a Cornell University S Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030756666 Cornell University Library UD160 .AS 1815 Rules and regulations for the field exer olin 3 1924 030 756 666 RULES AND REGUL^S'IeONS 7-. rOK THE FIELD EXEICISE AND MANCEUVRES 'ANTRY, , 1 COMfflLED AND ADAPTED TO THE ORGANIZATION THE ARMY or THE UNITED STATES AGRE&ABLV TO A REULVE OP CONGRESS. D ED DECEMBER, 1814. PUBLISHED BY < DEK OP THE WAR OEPARTMBN t NEW-YORKi rniMTED BY !§• W. 5IERCEIS, 93 GOtD-STKEE'J 1815. AdjH. a}d\^ • hiemTs Office, "WAStWGTON, 21t^r-.er, 1814. *" General Order, \ ' Uj^i^ Conformably to a Resol ...^«rji*^the House of Representatives of thfe Coagres of the United States, a Board lof P^^ers,, to cojsi^jfafthe following membersj viz. Major General Winfiaij Scott, BrJ^ad^r General Joseph G. Sveift,. Colonel ohn R. Fenwick, Colonel William Camming, and Colonel William Drayton, will convene at Baltimre on the fourth day of January next, and so modifj " The Rules and Regulations for the Field Service nd Manoeuvres of the French Infantry, as translate by Macdonald," as to make them correspond wit! the Organization , of the Army of the United States, ith such additions and retrenchments as the Board ray deem proper. Lieutenant J. M. Glassell, ofhe 20th Infantry, is appointed Recorder for the Bor^. By order of tho ecretary of War, D.Parker, A<, and Insp. Gen. <IMORE, 25th February, 1815. SIR, The Board of jour order of icers, sfesembled at this city, under i7th of December last, (founded upon a Resolution c the House of Representatives) for the purpose of " m difying the Rules and Regulation* for the Field Ser\ce and Manoeuvres of the French Infantry, so as to e able them to correspond with the Organizjition of the Vfmy of the United States," and of introd^ing " such additions and retrenchments as the Board might deem pj-oper ;" submit the annexed sheets, as the execution of tlat order; and recomimend that the system contained inHhem should be observed by the Infeintry of the Uniteid fjtates. Wje ha/e the honour to be, ' Sir, Very respectfully. Your obedient servants, W. SCOTT, Maj. Gen. and President. J. G. SWIFT, Brig. Gen. JOHN R. FENWICK, Adj. Gen. WILLIAM GUMMING, Adj. Gen. WILLIAM DRAYTON, Insp. Gen. 1o the Hon. The Secretary of War, Washington. Adjutant AND Inspector General's Office, fee. 28, 1815. General Order. The " Rules and Regulations for the Field Ex- ercise and Manoeuvres of Infantry,^'' compiled and adapt- ed to the organization of the U. States Infantry, by a Board of War, of which Major Gen. Scott was Pre- sident, will be observed as the system of Infantry dis- ciplinie for the Army of the United States. By ordfer of the Secretary of War, B. Parker, AdjH. and In^, General EKRATA. Pag-e 11, line 4, iovfolUnos, read follow' 27,^-i— 13, for Fiff. 4 and 5, read Fiff. 5 28, Par. 85, line 3, saontDEK to be initalics 40, 162, after LOAniKG iif auicKEST time commence a new para- ^apli, and^ead 163. The instructor shall, after this, teich the retruit to load in quickest time, which shall be executed like that in gidck time, but conti- nued, and without the pause marked as above. The instructor shall com- mand, Load^tiff^ in quickest time. Pag-e 82, line 30, for tofiank, read to afiank 85, for line 27, read 1. Company, ty files to the front form platoons 91, line 6, for 'marchi7ig jnun^ read marker 95, 12, for Plate III Fig 6, read Plate VIII. Fig. 4 134, 35, for advance, read advanced ■ 165, 10 and 11 to be in italics 173, last line, after companies, insert form line 216, line 31, ior plate XVl ve^i plate XXVI 268, 32 and 33 to be in italics 270, 11 to be in italics 343,— —16, for four, read ai.T. SECTION I. FORMATION OF A REGIMENT IN ORDER OF BATTLE, OR LINE. Whatever may be the situation of a brigade, in the order oi battle or line, the older of the two regiments, o'f which it shall be com- posed, shall be formed on the right, and the younger on the left. Every regiment shall constitute one battalion, and shall be known by that denomination, in exercise and action. The interval between battalions shall be twelve paces. The battalion shall consist of eight battalion companies, and two of light infantry. The battalion companies shall be divided into two half battalions, which shall be called the right and left wings — the right wing shall be composed of the companies of the first, third, fifth, and seventh bat- talion captains — the left wing shall be composed of the companies of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth battalion captains> The battalion companies shall be drawn up from the right to the left of the battalion, in the following order, according to the rank of their captains : first, fifth, third, seventh, second, sixth, fourth, eighth. The two companies of light infantry shall be denominated, first and second, according to the seniority of the captains, who command them, and shall be posted on the right of the battalion, according to rank. A different disposition will be made of the light infantry companies, when performing the peculiar duties of light infantry. The battalion companies as posted shall be reckoned by the names of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth, successively, commencing' on the right, and ending on the left of the battalion. The first and second battalion companies will form the first grand division ; the third and fourth, the second grand division ; the fifth and sixth, the fhird grand division ; the seventh and eighth, the fourth grand division. The first and second companies of light infantry shall compose a grand division of light infantry. Every compsuij will be divided into two equal parts, which shall be denominated platoons. That on the right shall' be called the first platoon, and that on the left, the second platoon. Every, platoon shall be divided into a right aijd left section of equal size. The sec- tionfe' shall be known as the first, second, third and fourth ; commenc- , ing on the right, and ending on the left of the company. The files shall be numbered from the right to the left flank of the company, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, <5-c. -* 'The habitual order of formation shall be that of two ranks, with a rank of* file-closejrsu , But exercises shall be frequent in the order of three deep, with a rank of file-closers. Every company, whatever. may be its place in the battalion, shall be formed of men, sized from the flanks to the centre. When formei in two ranks, one half, consisting of the shortest men, will form the front rank ; — when formed in three ranks, one third part, consisting of the shortest men, will form the front rank ; one third part, consisting of the tallest men, will form the rear rank ; and the retoaining third will form the intermediate rank. The distance from rank to .rank will be one foot, which will' be measured from the breasts of the men of a rear rank, to the backs of the men who are in front of them respectively in their files. When the knapsack is on, the foot will be measured to the back of the knapsack. The companies must be always equalized, by assigning over men, if necessary, from one company to another. SITUATION OF THE COMPANY OFFICERS AND NON- COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, IN THE ORDER OF BATTLE AND LINE. The captain in the front rank, on the right of his company. The first lieutenant in the rank of file-closers, two paces in the rear of the centre of the second platoon. The second lieutenant in the rank of file-closers, two paces in the rear of the centre of the first platoon. The third lieutenant, in the rank of file-closers, two paces in the rear of the left of the first platoon. The .ensign in the rank of file-closers, two paces in the rear of the centre of the fourth section. The first sergeant in the rear of the captain, and covering him in the rear rank. In the evolutions, this sergeant will be named, the Covering or replacing npn-cqmmissimed officer, and will be the guide of the right of his company. The second sergeant in the rank of file-closers, in the rear vf the left of the second platoon. This sergeant, in the evolutions, will be. the guide of the left of his company. The third sergeant in the rank of file-closers, covering the third file of the fourth section. , - ■ The fourth sergeant in the rank of file-closers, covering the third file of the second section. The fifth sergeant in the rank of file-closers,( covering the third iile of the third section. When the company is detached, the pioneer will be posted in the ' rank of file-closers, opposite, the centre of the second section. In the left company of the battalion, the second sergeant will be posted on the left of the battalion, in the front rank. The corporals, according to their height, will be placed on the' right and left of their companies ; and in the rear, in preference to the front rank. The replacing-^of officers in each company, and also of non-com- Hiissioned officers, will be regulated by rank ; but in the absence of the captain, and of the first lieutenant of a company, the commander of the regiment, should he deem it necessary, may detach a first lieu- tenant from another company, to command that, whose captain and first lieutenant may be absent. SITUATIONS OF THE FIELD OFFICERS, AND REGI- MENTAL STAFF IN LINE. The Field Officers, and commissioned regimental staff, shall be Mounted. The colonel shall be posted twenty paces in rear of the rank of file- elosers, and opposite to the centre of the battalion. The lieutenant-colonel, the major, the adjutant, and the sergeant- major, will all be ten paces in rear of the rank of file-closers. The lieutenant-colonel shall be opposite to the centre of the right wing. The major shall be opposite to the centre of the left wing. The adjutant shall be opposite to the right, and the sergeant-major to the left of the battalion. The adjutant sliall aid the lieutenant-colo- nel, and the sergeant-major shall aid the major, in the performance oi their respective duties in the evolutions. 