Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917: To be used by Engineer companies (dismounted) and Coast Artillery companies for Infantry instruction and training

In Short

This comprehensive operational guide serves as an essential instructional manual for enlisted soldiers and noncommissioned officers in the United States military. Prepared on the eve of American entry into World War I, the manual details every aspect of a soldier's daily life, from fundamental drill movements and marksmanship to camp sanitation, tactical maneuvers, and French vocabulary. Through systematic instructions, regulations, and exact technical procedures, the text outlines the baseline standards required to transform recruits into a disciplined, cohesive force capable of executing complex maneuvers and maintaining order both on the battlefield and in camp.

The Story

The text opens with the fundamental moral and legal expectations placed upon the recruit. Beginning with the oath of enlistment, it outlines the absolute necessity of military discipline, unquestioning obedience, loyalty, and proper etiquette, including specific hand salutes and respectful terms of address. From personal conduct, the guide shifts to the physical tools of the soldier, detailing the exact components of uniforms, service kits, and rifles. It provides painstaking instructions for maintaining arms, emphasizing the chemical formulas required to clean bore fouling and prevent destructive rust.

Proper maintenance of the rifle transitions directly into personal hygiene and self-care. The manual outlines daily routines to keep the skin, teeth, and feet healthy, offering precise field medical advice on draining blisters with sterilized needles and avoiding dampness to prevent debilitating illnesses. Once personal maintenance is established, the text shifts to individual and unit training. It introduces basic drill regulations, instructing the individual soldier on precise foot movements, cadences, and facings before expanding into squad and company formations.

Building on movement, the manual introduces weapon handling and field tactics. It breaks down the mechanical art of marksmanship, from adjusting sights and squeezing triggers to adopting stable firing positions and coordinating volume of fire. Bayonet drill instructions train troops in hand-to-hand combat footwork, while field service rules teach small-unit maneuvers, including the deployment of advance, flank, and rear guards to secure marching columns.

The focus then broadens to camp life and field engineering. Guidance on ditching tents, screening latrines, and maintaining water supplies guards against disease, while mapping lessons explain how to interpret elevation contours and terrain features. The manual details interior guard duty, specifying the precise general orders every sentinel must memorize to secure posts and guard prisoners. Finally, the text closes with legal frameworks governing military offenses, extracts from the Articles of War, and a practical English-French vocabulary list designed to prepare American soldiers for deployment abroad.

How It Unfolds

The foundation of duty The text establishes the baseline expectations of service through the oath of enlistment, emphasizing strict obedience, military courtesy, and proper saluting etiquette.

Care of gear and body Detailed procedures govern the maintenance of arms and equipment, providing precise chemical formulas to clean rifles alongside strict hygiene directives to prevent field illnesses.

Individual and squad drill Instruction turns to basic movement, training recruits in exact step cadences, facings, hand salutes, and close-order formations necessary for squad and company control.

Marksmanship and combat tactics The guide outlines sight adjustments, firing positions, and fire control, while introducing bayonet combat and tactical formations for advance, flank, and rear guards.

Camp routine and mapping Directives turn to field operations, covering sanitary camp construction, tent ditching, map interpretation through contour lines, and interior guard duties.

Legal codes and overseas prep The manual concludes with strict disciplinary rules, extracts from the Articles of War, and basic French vocabulary to prepare troops for foreign service.

The People

The Recruit The enlistee begins as an untrained civilian who must be systematically instructed in obedience, military courtesy, hygiene, and rifle maintenance. Through repetitive drill, target practice, and strict adherence to general orders, the recruit adopts the disciplined habits required of an infantryman.

The Noncommissioned Officer Responsible for enforcing discipline and directing small-unit tactics, the corporal or sergeant oversees daily routines and ensures regulations are strictly followed. This leader superintends chemical rifle cleaning, manages guard details, directs fire control on the line, and maintains order within the company street.

The Sentinel Stationed on interior guard duty, the sentinel acts as the unit's immediate security. Bound to memorize twelve specific general orders, the sentinel maintains vigilance over government property, challenges travelers at night, enforces camp order, and guards military prisoners.

The Company Commander Positioned behind the firing line or at the head of the unit, the captain directs overall tactical movements, manages platoon leaders, and maintains unit discipline. This officer coordinates fire direction through whistle signals, enforces sanitary regulations, and oversees the company's combat readiness.

In Its Own Voice

"The first application of soda solution removes the greater portion of the powder fouling and permits a more effective and economical use of the ammonia solution."

An instructional reminder regarding the exact sequence required to clean and preserve the internal mechanism of a rifle.

"Heat the needle red hot first, with a match or candle, to kill the germs."

A direct medical directive explaining how a soldier should safely drain a blister to prevent infection in the field.

"Quibbling over the minutæ of form is indicative of failure to grasp the spirit."

A foundational principle extracted from the drill regulations, reminding officers to prioritize practical tactical intent over rigid stylistic perfection.

What It's Really About

Beneath its procedural instructions, the text addresses the complete transformation of an individual civilian into an effective element of a military collective. It operates on the premise that combat effectiveness relies equally on moral discipline, mechanical precision, and rigorous sanitation. By dictating every action—from how to hold a rifle and read a contour map to how to clean teeth and salute officers—the manual seeks to eliminate ambiguity and prevent preventable casualties caused by disease, neglect, or panic. It serves as a blueprint for institutional order, arguing that victory and survival are achieved through standard routines, clear chains of command, and shared accountability across all ranks.

Why Read It Today

This text appeals primarily to military historians, historical reenactors, and readers interested in early twentieth-century logistics and infantry tactics. Reading the guide feels like stepping directly into an army training camp on the eve of America's entry into World War I, offering an unvarnished, highly technical look at the daily realities faced by doughboys. What stays with the reader is the incredible granularity of the instructions, which treat the soldier's health, weapon care, and physical movements as interconnected parts of a single military machine.

The manual presents distinct reader difficulties. It contains no narrative plot or character arcs, consisting entirely of lists, section codes, chemical formulas, and precise drill commands. Modern readers may find the dense formatting, archaic legal extracts, and dry regulatory prose tedious to read straight through. However, its straightforward clarity and complete lack of romanticized hype make it a remarkably authentic historical document, capturing the exact operational standard expected of the American infantryman in 1917.