Men should be instructed to aim at that part of the target assigned to their platoon which corresponds with their own position in their own platoon, so that there will be no portion of the target which is not covered by fire.  A portion of the enemy’s line not covered by fire means that that portion is able to coolly aim and fire at their opponents.

In an engagement the voice can seldom be heard over a few feet, and the platoon commander will generally have to convey his orders by signals.  A corporal may be able to shout orders to his squad, and orders may be repeated along a skirmish line by shouting.  Care should be taken that orders intended for one platoon only are not thus conveyed to another platoon.

A short blast on the whistle, given by the platoon commander, means “Attention to Orders.”  All noncommissioned officers at once suspend firing and glance toward the platoon commander to see if the latter has any signals or orders for them.  If not, they resume firing.  A long blast on the whistle means “Suspend Firing.”  When a noncommissioned officer hears this signal from his platoon commander he should at once shout “Suspend Firing.”  Upon receiving a signal, the noncommissioned officer for whom it is intended should at once repeat it back, to be sure that it is correctly understood.

When a leader in command of a platoon or squad receives an order or signal to rush, he should cause his men to suspend firing and to hold themselves flat but ready for a sprinter’s start.  He selects the point, as far as possible with reference to cover, to which he intends to carry his unit forward.  He then gives the command “RUSH,” springs forward, and running at full speed about three paces ahead of his men, leads them in the rush.  Arriving at the position he has selected, he throws himself prone, and the men drop on either side of him.  All crawl forward to good firing positions, considering the cover also, and the leader gives the necessary orders for resuming the fire.  The latter will include giving the range again, the length of the rush being subtracted from the sight setting ordered at the last position.

As a rule, rushes should be started by a unit on one flank, and should be followed in succession by the other units to the opposite flank.  Each succeeding unit should halt on the line established by the unit which first rushed.  When a unit is about to rush, leaders in charge of adjacent units should caution their men to be careful not to fire into the rushing unit as it bounds forward.

When one unit suspends fire for the purpose of rushing, adjacent leaders should arrange to have a portion of their men turn their fire on the target of the rushing unit, to the end that there may be no portion of the enemy’s line not under fire and able to fire coolly on the rushing unit.

Rushes should be made for as long a distance as possible, due regard being had for the wind of the men and not to get beyond supporting distance of the other units.  Long rushes facilitate an advance, and quickly place a skirmish line close to the enemy’s position, where its fire will have more effect.  An attacking line suffers less from casualties at short ranges than it does at mid range.