents become the authentic material for our military history.

To go into the War Diary more specifically, let us tabulate what we might actually state therein. We should start with the heading:

War Diary,
3d Battalion, 72d Infantry,
3 May, 1920.

The date in this case would cover the whole period from midnight May 2/3 to midnight May 3/4.

Since a march would most likely be the first happening of any note after midnight May 2/3, the diary would start with a march table.

Reveille, 3-30 a. m.
Breakfast, 3-45 a. m.
First call, 4-10 a. m.
Assembly, 4-15 a. m.
Head of column moved out, 4-17 a. m.
First Halt at SQUARE CORNERS, 5-02 a. m.
Second Halt at LIBERTY, 5-51 a. m.
Third Halt at MILES RIVER, 6-41 a. m.
Fourth Halt at SMITH’S FARM, 7-47 a. m.
Message from C. O., 72d Infantry; received 400 yards west HOPE
FARM, 8-40 a. m.
Fifth Halt at Orchard near HOPE FARM, 8-47 a. m.
Extent of march: 13-2 miles.

Went into defensive position on SILERS RIDGE at 9-15 a. m. Right of
I Company at SILERS FARM—Left of M Company at rail fence corner.
Began building standing trench at 9-25 a. m. Dinner, cooked ration,
11 a. m. Finished trenches, saps, and entanglements 4 p. m. Supper,
4-30 p. m. Bivouacked 800 yds. in rear of trenches at 8 p. m.
Enemy’s harassing patrol wakened command at 11 p. m.; otherwise no
activity.

Weather: clear and cool. Slight rain between second and third halts.

Roads: good metal roads entire march.

Camp: Bivouac grassy gentle slope—dry ground.

Water: Spring 200 yds. rear of center of position—capacity for
regiment.

Health: Command generally exhausted after march with full packs
and with 60 rounds per man, and especially after digging. On sick
report—16; absent sick—8.

Ammunition: On hand, including amount on persons of men—118,200
rounds. 1 ammunition wagon returned to LIBERTY at 12, noon, for
refilling.

Rations: 4 days’ supply on hand.

Forage: 1 day’s forage on hand. 1 wagon returned to LIBERTY at 2 p.
m. to refill.

Losses: 1 private, K Company, killed by enemy’s harassing patrol.

Captures: none.

Road and Position sketches covering day’s operations enclosed.

Copies of battalion commander’s march and defense orders, also
copies of one message from regimental commander, enclosed.

By order of Major Jenkins:

H. E. BOTTOMLY,
1st Lieut., Bn, Adj. 3d Bn.

The original of the above is sent to the regimental commander and a copy is retained by the battalion.

The above data, supplemented with the sketches, messages, and orders enclosed, furnish a complete history of the battalion’s doings for the day.

Blanks are furnished from the War Department from time to time to enable Adjutants (whose duty it is to keep the War Diary) to fill in the data more quickly.

REPORTS

Reports cover a wide range of subjects. When a leader is in doubt as to whether an event is important enough to report, he had better take the wise course and send in his description of what has happened. Very few occurrences in the military service are so unessential as to be rightfully ignored.

They may take either one of two forms: either they may be dated, headed “Report on so-and-so” (see example on following), and inclosed with a letter of transmittal; or they may themselves be in the form of letters addressed directly to the person or office for whom they are destined.

Reports may consist of expository description on the one hand or of a narration on the other, but they usually consist of a combination of the two.

Here is an example of highly expository description. It is the report upon the German raid which was given us under _Operation Orders_.

In the field, 12th April, 1916.

CAPTAIN WAGENER’S REPORT ON THE RAID ON THE EVENING OF 11TH APRIL,
1916

At 4 p. m. the raiding party marched from Martinpuich through
Pozières, then by the Lattorf Graben—Regimentstrichter—Krebs Graben
to the Appointed dug-outs on the left of Sap No. 3, where the
evening meal was found ready prepared.