8 The quarter-master, surgeon, and surgeon's mates, drawn up frois right to left, in the order in which they are mentioned, shall ^J*"^*®'^ on the left of the colonel, three paces in the rear of him. -^.f' T|ie quarter-master-sergeant shall be posted in a line with the front rank of the pioneers, three paces on the right of them. POSTS OF THE DRUMMERS AND MUSICIANS IN , LINE. ^ • The drummers and fifers of the battalion will be formed in two"^ ranks, the fifers in front. They will be placed twelve paces in rear-, of the rank of file-closers, opposite to the left centre company. The ^nior principal musician shall be in front, and the other in the rear of the whole. When there is a regimental band, it will be placed in one rank, two paces behind the drummers. The Pioneers will be drawn up in two ranks : they shall be posted twelve paces in rear of the rank of file-closers, opposite to the right centre company. The corporal of pioneers shall be two paces in front of them. COLOURS AND COLOUR-GUARD. The national and regimental colours shall be borne by two ser- geants. The colour-guard shall consist of- a sergeant and three corporals. The colours and their guard shall be posted on the left of the second platoon of the fourth company, and will constitute a part of that platoon. The colour-bearers shall be placed in the front rank, with the ser- geant of the colour-guard between them. The three corporals shall be placed behind them in the second rank. When the order of forma- tion is three deep, three more corporals shall be added to the colour- guard, and placed in the third rank behind the others. Tho corporals, placed in the second rank of the colour-guard, must be distinguished for regularity, and perfect appearance under arms, and in marching. The sergeants who bear the colours, and the sergeant placed be- tween them, shall be selected by the commanding officer of the re- giment. It is of the utmost importance in marching in order of battle (or line,) that the sergeant placed between the colours should be tho- roughly habituated to observe the precise lengfli and cadence of step ; and, in his own person, to prolong a given dffection, without devia- tion. -^ The corporals of the colour-guard, and all sergeants shall have their arms advanced. *V^ . GEJTERAL INSTRUCTION OF REGIMENTS., '^ Tijii^ommanding officer of the regiment shall be responsible for its insjirtiction. ^^The field officers shall, with the assistance of the adjutant, instruct ■ the company officers in the schools of the soldier, the company, and the battalion. The captain shall instruct those under his command in the schools of the soldier and company. In the instruction of his non-commissioned officers and privates, he shall be aided by his subalterns. , Th^ colonel is responsible that no person be allowed to instruct in hi^egiment, who is not qualified for that duty. The other field offi- cers have a similar responsibility with rqspect to those below them. The captains and subalterns have a similar responsibility to their com- panies. INSTRUCTION OF OFFICERS. • The instruction of officers includes what is taught under the tliree heads, the sc}wol of the soldier, that of the company, and that of the lattalion. It caimot be completely established, without joining theory to practice. In conformity to this, the commandant of each regiment will, as of- ten as he may deem it requisite, assemble the qfficei's at his own quar- ters, in order to explain, or cause to be explained to them, the prin- ciples, on which are founded these three species of discipline. No officer shall be deemed instructed, until he shall be capable of commanding, and of perfectly explaining the three first parts of this system. The officers shall be frequently exercised by the superior officers in marching, and the utmost pains must be bebtowed in giving them an accurate position under arms ; in teaching them to form regularly ; and to observe the exact length and cadence of the step. 2 10 INSTRUCTION OF THE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS- The instruction of the non-£ommissioned officers shall comprehend the scJiool of the soM%-, and .that of the company^ they shall be re. quired to possess an accurate knowledge of the exercise and use ot their own arms, of the 'manual exercise jof the soldiar, and of the firings and marchings. The field-officers and adjutant shall frequently assemble the non- commissioned officers, both, for the purpose of drill, and of inculcating a knowledge of theory; and shall carefully observe whetjier f^y are properly instructed by their company officers. The sergeant-aaajwj when qualified, will assist in this duty. In the event of casualties or promotions taking place ametig thS non-commissioned officers, the first sergeants shall be required 1% in- struct the new sergeants and corporals ; and the majors and adjutants must be attentive in seeing this duty diligently discharged. The commanders of regiments are to cause the platoons of the ee-. lours, and the guides of thePbattalion, to be frequently exercised in the practice of marching in the order of battle or in Kne. The most scrupulous attention must be ^ven by the sergeant of the colour-guard, to the habit of prolonging, without varying to the- right or left, a certain given direction, and of maintaining, with the utmost prepi^ion, the length, as well as the cadence of the step, • SECTION II. SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER. This species of discipline, which haa for its object the instruction of recruits, having an influence on, and being intimately connected with, the discipline or instruction of companies, on which depends the discipline of the battalion, ought to be established and inculcated with the utmost care and attention. DIVISION OF THE SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER OR RE- CRUIT. The school of the soldier shall be divided into three parts. The first part will include all that ought to' be taught the recruit, before his arms are delivered to him. The .second will jnclude^the manual exercise, the. loadings and firings, 11 TJie third will eomnprehend the different steps, the principles of marching to, the front and to a flank, the alignments or dressings, tha wheelings^ and the changes of direction. Each part shall be divided into four lessons, as follow^ PART FIRST. Lesson. 1. ? Position of the soldier without arm?. 5 Motion of the head to right and left. - Lesson 2. Facing to the right, left, and right about. Lesson 3. Principles of the ordinary step direct. Lesson 4. Principles of the oblique step. PART SECOND. Lesson 1. Principles of shouldered arms. Lesson 2. The squad exercise. Lesson 3. Loading in quick, and quickest time- Lesson 4. The direct fire, the oblique fire, and firing by ind^" pendent files. * PART THIRI>. Lesson 1. the junction of from five to ten men, in order t,o tharch to the front; and practising the different steps. Lesson 2. March to a flank. Lesson 3. Principles of the alignment or dressing. Lesson 4. Principles of wheeling and changes of direction. Each lesson shall be followed by observations, demonstrating the utility of the principles, which shall have been prescribed. The in» structor cannot study them too much, nor be too particular in their application, in conveying their instructions to the recruits. The word of command shall be always animated and loud; in pro* portion to the number of recruits at exercise. There shall be two species of words of command, viz. those oi^ caution and those of executimi. The Words of caution, which are in these regulations printed in Italics, must be distinctly pronounced at the full extent of the voice, dwelling' a little on the last syllable. ,' The commands of execution will be distinguished by capitals, and shall be pronounced with a firm, short tone of voice. Those words of command, the expression of which shall be sepa- rated by hyphens, will be cut, or divided in a correspondent msfnncr, in pronouncing thenn 13' The instructors will always explain what they teach, in feW wofaS, clearly and distinctly. They shall, themselves, always execute what they command, in order thus to exemplify the principle they are ex- . plaining. They will particularly atf end to accustoming .the recriiit to assume, of his own accord, the position he ought ; and they shall not place him in the proper position, till his want of comprehension shair oblige them so to do. ^ART I. « 3. The first part of the school of the soldier shall be taught as much as possible to recruits singly,' or two or three or four together, at most, when the number of recruits to be trained, and the instructors, that can fee spared for the purpose, shall render it necessary. In .this case they shall be placed in one rank, without arms, at the distance of one pace from each other. LESSON r. ,: P POSITION OF THE SOLDIER. Plate hi. fig. 1 & 2. 2. The heels on the same line, as near each other as the confornaa- tion of the man will admit of ;- the feet forming with each other, an an- gle something less than a right one, and turned out equally ; the knees' straight, but not stiff; the body perpendicular on the haimches, and leaning, forward ; the shoulders kept back and falling equally ; the arms hanging naturally ; the elbows not separated from the body ; the palm of the hand turned a little outwards ; the little finger back or be- hind, and touching the seam of the breeches ; the head well up, with- out being constrained ; the chin a little drawn in ; and the eyes fixed on the ground, at the distance of fifteen' paces in front. 3. OBSERVATIONS RELATIVE TO THE POSITION OF THE SOLDIER. The Heels on the same line ; Because, if one was more behind than the other, the shoulder would either incline in the direction of the retired heel, or the position of the soldier would be constrained. The heels more or less distant from each other ; Because men, whose legs are curved, or who havp the calf of the leg brawny, cannot join the heels. 13 The feet equally turned out, and not forming too large an angle ; Because if one foot was turned out more than the other, the shoul- der would follow the motion ; and if the feet were turned out too niuch, it would not be possible to incline forward the upper part of the body, without rendering unsteady the whole position. The knees straight but not st^; Because if they were straightened back, or stiffened too much, coft- straint and fatigue would naturally arise. The body perpendicular on the haunches ; Because it is the only mode of giving a man a perfect equilibrium. The instructor will observe, that the major part of recruits have a bad liabit of inclining or stooping a shoulder, of bending the side, or of advancing the haunch, particularly the left, when under arms. He will attend to the correction of these faults. The upper part of the body leaning forward ; Because recruits are inclined, in general to do just the contrary ; to project the belly, to bend, or hollow the reins, and to reverse or hang back the shoulders, when they wish to hold themselves upright ; circumstances, attended with the greatest disadvantages in marching, as will be explained in the observations, on the principles of the step; The habit of leaning forward the upper part of the body, is so im- portant to acquire, that the instructor, in the beginning, ought to esta- blish this position by force, especially with respect to such men, .whose natural position or carriage is of a contrary tendency. The shoulders kept back ; Because if the shoulders projected forward, rendering the back .rounded/ the general defect in the appearance of,men from the coun- 'ixyl merrof such description could neither dress themselves in line, ji6r use their arms with dexterity. The instructor will, therefore, see 'that the dress and vests of the recruits are sufficiently easy and wide^ so as not to oppose any restraints to the position, which he teaches them. In keeping in, or back, the shoulders, the instructor must not press them too far back, which will occasion a hollow in the region of Ihe reins, a thing that must be carefully avoided. . The arms hanging naturaily; tlie elbows not separated from, ihe body; tliepaJm of the hand turned a little outwards, the Utile finger behind, or back, and placed against, or touching ihe seam of the breeches; Because these positions are necessary to enable the soldier to carry shouldered arms perfectly, and to occupy in the ranks only, the space requisite for using his arms with facility, for which purposes the pla- cing of his elbows properly is essentially necessary. This position of the arms, elbows and hands, ensures these objects, and is besides r[- fcctual in keeping back the shoulders. M The head wett up, wiAout hei/ig constvahteJt} Because if the head was held awkwardly stiff, the efieet would be communicated to the tipper pairt of the body, the movement of whici would be constrained, besides rendering the general attitade painfids and fatiguing,- The eyes fixed straight to the front;* Because this position of the head direct to the fronl, is the surest means of accustoming the soldieir to maintain the squareness of the shoulders, an essential principle, to which he must be habituated with the greatest care. 4. The instructor having established the position, shall teach the recruit the motions of the head, called. Eyes right, and Ky^es kftf for which purpose, he will give the words of command, as follow : 1. Eyest — ^EioHT. 2. Front. 5. At the conclusion of the second part of the first word of com- aiand, the soldier will turn his head to the right, but not suddenly, so that the corner of the left eye, nearest to the nose, shall be in a line with the buttons of the waistcoat, his eyes b6ing fixed in the line of flie eyes of the men of the rank he stands in. 6. On hearing the second word, he will turn back the head to th« direct position to the front, which ought to be the habitual position of the soldier. 7. The motion of Eyes — left, will be executed by inverse means; 8. The instructor shall take care that the motion of the head mky tiot alter the squareness of the shoulders, which might happen if the motion were too quick. 9. When the instructor sees it necessary to order the rank to rest, he will give the word, Rest. 10. On hearing this word of command, it will not be required of -the soldier, to maintain either his position or steadiness ; .but his left heel shall not quit its place. 11. The instructor to make him resume bis position, will give the following words of command: 1. S^fuad, 2. Attentioa'. 12. At the second word, the soldier will resume the prescribed po- sition and steadiness. 15 ;LESSON II.1 ■Po the right, lefi, and right about face, 13. The lacings to the right and left shall be executed in one mo- $)pn, The instructor will ^ve the word, 1. Squad. 2. Right (orJefi^ — face. 14. At the second word of command, the recruit will turn on his Jeftjieel, raising a little the point of the left foot, and will, at the same time carry back the right heel to the side of the left, placing it on the 'same line. 15. To the right ahowt face, shall be executed in two motions; S'he instriKtor will give the word, 1. Squad. 9.. Right.iSOVT — FACP. 16. At the word cibout, make a half face to the 'right, and the right foot must be slipt back to the rear, so that the hollow shall be oppo- site to, and three full indies from, the left heel ; laying hold, at the game time, of the cartouch-boxby the corner, with the right hand. 17. At the word' face, the recruit raising the points of the feet, or toes, and keeping the hams straight, will turn on both heels, and face to the rear, carrying back, at the same time, the right heel to the side of the left, and quitting the cartouch box. 18. Wlien the recruit carries arms, at the first word of facing to the right about, he shall turn his musquet with the left hand, as will be explained in describing the first motion of loading; and he will resume the position of shouldered arms, at the moment of placing ■thp right heel in contact with the left. 19. The instructor will take care that these movements do not de- range the position of the body, which ought to remain inclined for- ward. LESSON III. PRINCIPLES OF THE ORDINARY STEP. 20. The length of the ordinary step shall be twenty-eight inches, xeckoning from heel to heel j and ninety of these paces shall be ta- ken i;i a minute, i6 21. The instructor seeing the recruit confirmed in his position, shall explain to him the principles and mechanism of the step, by placing himself three or four paces in front of, and facing the recruit, and by showing him, slowly, the mode of executing the step, thus exempli- fying the principles he is explaining. He will give tiie following words : i. Forward. 2. March. PlATE III. Fie. 3. 22. At the first word, the recruit shall throw the weight of the bod/ on the right. leg. 23. At the second word, he will step off smartly, with the left foot^j projecting it a pace of twenty-eight inches, smoothly, and without jerking the body, the ham straight, the toes pointing a little down- wards, and with the knee turned somewhat outwards. He will at the same time, carry forward the weight of the body, and without striking the sole against the ground, will plant the foot flat, precisely at the distance prescribed from the right foot, thp whole^eight of the body resting on the foot, which comes to the ground. . The recruit shall, smartly, but without a jerk or shock of the body, pass the right foot to the front, carry it near the ground, and will plant it at the same distance, and in the same manner, as has been explained rela- tive to the left. He will march in this manner, without crossing the legs, keeping the shoulders square, and the head always in the direct position. 24. When the instructor sees it necessary to ord«r ^ halt, he will give the words; 1. Squad. 2. Halt. 25. At the second word, which shall be given at the instant, when cither foot may be coming to the ground, the recruit shall bring up the foot, which is in the rear, to the side of the other, without striking it against the one planted in front, or against the ground. 