At 8 p. m. the artillery preparation commenced as prearranged.
Shortly after fire was opened, the whole of the enemy’s position
from Windmühle to Besenhecke was wrapped in greyish-white smoke,
which the wind drove back over Sap No. 3 into our lines.

By 8.10 p. m. it was impossible to remain in our trench east of Sap
No. 3 without wearing a gas mask. This was still the case at 8.20
p. m., when the patrols moved forward from their dug-outs to the
Hohlweg, in the order Stradtmann, Dumas, Böhlefeld, and Freund.
Lieutenant Boenig followed close behind Lieutenant Stradtmann.

By 8.25 p. m. the party was posted ready in the Hohlweg. The clouds
of gas and smoke, however, still hung so thick over the enemy’s
trenches that it was impossible to distinguish whether our own
shells were still falling on the point of entry or whether our
artillery had already lengthened their range.

At 8.27 p. m. Lieutenant Stradtmann received the order to advance
to the attack with his patrol. Lieutenant Boenig, with the six
stretcher bearers, left the Hohlweg simultaneously and in rear of
Stradtmann’s patrol, and posted connecting files, whose positions
were marked by red signal lamps shaded to the front and to the
sides.

At 8.28 p. m. Dumas’ and Böhlefeld’s patrols advanced. Following
the line of connecting files, they reached the point of entry, to
find that Stradtmann’s patrol was already in possession of 16 yards
of trench, and had captured three prisoners. The latter had come
out of their dug-outs just as Lieutenant Stradtmann appeared in
front of the enemy’s trench. They carried hand grenades and rifles
with bayonets fixed, but were immediately disarmed by Lieutenants
Boenig and Stradtmann.

Dumas’ patrol immediately turned to the left down the trench,
and, in a few steps, came upon a half-destroyed machine gun
emplacement. Reservist Nadolny, of Stradtmann’s patrol, was already
occupied in digging out the buried machine gun. Lieutenant Dumas
penetrated further along the enemy’s trench, and soon reached the
communication trench which runs, roughly along the dividing line
between Target Sectors 79 and 80, towards the Weisse Steinmauer.
At this point a large dug-out had been wrecked, apparently by a
direct hit. Lieutenant Dumas had previously sent three men of
his patrol along behind the enemy’s trench; they reached the
communication trench about 11 yards behind the front line trench.
A few Englishmen, who came out of this communication trench,
endeavored to reach the parados of the front line trench, whence
they evidently intended to defend it. They were, however, surprised
by our three men and bayoneted.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Dumas, with the rest of his men, forced his
way further along the trench, and just north of Besenhecke reached
the communication trench which leads to the brown prolongation
of the Weisse Steinmauer (white stone wall). They passed another
wrecked dug-out, in which dead bodies were seen. Adjoining the
above-mentioned communication trench, another large dug-out was
found, which the patrol intended to clear. As, however, a number
of Englishmen advanced upon Dumas’ patrol from the communication
trench and alongside it, a mêlée ensued with grenades, rifles and
pistols, in the course of which the enemy, after suffering evident
loss, either retreated or surrendered, while none of Dumas’ patrol
received wounds of any account.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Böhlefeld advanced along the enemy’s trench
to the right of the point of entry, and, in a few yards, came to
three large dug-outs, of which one was wrecked and full of dead
and wounded. At his summons, the enemy came out of the others
and surrendered without more ado. Lieutenant Böhlefeld sent back
the prisoners and asked for reinforcements in order to clear the
dug-outs, undertaking, meanwhile, to hold the enemy’s trench with
two men.

At 8.30 p. m., as no noise came from the point of entry, or from
the right of the same, while from a point some 65 yards to the
left shots and reports of grenades could be heard, I ordered
Vice-Sergeant Major Elb to advance with five men and reinforce
Dumas’ patrol. Lieutenant Erb, the regimental adjutant, attached
himself to this party. He was wearing an oxygen-breathing apparatus
and had been waiting in the Hohlweg. Shortly after, the sounds of
fighting ceased on the left, and the first batch of prisoners was
brought back from the enemy’s trench. I had come to the conclusion
that we had the upper hand everywhere, especially on the right, and
with a view to exploiting fully our success, I ordered Lieutenant
Freund to cross the enemy’s trench at the point of entry with 15
men of the supports, and to attack the Spion from the rear. At the
same time, I sent forward Vice-Sergeant Major Wölfle with 4 men to
reinforce Lieutenant Böhlefeld.

In order to have a reserve in hand for meeting all eventualities,
I ordered up the commanders of the two groups on the flank of the
12th Company, which was stationed immediately to the right of
Sap No. 3. The groups had been warned in the afternoon and given
the necessary instructions. Whilst Vice-Sergeant Majors Elb and
Wölfle, with their men, went in search of Dumas’ and Böhlefeld’s
patrols, Lieutenant Freund dashed across the enemy’s trench at the
point of entry and followed it along to the right as far as the
communication trench which leads into the front line trench near
the Spion. Freund’s patrol leapt into the enemy’s front line trench
on both sides of the communication trench, captured 10 men almost
without a struggle, and secured several rifles and articles of
equipment. A few Englishmen who offered resistance were bayoneted;
Volunteer Herrmann, of the 7th Company, and Lance Corporal
Haufler, of the 4th Company, particularly distinguished themselves.
A few Englishmen attempted to get away, but were shot dead.

Volunteer Herrmann further discovered an extemporized trench
mortar. The latter could not be carried off, however, as it was
securely built in. Vice-Sergeant Major Wölfle, who arrived on the
scene shortly after, destroyed the trench mortar as well as he
could with hand grenades and pistol shots.

Böhlefeld’s reinforced patrol had accompanied the advance of
Freund’s patrol along the trench, and came across three or four
more wrecked dug-outs, which were filled with dead. Individuals
standing about in the trench were killed by the patrol or made
prisoner. During this affair, Under Officer Nössler, of the 11th
Company, repeatedly distinguished himself.

Whilst our party was breaking into the enemy’s trenches or perhaps
even before, a party of the enemy, approximately 25 to 30 strong,
succeeded in getting away from the front line trench and making
their way back to the Weisse Steinmauer, but were again driven back
by our artillery fire, and now came running towards Stradtmann’s
patrol. The latter, apprehending a counter-attack, opened fire.
Ersatz Reservist Walzer, of the 11th Company, followed by Under
Officer Staiger, of the 10th Company and others, raised a cheer and
charged the Englishmen, bayoneting two of them. Those who did not
put up their hands and surrender, were killed.

Lieutenant Erb had soon caught up Dumas’ patrol and took part in
the subsequent fighting, which was practically continuous, for
almost every one of the enemy offered resistance. With hand grenade
and pistol, Dumas’ patrol killed more than 20 of the enemy, besides
wounding a large number. In this fighting Volunteer Hees, of the
6th Company, particularly distinguished himself. Always to the
fore, he alone accounted for several Englishmen. On our side only
one man was slightly wounded.

In consequence of the events described above, Dumas’ patrol
remained in the enemy’s trench considerably longer than intended.
When all the other patrols had returned to the Hohlweg, the
Dumas-Erb patrol was still missing.

Hereupon, Lieutenants Boenig and Stradtmann, with several
non-commissioned officers and men, went back to the enemy’s lines
and searched the trench to the left until they met the Dumas-Erb
patrol on its way back. Here again Under Officer Nössler, of the
11th Company, 110th Reserve Infantry Regiment, distinguished
himself.

At 8.50 p. m., the last men of the entire party had returned to the
Hohlweg and went back to their dug-outs.

At 8.51 p. m., the first shell fell on the front line trenches east
of Sap No. 3.

At 8.57 p. m., the artillery commander was informed that the
artillery fire could be gradually broken off.

At 9 p. m., a heavy battery near Albert dropped a few shells near
Sap No. 3.

At 9.05 p. m., the conclusion of the operation was reported.