26. OBSERVATIONS RELATIVE TO THE PJIINCIPLES OF THE STEP. To carry the weight of the body on the .right leg, at &e cautionary Taord "forward;" To prepare the soldier to take the first step smartly, a thing Tery essential for a body of men. 17 The point of ike foot carried low, but without affectation or con- straint; Because by carrying the point of the foot low, the ham is stretched, and the foot is ready to be placed flat. The point (f the foot turned a little out; Because if the feet were turned too much out, the body would be subject to waver, and be unsteady. The upper part of the hody thrown forward; The weight of the body bearing on the foot, which is just plant- ed, the foot in the rear can be raised with ease, and the step will not be shortened. To march with the ham straight; Because, without this, a body of men could not, without constraint or breaking, march, as if each man was independent; and since no two men march absolutely in the same manner, it becomes necessary that recruits should learn to march with an uniform step, which may be marked and cadenced, without which there would be no regulated connexion. To carry along the foot near the ground; Because, if the soldiers raised the foot more than was necessary,, time would be lost, and the march would be attended with useless fa- tigue; Besides, if there was no fixed principle, they would raise the foot and bend the knee, some more, some less ; the feet would not be brought at the same time to the ground ; and there would be neither cadence nor uniformity. To plant the foot flat, without striking it against the ground; In order to avoid the balancing of the body, and the shortening of the step, which would take place, if the heel were brought to the ground first, or if the foot was struck against the ground in placing it ; which latter circumstance would be attended with useless fatigue to the sol- dier^ and of breaking the cadence, because some would raise the foot more, and others less. The head held up, and direct to the front ; Because this position enables the recruit to march square to the front, without bringing forward either shoulder. 27. The instructor will explain to l;he recruit occasionally, the time of the cadence of \he step, by giving the word mie, when the foot is raised, and two, when it ought to be planted on the ground ; observing that ninety cadenced steps are taken in a minute. This method will (Sontribute exceedingly to impress on the mind of the recruit, the two parts of the time of which every step is composed. 3^ IS LESSON IV. PRINCIPLES OF THE OBLIQJJE STEP. 28. This step will be in common time, ninety steps being taken iii a minute. The length of this step will be pointed out hereafter. 29. When the recruit has acquired the habit of marching accurately with the direct step, and of taking steps of equal length in the same time, the instructor shall teach him the oblique step, which he shall de- compose, or take to pieces, in order that the recruit may the bettelr comprehend its mechanism, or component parts, as follows. PiATE II. 30. The recruit being steady in his rank, the instructOT will make him step off with the right foot, to the right and front, obliquely, and shall make him plant it twenty-six inches from the left ; observing to make him turn the point of the right foot a little inwards, to prevent the bringing forward of the left shoulder. The recruit will rest in this position. 31. At the word too, by the instructor, the recruit shall carry his left foot over the shortest possible line, and plant it eighteen inches in front of the right heel. He will rest in this position. 32. He will continue to march in this manner, at the words one and two ; stopping at each step, and paying the greatest attention in keep- ing the shoulders square, and the head direct to the front. 33. The oblique step to the left shall be executed on the same principles, the recruit stepping off with the left foot. 34. After some lessons of this kind, the recruit shall oblique to the right and left, without dwelling on the step, as foljows. 35. The recruit marching to the front, in common time, shall re- ceive these words of command ; 1. Right ohliqiie, 2. March. 36. At the second word, which shall be given, at the instant, when the left foot is coming to the ground, the recruit shall commence the oblique step to the right, observing to conform to the above direc- tions, relative to the execution and length of the step, and squareness of the shoulders to the front, but without stopping at each step he must march ninety paces in a minute. 19 37. Obliquing to the left shall be executed on the same principles, the instructor giving the word march, at the instant when the right foot comes to the ground. 38. In order to resume the mkrch to the front direct, the instructor §hall give the words, 1. Forward. i I 2. March. f t 59. At the second word, which shall be given when either foot is just coming to the ground, the recruit shall resume the direct march, and the ordinary step of twenty-eight inches. OBSERVATIONS RELATIVE TO THE OBLIQUE STEP. 40. The instructor' shall diligently observe, conformably to what has been inculcated in the preceding lesson, that the soldier marches ■with the ham straight ; that the weight of the body bears on the foot on the ground ; that the feet shall pass over the shortest line possible to the place where they ought to be planted ; that the head is kept up and direct to the front ; and tliat the shoulders are carried square; without turning forward. 41. The recruits must be exercised much in marching in this step, which is attended with di£5culty at the commencement, but which is extremely useful in the movements of the line. It is, besides, an ex- cellent mode of setting up the recruits, and of habituating them to maintain the direction of the shouldersi For these purposes, the re- cruits will be required to march fifty or sixty paces obliquely before the direct march is resumed. 42. When the recruit is perfect in marching in the oblique step, tlim instructor shall not be rigorously precise, in causing the rules lajd down for the length of this step to be followed. He shall establish it as a principle, to gain as much grOund as possible to a flank, and to the front in the same proportion, without deranging the line of the shoulders, which must be always square to the front, as in the march to the front direct. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIRECT AND OB- LIQUE STEPS. 43. In order to ascertain whether the position of the body is co;j- formable to the priijciples laid down ; whether the step is regularly fornJed ; and whether the weight of the body rests on the foot, which is on the ground ; the ihstnictor shall frequently post himself from six 20 to twelve' paces in front, facing the recruits ; if he does not perceive the soles of the shoes, when the feet are lifted and carried forward to be placed on the ground, and if he does not obserre any movement of the shoulders, or a waving to and fro, of the upper part of the body, he may rest assured that the principles of marching are strictly conformeito. 44. WHf n the principles of the step are shown to two or three men at a time, accurate dressing need not be required, as that might di- vide their altention ; besides, when they have acquired the habit of taking steps of equal length in equal times, they will have learnt the true means of preserving the jJignment. 46. The instructor should, when drilling two or three recruits to- gether, place them at the distance of one pice from each other, to prevent them from acquiring a bad habit of spreading out the elbows', or of leaning against the men on either side of them. PART II. SHOULDERED ARMS. 46. The instructor of the drill shallnot carry on the recruits to this second part of the school of the soldiei- until they are perfectly con- firmed in the position of the body, and in the execution of the direct and oblique steps. 47. The instructor shall then place four men in one rank, elbow to elbow, and shall instruct them to hold their arms at a shoulder, as follows : LESSON I. PRINCIPLES OF SHOULDERED ARMS. 48. The recruit being placed as directed in the first lesson of the first part, the instructor will make him raise and turn up the left ^ hand, without bending the wrist, the part of the arm from the elbow ^ downwards only acting, and shall raise the musquet perpendicularly, to be placed as follows : PiATi; III. riG. 1. & 2. The m-usquet in the left hand, the arm being a little bent; the elbow back, and joined to the body without pressure; the palm of the hand 'firmly against the exterior rounding of the butt; the exterior edge of the butt resting on the first articulation joining the fingers tb the 2! galm ; tbe heel of flie fore-part of the butt, resting between the first and second fingers ; the thumb above, in front ; the third and little fin- gers under the butt, which must be supported, and more or less kept back, according to the conformation of the recruit, in such a manner that the firelock, seen from the front, may rest always perpendicular, and that (he movement of the thigh in marching may not raise, or disturb it in its perpendicular position ; the ramrod against the point, nearly, of the shoulder; and the right hand and arm hanging naturally, as described in the Jirst lesson oi the first part. OBSERVATIONS ON SHOULDERED ARMS. 49. Recruits have frequently defects in the formation of the shoul- ders, breast, and haunches. The instructor ought to endeavour, as much as possible, to correct these defects, previously to delivering arms to the recruit, and ought afterwards to have a constant attention in regulating his mode of shouldered arms, according to these defects of conformation, in such a way, that the general appearance of the men may be uniform, without constraining their positions. 50. He will remark, that men are very apt to derange the position of the body when arms are placed at the shoulders, and especially to distort the shoulders, which deprives the firelock of its point of sup- port, and makes the men sink the left hand to' prevent its falling. This also occasions a sinking of the left shoulder, a curvature of the side, and an extension of the elbows, to restore the equilibrium, 4-0. 61. The instructor will take pains to correct all these faults, and continually to, rectify the position of the men. He must frequently take their arms from them, in order to replace them properly. He will avoid fatiguing them in the beginning, and will endeavour to ren- der this position so natural and easy, that they may remain in it for a long time without fatigue. 52. Finally, the instructor ought to bestow much attention in di- recting that the firelock, when shouldered, is not carried either top high or too low. If too high, the left arm, forming a curve at the el- bow, would open out from the body, render the position of the fire- lock unsteady, and make the soldier occupy more space in the ranks than he ought. If carried too low, he would not have the space necessary for using his arms with freedom, because the fatigue sustained by the left arm, thus sunk down, would affect the squareness of the shoul- ders, 4'c. 53. The instructor, previously to proceeding to the second lesson, shall make the recruits, at shouldered arms, practise the motions of eyes right, eyes left, and also the facings, to ike right, to the left, and to the right about. 22 LESSON II. SQjUAD EXERCISE. 54.' The squad exercise shaltbe taught four men in a rank, with, tieir elbows touching, and to the same afterwards in files. 56. The execution of every word of command shall be divided ipto distinct motions; and every motion shall be performe'd in one se-. Cpnd of time. 56. On hearing the last syllable of the word of command, the re- cruit shall execute the intended motion, smartly. On hearing the re- spective words, two, and three, the remaii^ing motions shall be gone through. When the recruits shall know thoroughly the position rela- ting, to each motion included in a word of command, they shall he instructed how to execute them, without dwelling on each separately ; but they must observe the mechanism of the motions, to be confirmed in the use of arms; and to avoid the inconvenience resulting from what is termed an unseen skifting of the firelock, as if by slight ofhand^ from the primer, into an inaccurate position. . 67. The squad exercise shall be taught in the following-order of ' arrangement. The instructor shall give the words of command, LOAD ET TWELVE WORDS OF COMMANB. 1. Load — ARMsr One word and too motions. First Motion. 58. Half face to the right, on the left heel, placing at the same time the right foot square behind the left heel, the hollow of the foot resting agamstthat heel ; turn the firelock, with the left hand, the lock out- wards, at the same time seizing the small of the stock with the right hand, the firelock being detached from the shoulder, and supported perpendicularly, on the palm of the left hand remaimng under the butt. Second Motion. 69. Sink tlie firelock into a slanting position with the right hand, the left meeting and seizing it at the swell, near the tail pipe, the tliumb of the left hand pointing upwards along the swell ; the butt under the fore part of the right arm ; the breech and small-stock resting against the body, two inches nearly under the right breast ; the top of the bar- rel as high as. the eyes ; the guard turned a little outward ; the left eh- 23 i)'ow supported on the side at the haunch ; the thumb of the right han^ against the top of the pan-steel, above the level of the flint ; and placed there at the moment when the firelock is thrown into the slant- ing position ; the four fingers of the right hand shut ; and the right arm, from the elbow to the wrist, l7ing along the butt. 2. Open — PAN. 60. Throw open the pan with the thumb of the right hand, the left hand resisting and holding the piece firmly ; apply the right hand to the cartridge-box, by drawing back the right elbow, and passing the hand between the butt and the body ; and open the cartridge-box, 3. Handle — cabtridqe. One word and one motion, 61. Take the cartridge between the two fore-fingers and thumb, and carry it to the mouth, ready for the teeth to act, the right hand passing between the body and the butt. 4. Tear— CARTRIDGE. One word and one motion. Plate hi. pib. 4. 62. Bite off the top, to the powder, holding the cartridge firm where the powder has been uncovered, between the thumb and two fore-fingers ; sink down the cartridge, holding it perpendicularly against the pan, the palm of the right hand turned towards the body, and the right elbow supported or leaning on, and against the butti 5. FRIUE, One word and one motion. 63. Sink forward the head, and look down to the pan, filling it with j^owder ; press close the top of the cartridge at the opening, between the thumb and fore-finger ; raise tlie head, placing the right hand be- hind the pan, and hold the little finger, and the tbj.rd finger firm agaipst the back of the pan. 24 6. Shut — PAN. One word and one motion. 64. Hold the firelock firm with tlie left hand; shut the pan close and firmly with the two last fingers, holding always the cartridge be- tween the thumb and two fore-fingers ; seize. immediately the small ©f the stock with the two last fingers and pahn of the right hand; keep the right wrist close to the body, and the elbow pointed to the rear, and a little detached from the body. 7. Cast — ABonx. One word and two motions. First Motion. 65. With the right arm smartly stretched, without lowering the right shoulder, swing round the firelock to' the left thigh, along which the butt must press strongly, turning at the same time the ramrod to- wards the body, opening and letting the piece slip through the left hand, as far as the middle pipe, the lock resting on the thumb of the right hand ; face, at the same time, to the front, turning on the left heel, carrying the right foot forward, the heel resting against the hollow of the left. Second Motion. PtATB III. FIG. 5. 66. Q,uit the firelock with the right hand, sinking it with the left along, and near the body, raising,, at the same time, the right hand within two inches of the barrel, to the top of it ; let the but fall to the ground without striking against it with any degree of shock ; and Jet the left hand, holding the firelock as described, rest against the body, under the level of the lowest waistcoat button, the musquet in contact with the left thigh, the sight of the barrel opposite to the mid- dle line of the body. ^ 8. Charge — cartridge. One word and one motion, PlATK III. FIG. 3. 67. Glance the eye to the muzzle of the barrel ; turn smartly th,e out or upper side of the right hand towards the body, in order to di?- ch»rge the powder into the muzzle, for this purpose, raising the elbow 25 as bigh as the wrist ; shake the cartridge in, turning it into the bar- rel, and leave the hand reversed, the fingers closed, without pressure. 9. Draw — 'ramros. One word and two motions. First Motion. 68. Lower, smartly, the right elbow-,and seize the ramrod between the thumb and fore-finger bent, keeping the other fingers shut ; draw the ramrod smartly 'by e;xtending the arm, with the whole of the fin- gers opened out ; seize it back-handed, at the middle, with the fore- finger and thumb, the palm of the hand outwards ; turn it quickly be- tween the bayonet and the body, at the same time closing the fingers upon it ; the ramrods of the men in a rear rank, in turning, grazing the right shoulder of the man, in the rank before in the same file ; the ramrod forming no angle with the line of the barrel, and parallel to the bayonet ; the arm extended ; the eyes looking upwards ; and the thick end of the ramrod must thus be kept opposite to the mouth of the barrel, without being entered into it. Second Motion. 69. Enter the butt of the ramrod into the barrel, and insert it as far as the hand. 10. Ram CARTRIDGE. One word and one motion. PlATE III. pio. 6. 70. Run up the right hand to the full extent of the arm, to the top of the ramrod, without letting it fall into the barrel ; seize it with the thumb opened along it, and the fore-finger bent, tlie other fingers being shut ; drive it forcibly into the barrel, ramming home twice ; ■ seize it again %>the small end, between the thumb and forefinger, both bent, the others being shut ; and let the right elbow be close to the body. 11. Return, — ramrod. One word and two motions. First motion. ' 71. As in the first motion o{ dramng ramrod, bring the small end of it opposite to the upper pipe, and hold it there without, entering it. 4 26 Second Motion. 72. Introduce the small end into the pipe, and slide it into its place ; raiss the right hand quickly, and place it, somewhat bent, on the up- per end of the ramrod. 12. Shoulder — arms. One word and three motions. First Motion. Flaxx III. Fia. 1. 73. Raise the firelock with the left hand, along the left side, the left hand as high as the shoulder, and the left elbow not parted from the body, keeping the barrel outwards ; and sink down the right hand in order to seize the fireloct at the small of the stock. Second Motion. 74. Raise the firelock with the right hand ; let the left hand fall to seize and support the butt, carrying back, at the same time, the right heel to the side of the left, and in the same alignment ; support the fire- lock against, and at the left shoulder, with the right hand, in the posi- tion pointed out in describing shouldered arms ; and let the right hand touch the small of the stock at the breech, without pressing against it. Third Motion. 75. Let the right hand fall to the right thigh, hanging there, as al- ready indicated. Ready. Position of the front rank. First Motion. As in the first motion of loading. ^ Second Motion. ' PiATE IV. rie. 2. 