The following were captured: 24 unwounded and 5 wounded prisoners,
1 Lewis gun, 1 rifle with telescopic sights, 20 ordinary rifles,
and a large number of steel helmets, belts with ammunition pouches,
packs, haversacks, and gas helmets.

Our casualties consisted of one man slightly wounded in the
forehead by a splinter from a hand grenade. He was bandaged in the
advanced dressing-station and immediately returned to the patrol.

(Signed) WAGENER,
_Captain and Company Commander_.

40 copies, as appendices to the Report of the 110th
Reserve Infantry Regiment on the raid of the 11th April,
1916.

A more narrative form of report is represented by the following extract from Gen. Bragg’s report during the Civil War:

“To meet our successful advance and retrieve his losses in the
front of his left, the enemy early transferred a portion of his
reserve from his left to that flank, and by 2 o’clock had succeeded
in concentrating such a force on Lieutenant General Hardee’s front
as to check his further progress. Our two lines had, by this time,
become almost blended, so weak were they by losses, exhaustion,
and extension to cover the enemy’s whole front. As early as 10
a. m. Major General Breckinridge was called on for one brigade,
and soon after for a second, to reinforce or act as a reserve to
General Hardee. His reply to the first call represented the enemy
as crossing Stone’s River in heavy force in his immediate front;
and on receiving the second order he informed me they had already
crossed in heavy force and were advancing on him in two lines. He
was immediately ordered not to wait attack but to advance and meet
them. About this same time a report reached me that a heavy force
of the enemy’s infantry was advancing on the Lebanon Road about
five miles in Breckinridge’s front. Brigadier General Pegram, who
had been sent to that road to cover the flank of the infantry with
the cavalry brigade (save two regiments, detached with Wheeler
and Wharton), was ordered forward immediately to develop such
movement. The orders for the two brigades from Breckinridge were
countermanded, whilst dispositions were made at his request to
reinforce him. Before they could be carried out, the movements
ordered disclosed the facts that no force had crossed Stone’s
River; that the only enemy in our immediate front there was a small
body of sharpshooters, and that there was no advance on the Lebanon
Road.

“These unfortunate misapprehensions on that part of the field
(which, with proper precaution, could not have existed) withheld
from active operation three fine brigades until the enemy had
succeeded in checking our progress, had reëstablished his lines,
and had collected many of his broken battalions.”

The above example, in addition to its value as a narrative report, illustrates the dependence of a commander upon proper information.

ROUTINE ORDERS

Routine Orders preserve their normal tenor in peace or war. They have to do with the administration of the military service, so that a state of campaign has very little influence upon their character.

{ General Orders.
{ Special Orders.
They consist of { Circulars.
{ Bulletins.
{ Memoranda.

_General Orders_ “include generally, (1) all detailed instructions necessary in carrying out certain general regulations or orders issued from superior headquarters; (2) all standing instructions, to the end that frequent repetitions may be avoided; and (3) proceedings of general and special courts-martial.”

General Orders are issued by commanders of armies, field armies, corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, separate battalions, posts, departments, and districts.

“When necessary, _orders_ are used by commanders of battalions forming parts of regiments, and for smaller units and detachments, for the same class of instructions as are promulgated by higher commanders in general orders.” In other words _orders_ is a term used to designate those instructions issued by commanders of divisions and of separate brigades in regard to trains, and also a term used by battalions and smaller units to designate those instructions corresponding to general orders for higher units.

Here is an example of a General Order from the War Department.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT,
No. 2 Washington, January 4, 1917.

1. An examination of majors, captains, and first lieutenants of
the Regular Army, with a view to their selection for appointment
to fill vacancies in the grade of major in the Judge Advocate
General’s Department, will be held at the headquarters of the
Eastern, Central, Western, Southern, Hawaiian Departments, the
headquarters of the United States troops in the Panama Canal Zone,
the headquarters of the Philippine Department, and the headquarters
of the 15th infantry, Tientsin, China, beginning at 8 a. m., on
May 10, 1917, or as soon thereafter as practicable. No officer
who has not served as a commissioned officer of the Regular Army
for at least eight years will be regarded as eligible to take the
examination.