76. Bring the firelock with the right hand before the middle of the body, place the left hand, with the little finger touching the feather spring, and the thumb,, as high as the chin pointing upwards along the wood of the stock, the plate opposite to the lock being turned almost towards the body, and the ramrod towards the front; and apply, at tba 27 same time, the thumb of the right hand to the head of the cock, the fore-finger under, and against the guard, and the three other fingers joined to the first. Third Motion. 77. Sink down, smartly, the right elbow, cocking, at the same time, and seize the firelock at the small of the stock. Position of the rear rank. First, second, and third motions, P£i.TX IT. MO. 3. ■ Done in the same manner as by the men of the first rank. Aim. One word and one motion. PiATx IT. ns.^KS. 78. Sink down, smartly, the muzzle of the piece, slipping the left hand along the stock, as far as the tail-pipe ; apply the butt to the . right shoulder ; let the muzzle be a little below the level of the eye, and the right elbow kept lowered, without being pressed against the body ; shut the left eye ; look along the barrel with the right eye ; sink forward the head towards the butt in order to level ; and place the fore-finger on the trigger. Fiats it. ne. 6. 79. The men of the rear rank will, at the same time, step with the right foot eight inches to the right, towards the left heel of the man who is on their right. i That the soldier may be habituated to the word Jlre, the instruc- tor shall frequently order arms to be recovered by the following word of command. Recover— ASMS. One word and one motion. 80. Come to the position of recovering, arms firmly as described under the second motion of ready, remaining itt the third position, after coeking, in the third motion. 28 Aim. One word and one ■motion. Done ill the same manner, as in No, 78. Fire. One word and one motion. 81. Apply, with force, the first finger to the trigger, without low- ering or taming the head more, and remain in that position. Load. One word and ofie motion. G3. Drop the Srelock smartly into the position of the second pao-~ tion of loading, as described, excepting that the thumb, in lieu of "be- ing placed against the pan-steel, shall, with the fore-finger bent, seize the top of the cock," the other fingers remaining shut. The men of the rear rank shall carry back the right foot behiqd the left, placing the hollow of that foot against the left heel. 83. If, in this position, the ihstructor wisHes to make the ranks load, be will .give the word, Half-cock — FiRErocE. One word and one motion. o4. Raise the cqck to the half cock notchj taking care Bot to cock it; carry the right hand between the butt and the body to the car- tridge box, and open it. 85. When, instead of loading, the ranks are to come to diouldered armSj the instructor will give the word, SHOULDER ARMS. 86. At the word shoulder, the recruits shall half-cock, ss has beeu explained, shut pans, and seize the firelock at the small of the ?tock. At the word arms, they shall shoulder smartly and front. To fire in ttree ranks, the following rules will be observed. At the word ready, the front rank will execute tlie following motions. Front rank kneeling. First Motion. 87. Turn the firelock with the left^ hand, the lock outwards- seize It wiih the right hand, at the small of the stock, as in the first motion fJi^1\.7 i" ^'""^ "" '^' ^'^°"'' ^"^»g »^« P-i-^t «f th^ leit foot a little inwards. ° r u". 29 Sicond Motion, PlATI IV. riB. 1. 88. Throw the right foot smartly to the rear, the heel raised, ajid the foot resting on the toes of the foot necessarily bfent ; kneel down with the right knee ten or twelve inches in the rear, and about six inches to the right of tlie left heel, observing not to come down sud- denly; bring down the firelock at the same time, with the right hand, and seizfe it with the left hand at the tail-pipe near the swell ; place the butt on the ground, without striking it against it; place it in front of the right thigh, in such a manner that the fore rounding of the heel of the butt may be opposite to the left heel ; and, at the same time, seize the cock between the thumb and for^-finger. Third Motion. 89. Cock the piece. 90. The motions of the second and third ranks are the same as thos'e of the front and rear ranks in the habitual order of two deep. At the subsequent command, load, when the order is three deep, the following motions will be executed. ,LoAD. One word and one motion. 91. Drop the firelock smartly into the second motion of loading, as described, excepting that the thumb, in lieu of being placed against the pan-steel, shall, with the fore-foiger bent, seize the top of the cock, the other finger remaining shut. The men of the front rank shall, without stooping forward, smartly spring «p, keeping in or back the right shoulder, in order to avoid the firelocks of the centre rank, and the men of the rear rank shall carry back the right foot behind the left, placing the hollow of that foot against the left heel. Half-cock FIRELOCE, and Shoulder — arms'. Are performed as directed for the habitual order of treo ckep, " Present — arms. One zaorrl. and two motioiis. 30 First Motion. 92. The same as that of loading, excepting that the recruits re- main frpnted. Second Motion. PiATB V. no. 2. 93. Complete the turning inwards of the firelock with the right' band, in order to carry it perpendicularly opposite to the left eye, the ramrod in front, and the cock as high as the lowest waistcoat button ; holding the firelock with the right hand at, and under the guard; seize it smartly, at the same time, with the left hand above the lock, „ the little finger touching the. feather spring, the thumb extended along the barrel and mounting or stock; keep the left arm, from the elbow, joined to the body, lyithout constraint, and remain fronted, without stirring the feet. Shoulder — akms. One word and two motions: First Motion. 94. Spring up the firelock to the left shoulder with the right hand, turning the barrel outwards, and let fall the left to support it under the butt, the right hand held easy against the breech at the small of the :^tock. Second Motion. 95. Let fall the right hand briskly to its position. Advance — arms. One word and three motions. First Motion. 96. Grasp the firelock with the right hand, turning the firelock out, as in the first motion of presenting arms. Second Motion. 97. Carry the firelock perpendicularly, with the right hand to, and against the right shoulder, the ramrod outwards, the right arm almost at the full extent, the right hand grasping the cock and «*y are t* aim. . 42 POSViiON, OF THE KANES IN THE OBLIftU'E FIRES TO THE 11IGH*V 171. At the word ready, both ranks shall execute what has been de- scribed in the case of a direct fire. 172. At the word, aim, the men of the front rank shall direct thein firelocks to the right, without stirring the feet. 173. The men of the rear rank shall advance the left foot about six inches, and towards the point of the right foot, of the man of the front rank of the files they respectively belong to, advancing also the body a little, by bending the left knee. They shall- direct their firelocks to the right. 174. Both ranks shall throjv back the right shoulder. 1 75. At the word, load, both ranks shall resume the position directed for the direct fire. The rear rank men shall draV back the left foot, placing the heel against the hollow of, the right foot, when bringing back the firelock to the loading position. ■»*HEW FIRING IN THE ORDER OF THREE DEEP, OBLIQUELY TO THE RIGHT, THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL RULES SHALL BE OBSERVED. PlATE VI. FIG. 2. 176. At the word, ready, the threp ranks will execute precisely w'hat has been- described in the case of a direct fire in that order. 177. At the word, aim, the men .of the front rank shall direct their firelocks to the right, by inclining the left knee inwards, without de- ranging the position of the feet. 178. In all other respects, the oblique fire to the right is tlie same in three ranks as in two. POSITION OP THE RANKS IN THE OBLIQUE FIRES TO THE LEFT. . i79> At the word, ready, both ranks shall execute precisely what g been described in the case of a direct fire. At the word, aim, the men of the front rank shall direct their Icks to the left, without stirring the feet. , 1- The rear rank shall advance the left foot abou. six inches,' and towards the right heel of the man of the rank before them in file; and shaJl also advance the upper part of the body, bending the left knee a- little, and aiming through the opening to the left of thesr file- 43 S82. Both ranks shall throw back the left shoulder. 183. At the word load, both ranks shall draw back their firelocks, in the oblique position, in which they range, and shall prime in that position ; the rear rank men shall carry back the left foot, placing the heel against the hollow of the right foot; and in casting about, both ranks shall take their position as in the case of the direct fire. WHEN FIRING IN THREE RANKS, OBLIQUELY TO THE LEFT, THE FOLLOW- IJffi EULES SHALL BE OBSEaV.ED. Plate vi. pio. 3. 184. At the word, ready, the three ranks shall execute, precisely what has been described in the case of a direct fire in that order of formation. 