2. Eligible officers who desire to take the examination will make
application to the commanding officer of that one of the commands
mentioned in the preceding paragraph in which they are stationed,
and each of such commanding officers is authorized to issue the
necessary orders to assemble applicants at his headquarters on the
date set for the examination. * * * *

3. The examination will be supervised at each headquarters by the
judge advocate or the officer acting as such. If the acting judge
advocate shall apply to take the examination and is the only judge
advocate present at such headquarters, the commanding officer of
the command will detail some other suitable officer to supervise
the examination.

4. On the day and hour set for the beginning of the examination,
each candidate will deliver to the officer supervising the
examination a signed statement including:

(a) A brief statement concerning the candidate’s education and
experience both legal and general;

(b) A list of persons who are familiar with the candidate’s
qualifications along legal lines, with the address of each person;

(c) One or more briefs or other law memoranda, not exceeding ten,
prepared by the candidate and made use of by him in the solution of
legal questions, whether moot or practical;

(d) A specific list, as complete as practicable, of general
court-martial or civil court trials in which the candidate has
participated either as prosecutor or counsel;

(e) Copies of or specific references to the applicant’s published
writings, whether of legal or other character, which he may desire
to have considered;

(f) Outline of service of candidate since his entry into the
military establishment;

(g) Any other matter the candidate may desire to present for
consideration.

(2507125, A. G. O.)
By order of The Secretary of War:

H. L. SCOTT,
Major General, Chief of Staff.

Official:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.

Here is an example of a General Order publishing the result of a General Court-Martial.

GENERAL ORDERS, WAR DEPARTMENT,
No. 3 Washington, January 5, 1917.

Before a general court-martial which convened at Nogales, Ariz.,
October 25, 1916, pursuant to Special Orders, No. 268, October 14,
1916, as amended in Special Orders, No. 273, October 19, 1916,
Southern Department, and of which Lieut. Col. George A. Skinner,
Medical Corps, was president, and Capt. Sherman A. White, 12th
Infantry, judge advocate, was arraigned and tried—

Capt. John Smith, U. S. Infantry.

Charge I.—“Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military
discipline in violation of the 62d Article of War.”

One specification.

Charge II.—“Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman in
violation of the 61st Article of War.”

Two specifications.

To which charges and specifications the accused pleaded “Not
Guilty.”

FINDINGS

Of the Specification, 1st Charge, and of the 1st Charge, “Not
Guilty.”

Of the Specifications, 2d Charge, and of the 2d Charge, “Guilty.”

SENTENCE

“To be dismissed the service of the United States.”

The sentence having been approved by the convening authority and
the record of trial forwarded for the action of the President under
the 106th Article of War, the following are his orders thereon:

The sentence of dismissal imposed by the general court-martial in
the foregoing case of Captain John Smith, U. S. Infantry, is hereby
confirmed and will be carried into execution.

Woodrow Wilson.
The White House,
3 January, 1917.

Capt. John Smith, U. S. Infantry, ceases to be an officer of the
Army from January 6, 1917.

(2495592, A. G. O.)

By Order of The Secretary of War:

H. L. SCOTT.
Major General, Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.

Here is an example of a _General Order_ of a Territorial Department.

GENERAL ORDERS, } HEADQUARTERS EASTERN
No. 1. } DEPARTMENT,

Governors Island, N. Y., January 1, 1916.

This order supersedes General Orders, No. 1, Headquarters Eastern
Department, dated January 1, 1915, and all amendatory orders
thereto, together with all bulletins published heretofore.

BY COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL WOOD:
EDWIN F. GLENN,
Colonel, General Staff,
Chief of Staff.
Official:
W. A. SIMPSON,
Adjutant General,
Adjutant.

The above order is the first page of an alphabetical list of general orders in force in the Department. Some of them have been originated by the Department Commander and some have been made to comply with War Department instructions.

The general order of a Department covering court-martial cases is the same as that of the War Department, with the exception of the caption which is given below.

General Court-Martial } HEADQUARTERS EASTERN
Orders, No. 6. } DEPARTMENT.

Governors Island, N. Y., Jan. 22, 1916.

Here is an example of a Post General Order.

Headquarters United States Military Academy,
West Point, N. Y., February 27, 1917.

General Orders, }
No. 7. }

1. A vertical filing system (the War Department Correspondence
File, a subjective decimal classification for arranging and
filing War Department correspondence) will be used exclusively in
recording and filing correspondence at these headquarters and also
in the offices of the Quartermaster and of the Treasurer on and
after March 1, 1917.

2. The operation of General Orders, No. 92, War Department, 1909,
as modified by subsequent orders, prescribing the card record
system now in use generally at administrative headquarters, has
been suspended by the War Department as far as these headquarters
is concerned.

3. The name of the writer signing an original paper will be
inserted on carbon copies that are forwarded. One carbon copy of
all typewritten reports, letters, and indorsements (except short,
routine indorsements), will be made on standard letter size paper
(not perforated) for use in the records at these headquarters. Such
copy will be distinctly marked “For Headquarters Records,” and will
not be withdrawn at subordinate offices.

4. Copies of the publication entitled “War Department
Correspondence File” and Circular No. 1, War Department, March 24,
1914, explaining and giving instructions as to the operation of
this system, will be supplied by The Adjutant General of the Army
upon application direct.

By order of Colonel Biddle:

C. C. CARTER,
Major, C. A. C.,
_Adjutant_.

If a Post General Order covers a court-martial case tried by a general court, the order number will appear thus:

General Court-Martial }
Orders, No. 4. }

If it covers one tried by a special court, it will appear thus:

Special Court-Martial }
Orders, No. 4. }

The separate battalion or company would issue _orders_ on the same general plan as post general orders. The order number would appear thus:

Orders: }
No. 6. }

SPECIAL ORDERS differ from _General Orders_ in that the former refer to individuals.

Here is an example of a War Department Special Order.

SPECIAL ORDERS } WAR DEPARTMENT,
No. 289. } Washington, December 11, 1916.

1. The leave of absence on account of sickness granted John J.
Nobbo, First Lieutenant, 13th Cavalry, in Special Orders, No.
196, War Department, August 22, 1916, is extended three months on
surgeon’s certificate of disability, and upon the expiration of
this leave Lieut. Nobbo will report to the commanding officer, Fort
Riley, Kan., for examination as to his physical condition by the
surgeon at the post.

* * * * *

These Special Orders then take up twenty different individuals in twenty paragraphs and end with,—

22. Capt. Alfred W. Perkins, Infantry, Detached Officers’ List,
will repair to this city and report in person to the Chief of Staff
for duty in connection with the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps,
and upon completion of this duty will return to his proper station.
The travel directed is necessary in the military service.

(2503282, A. G. O.)
By Order of The Secretary of War:

H. L. SCOTT,
Major General, Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.

The separate paragraphs are also made up into extract copies as follows:

SPECIAL ORDERS, }
No. 289. }

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, December 11, 1916.

_Extract_

* * * * *

3. Private Clifford H. Worthington, Military Academy Detachment
of Field Artillery, West Point, N. Y., is transferred as private
second class to the Ordnance Department and is assigned to duty at
that post.

* * * * *

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
H. L. SCOTT,
Major General, Acting Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.

Departments, Posts, Regiments, Brigades, Divisions, Corps, Field Armies, and Armies follow the same scheme as above for their _Special Orders_.

CIRCULARS are issued seldom but have great force. They are signed directly by the heads of the War Department, Quartermaster Corps, Ordnance Department or of whatever bureau prints the circular.

Here is an example of a _Circular_ issued by the War Department.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, January 24, 1917.

CIRCULAR:

The following resolution was adopted by the Senate on January 16,
1908, and is now one of its standing rules:

Resolved, That no communications from heads of departments,
commissioners, chiefs of bureaus, or other executive officers,
except when authorized or required by law, or when made in response
to a resolution of the Senate, will be received by the Senate
unless such communications shall be transmitted to the Senate by
the President.