186. At the word aim, the men of the front rank shall direct their firelocks to the left, without inclining the knee, or stirring the feet. In all other respects the oblique fire to the left, is the same in three ranks, as in two. OBSERVATIONS ON THE OBLIQUE FIRINGS. Throwing hack a shoulder in presenting ; In order to be able to direct the muzzle more or less obliquely, ac- cording to the position of the object aimed at The instructor shall render this principle practically intelligible to the recruit, by placing a man in front more or less towards the right, or towards the left, to represent this object, when they shall perfectly understand the accuracy of position of the respective ranks in the ob- lique firings. Carrying the left foot six inches in front, and advancing the upper part of the body, by the men of the rear rank; In order to avoid accidents, because without this precaution, (he muzzles of the firelocks of the rear rank, would not sufficiently cleat*^ or project beyond the front rank, in the oblique position .in which they are ranged. In ^firing obliquely to the left, drawing back the firelocks and priMnSW*il»^'i^^ ' ^ ^ ^^ 'lti''^- iftg - k i me s l f tiii i th(f nioTcmwnt"of w» tbB i ^vhr i ling i wI h wlT ; the man on the outer, or wheeling flank, who conducts it, shall step the pace of twen- ty-eight inches ; shall, from the first step, bring forward the left shoal- der a little ; shall cast his eyes on the ground he is to go over, and, from time to time, along the rank wheeling ; and he shall always feel the elbow of the man next to'him, but this lightly, and without ever pushing, or pressing him. 268. The other soldiers must keep up the light touch of the elbow- on the side the pivot is on, and resist all pressure coming from the wheeling flank, each man proportioning his step to his distance from the pivot. * Division is a general term, emplofeU to signVfy any of those equal parts, into which the Battali)n is twoken, whether -they are grand divisions^, companies, platoons or sections; f The pivot, or (as it is sometimes called) the proper pivot flank of the colunfti, is that, by wheeling up to which, the divisions of the column are brought into line in their regular order, and, to their proper front. The other is called the reverse flank. -^^ . , Tlie flank of a division, on which^'wli^(?r';^'%^?atted is, Vith r^tS^nce to that particular wheel, termed the pivot, although, with reference to the coluinn, it may bs the reverse flank. 57 269. The instructor shall make the rank describe a circle, once or twipe, before he halts it, in order to render the principle understood ; and he shall carefully watch that the rank wheels straight, and does not open out from the centre, or break ; or displace the pivot. 270. He shall make the rank wheel to the left on the same princi- ples, and he will command a halt as follows : 1. Squad. 2. Halt. ^271. At the secoad word, the rank will halt, and none shall stir un- til a further comm;trid.Js ffgnru , i,272. The instructor shall goto the reverse flank, and shall place the tvjro outer men on that flank, in the direction he chooses to give to the rank, leaving suflicient space between them and the pivot, for the others to place themselves in, and he will then command. Left, (or right) — dress. 273. At this command, the rank shall dress on the line, which the two placed men indicate as a base line, conforming to the prescribed principles of dressing.' 274. The instructor will then order front, which shall be complied Tvith, as directed. No. 264, 275. OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF WHEEL- ING ON A HALTED PIVOT. To turn the head a little towards the wheeling flank, and to fix the eyes in the line of the eyes of the men, who are towards that flank; Because, without this attention, it would be impossible for the sol- dier to regulate the length of his step, in such a manner as to conform to the movement of .the wheeling flank. To keep up the light touch of the elbow, on the side next the pivot; In order that the files may not open out in wheeling. To resist a pressure corning from the wheeling flank; Because, if this principle were neglectad, the pivot man, who ought to be a fixed point, would be liable to be thrown out of his situation by pressure. WHEELINGS ON A MOVEABLE PIVOT. 276. When the recriiits ivheel with, accuracy from a halt, the rank ehall be taught to wheel on a moveable pivot. 8 58 27?. For this purpose, in order to cause the rank on the mardi tp change direction on the (reverse) flank o^iposite to that on which the guide is, the instructor commands, 1. Right {orleft') wheel. 2. BIarch. 278. The first word of command shall be given, when the rank is within two paces of the point where the pivot is to commence circling. 279. At the second word, the wheeling shall be executed as.on a, halted pivot, excepting, that the touch of the elbows is kept up to the side of the guide, (or outer flank) and nottothe inner, or present pi- vot flank ; that the pivot man, in lieu ofMi^lK is.kil6 place, shall con- form himself to the movement of the oute^flank on which side the guide is ; that the pivot man feel lightly the elbow of the man next to him; that the pivot man takes steps of seven inches, gaining ground^ advancing and moving, on a part of the circumference of a small cir- cle; and that he shall thus clear, or disengage the- initial point of his wheeling, the middle of the rank curving a little towards the rear. 280. The wheel being effected, the instructor shall command, ]. Forward. 2. March. 28 1 . The first word of command shall be pronounced two paces be- fore the wheel is finished. 282. At the second, to be given at the instant the wheel is effected, the man directing the flank that has just described the larger sweep of a circle, shall move straight forward, and the pivot man, with'the otlier men, composing the rank, shall resume the step of twenty-ei'^h^ inches, directing the head to the front. TO CHANGE DIRECTION TO THE SIDE OF THE GUIDE. 283. This is effected by the following commands, \. Left {or right) turn. ' 2. March. 284. The first word shall be. given when tlie rank is within two. paces of the initial point of turniiig, as mentioned formerly. 285. At the second word, to be giveQ at the instant when the rank is to commence turning, the guide on, the pivot flank shall turn to-the, Jeft, (or right,) on the march, and shall, without rendering more slow 59 br>quickening the cadence of the time, and without lengthening oi shortening the measure of the step, prolong or move forward in the new direction ; the rest of the rank shall quickly conform to the new direction in which the guide is moving; but without running ; and for this purpose each man« shall advance, or bring forward ihe shoulder farthest from the guide, shall turn the head and eyes to the flank the guide is on, shall touch the elbow of the man between him and the guide, placing himself on the same alignment with the guide, and tiirnii^ his head and eyes, then, to the front. Each man shall arrive thus, successively, on the alignment of the guide oa the pivot flank. SECTION III. SCHOOL OF THE COitCPANY. METHOD Of KANKING AND SIZING AND OF FORMING THE ttOU- PANY IN THE HABITUAL ORDER. The men being assembled upon the company parade, and at or- dered arms, they will be brought to a shoulder by the first sergeant, will fall into one rank indiscriminately, and dress to the right; The first sergeant will then command, !' t. Attention, 2. Company. 3. Right FACE, . 4. MARCH. Upon the third vi'ord being given, the ivhole raiik Will face to the j Hght : whett the fourth is pronounced, the tallest men will proceed to i the right, and the shortest to the left ; still preserviiig the rank entire, and changing places so that the tallest men shall be on the righi, the hext in height the second on the right, and so on successively until the shortest man in the company is on the extreme left. The^e£geast will order. 1. Front. Si Right— -DRZSS, 60 • Upon hearing the first word, the rank will front : upon hearing £&e second, they will dress as directed. The Sergeant will then direct the man on the right to call one, the next two, and so on, alternately, until he has gone through the whole. The following Gommands are then given ; 1. Form ranks. 2. IVl^eK. 3.. FRONr. Upon the word march being pronounced, the men, who called the number two, will step obliquely to the right one pace, so as to cover the right-hand man ; upon the third word, they will front as usual. The company is, then, hj the first sergeant, to be divided into twe platoons, called the first jind second platoons. The words will then be given, 1. Second platoon. 2. Forward- — Mahok. 3. Halt. 4. Dkess. At the word march, the second platoon will step fofward orte pace, halt, and dress. The sergeant will then order, 1. Platoons'. 2. Right and left — ^face. S.March. At _the word /oce, the first rank of each platoon will face to the right, >nd the rear rank to the left. At the word march, the man on the ri^t of the front rank of the first platoon stands firm, the others closing! upon ^'™ ' ^^^ '"®" °^ "^^ '^^^^ ''^k will march, successively, face to^the right, and form on the left of the front rank. At the word march,'^e second platoon will follow the directions given to the first excepting that the front rank will advance, followed by the rear rank' ei both forming in front of the first platoon,, and thus becoming the front rank of the company. The sergeant will then order, Front. At which word, the whole face to the front, and the company is thus formed in two ranks ; the tallest men alternately on the right and left of the ranks to which they belong ; and the files of the rear rank successively taller than those of the same files before them. This being accomplished, the'fi'fst sergeant will divide the company into platoons and sections, and post the non-commissioned officers and pioneer in the manner already prescribed. METHOD OF RANKING AND SIZING, AND OF FORMING THE COM- PANY IN THE OOOASIONAli ORDER OF THREE DEEP. The company having /ormed ranks as in the habitual order, is then by the first sergeant told off' into three divisions. From the right, Istj 2d, and 3d divisions. The sergeant commands, 1. Zd and Sd divisions, forward. 