* * * * *

Chiefs of bureaus and others, in preparing communications for the
signature of the Secretary of War, will please conform to the
foregoing rules and instructions.

NEWTON D. BAKER,
Secretary of War.

Here is a _Circular_ issued by the Quartermaster Corps.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Office of the Quartermaster General, U. S. Army,
Washington, D. C., August 27, 1917.
Circular, }
No. 9. }

Purchases of Supplies

1. During the continuance of the present emergency the following
regulations are prescribed under the authority contained in the act
of March 4, 1915:

(a) Where the time for delivery is not to exceed 30 days from date
of acceptance of the award, irrespective of the amount involved,
supplies may be procured by contract of brief form after the manner
of proposal and acceptance agreement, in accordance with form to be
authorized therefor.

(b) The regulations prescribed by Circular No. 7, Office of the
Quartermaster General, March 23, 1915, so far as in conflict with
the foregoing, are hereby suspended during the continuance of the
present emergency.

HENRY G. SHARPE,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army.

10916—17

BULLETINS are issued by the War Department and territorial Departments. Their purpose is the publication of information. They are more numerous than _Circulars_.

Here is the first page of a Bulletin of the War Department.

BULLETIN } WAR DEPARTMENT,
No. 18. } Washington, April 6, 1917.

The following digest of opinions of the Judge Advocate General of
the Army, for the month of March, 1917, and of certain decisions
of the Comptroller of the Treasury and of courts, together with
notes on military justice prepared under the direction of the Judge
Advocate General, and a compilation of Federal and State laws
prohibiting discrimination against the uniform, is published for
the information of the service in general.

(2526413 B-A. G. O.)

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
H. L. SCOTT,
Major General, Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.
89793-17—1

Then follow twenty-three pages of the opinions of the Judge Advocate General.

Here is another first page of a War Department Bulletin.

BULLETIN } WAR DEPARTMENT,
No. 14. } Washington, March 12, 1917.

The accompanying tabulated statement shows the standing of
organizations of the Coast Artillery Corps based on figures of
merit attained at target practice during the year 1916, and the
hits by calibers at various ranges in 1916.

Slight errors in the figures of merit have been corrected without
returning the reports to the organizations concerned.

(2537101, A. G. O.)

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR:
H. L. SCOTT,
Major General, Chief of Staff.
OFFICIAL:
H. P. McCAIN,
The Adjutant General.
83601-17—1

What follows for nine pages is a table of statistics on Coast Artillery firing records.

Territorial Departments issue _Bulletins_ seldom. The pamphlets when they do appear, follow the same plan as those of the War Department.

_MEMORANDA_, are issued by posts, regiments, and separate battalions—by the smaller units. _Memoranda_ deal with subjects which are not so important in a military way as the foregoing orders. They may be numbered, as in the following case, when they are of a permanent nature.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY,
West Point, N. Y., October 8, 1917.

Memorandum, }
No. 34. }

To prevent damage and danger from fires, parents and others will
exercise great care in allowing children under age of discretion to
have access to, or to handle matches, or in allowing them to burn
leaves or other combustibles in any part of the Post.

(680.23)

By order of Colonel Tillman:
D. H. TORREY,
Captain of Infantry,
Adjutant.

They may be unnumbered, as in the following case, when they are of a temporary nature.

West Point, N. Y., February 27, 1917.

MEMORANDUM:

Residents of the Post are informed that a case of chicken pox
exists at the Hotel.

The usual precautions against spreading the disease are enjoined.

(Tel. memo. Surgeon.)

By order of Colonel Biddle:
C. C. CARTER,
Major, C. A. C.,
Adjutant.

NOTE.—The War Department issues also certain _Special Regulations_ for particular General Orders to which it wishes to call attention, and puts out in pamphlet form _Changes_ to _Regulations_. Both _Special Regulations_ and _Changes_ belong to the class of the General Order, and, therefore, are not taken up separately here.