2. March — 3. Halt. — 4. Dress. At the word march, the second division steps forward one pace, halts and dresses ; the third division steps forward two paces, halts, and d»esses. The sergeant theii proceeds as- in the habitual order, substituting the word division for platoon, and forming the second di- vision in front of the first, and the third in front of the second division. The company will thus stand in three ranks, agreeably to the formation prescribed for the occasional order in Section I. FROM, TWO RANKS, FORMING INTO THREE RANKS. The company being halted, and told off into three divisions from right to left, the captain orders, Form, three — deep. On which the third division instantly steps back one pace ; he then ■ orders, Right — Face. 62 Upon the woidface being pronounced, the third division faces to th^ right ; the man on the right of the front ranli on facing, disengages a little to bis right. The word is then given, March. .- When the front rank men of the third division step off, those of the rear rank mark the time, until they have passed, and then follow. When the leading man has got to the right of the company, the cap- tain orders, 1. Halt. 2. Front. Upon which each man halts, faces to his left, and instantly covers his proper file leader. , FROM THREE RANKS FORMING INTO TWO RANKS. The aompany being halted, and divided into two platoons, the cap- tain orders, Form two — deek. Upon which the fear rank men of the second platoon instantly step back one pace : the captain then orders, When the rear rank of both platoons face to the left : he then gives the word, March. On which the men of the rear rank of the second platoon step short, until those of the right get up to' them. They then move on with them in file ; as their rear is clearing the left flank of the compa- ny, the captain (who has shifted to this flank during the movement) commands, 1. Halt. 2. Front. 3. Right forward — dress- 63 ^d immediately dresses them on the front rank of the company, and resumes his place on the right. When the battalion is formed in three ranks, previously to its being brought upon the ground, the methods of ranking, and sizing, and of forming the company, prescribed in the formation of the regiment in order of battle will be attended to ; when the changes from two into three deep, or from three into two deep are required, after the batta- lion has been formed in tlie habitual order, the modes just above de- scribed shall be observed. The instruction of the company necessarily preceding that of the battalion, and having for its object the preparation of the soldiers for acting in battalion, the progressive method and principles about to be 'laid down, shall be applied to the exercise and discipline of compa- nies considered relatively regulated by the course of instruction to be herein given ; and with reference to their detail. The officer superintending the drill of the company is called the instructor, whether he belongs to the company or not. When the captain is instructor, the next in rank shall perform the duties of the ' captain in the drill, and be posted accordingly. A field officer shall, as often as practicable, be the instructor of the company, while it is acquiring elementary discipline. The school of the company shall be divided into six lessons, and each lesson will include five articles, as follow*: LESSON I, 1. To open ranks. .2. Alignment of open ranks, 3. The manual exercise. 4. To close ranks. 5. Alignment of closed ranks. LES^N II. 1. Loading in quick time. 2. Loading in quickest time. 3. Direct and oblique firing of the company. 4. Independent file-firing. 5. Firing to the rear. • 64 LESSON HI. 1. March in line. ' ^ 2. To halt the company inarching in line. 3. Oblique marching in line. • 4. To mark time ; to march in quick time ; and the back step. 5. To march in line, with the rear rank leading. LESSON IV. 1. March to a flank. 2. Wheeling in file. 3. To halt the company marching by a£ank, and to form it to the front. 4. To form from file to either flank. 6. Forming to the front from file. LESSON V. 1. Wheeling forward by platoon from line. 2. March in open column. 3. To change the direction on a moveable pivot. 4. To halt the column. 5. Wheeling into line. LESSON VL 1 . To break ofi' files, and make them move up again to the front. 2. To march in column of route ; to change direction, thus march- ing at ease ; to break off files, and to make them form up again. 3. Increasing and diminishing the front of an open column on the inarch. 4. Countermarch by files. 5. To form to either flank fi-om open column of platoons. The instructor shall number the files from right to left, in order that each man may know his own number, according to the rank, in which he stands. The instructor must study to be clear and concise in his explanations ; and he shall make the captain rectify the errors in the detail of the exercise, as far as they relate to the soldiers, afterpoint- ing out ^uch faults if observed, he himself not rectifying them, unless he is ' not well comprehended, or his orders have been imperfectly executed. Steadiness feind coolness being the essential requisites in those, who command and obey, to establish order and discipline in a body of 65 men, the instructor shall exemplify these in his own conduct, and ha- bituate the men he disciplines to act under their constant influence- SCHOOL OF TH^ COMPANY. LESSON L PART L ARTICLE FIRST. TO ^OPEN RANKS. 1 . The company being drawn up at ordered arms, as also the rank of file-closers, in order to open ranks, the instructor shall order the file- closer nearest the left to post himself on the left of the front rank. 2. He shall then command, -^ / <^r- 1. Attention. 2. Company. 3. Shoulder — arms. 4. Rear ranktppen order. 3. At the fourth word of command, the coveiing sergeant, and the ■file-closer placed on the left of the company shall nimbly step back four paces to rear of the rear rank, (estimating the distance by the eye,) and align themselves in a direction pa'raliel to the rank of file-closers, 4. The instructor shall, at the same time, proceed to the right flank, in order to ascertain whether they are parallel to the front rank ; and, if necessary he shall quickly adjust their positions, giving, afterwards the word, 5. March. 5. At this word, the front rank shall not stir from its place. 6. The rear rank shall step back, in common time, without counting tlie steps, and shall dress on the alignment marked out for it, conform- ing to what has been laid down in the school of the soldier, No. 257. 7. The covering sergeant shall dress the rear rank on the file-clo- ser, who as on the left of the rear rank. 8. The file-closers behind the rear rank, shall step back also, at the word march; and shall dress at tlieir proper distance from the rear rank when aligned. 9. The covering sergeant having dressed the rear rank, the instrur- 'or will command, 9 66 JFRONT. 10. At this word, the file-closer on the leil of the rear rank, shall occupy h*is former situation in the front rank. 11. The instructor seeing the ranks dressed, shall inspect the posi- tion of body, and that of shouldered arms of the men, composing the front rank, and shall direct the captain, if the 'company is one acquiring elementary discipline, to examine the relative positions in the rear rank. ARTICLE SECOND. ALIGNMENT AT OPEN RANKS. 12. The ranks being opened, the instructor shall, in this stage of tlie discipline, caose the men of each rank to dress, one by one, in order the better to inculcate the principles. 13. He shall order the three men on the right or left of each rank, to march three or four paces to the front, and having aligned or dressed them, he will command, By Jile, right forward {or left forward'^ — dkess. 14. At this word, the soldiers.of each rank in open file shall dress up, successively, to the alignment, each of them allowing the man next to him on the side to which the alignment is made, to be advanced two paces, before he quits the original ground. 16. Alignments by succession having habituated the soldiers to di-ess correctly, the instructor shall cause entire ranks to align to the front and to theorear, in parallel and oblique positions and directions, always placing three men as a base line of alignment for each /ank. For this purpose he will command. Right (or left) forward — dress. Or it may be, R'^kt (or left) backward — dress. 16. In oblique alignments at open order, the rear rank need not en- deavour to move by the file-leader in dressing, since the object in view in this species of instruction is to exercise the soldiers in aliening them- selves correctly in their respective ranks in every direction. 17. In these various alignments, the instructor shall superintend the front, and the captain the rear rank, placing themselves, for that pur- pose, on the flank to which the dressing is made. 67 18. In oblique alignments, the soldiers shall conform the line of their shoulders to the new direction of their rank, and shall place themselves on the alignment, regulating themselves hy the detail laid down in Nos. 248, and 257 of the school of the soldier, according as the new direction may be to the front or rear of the original position of the rank. 19. After each alignment, the instructor and the captain shall, in passing along the rank, inspect the position of the body, and that of the arms, in order to accustom the soldiers not to be negligent in these rejects. ARTICLE THIRD. THE MANUAL EXERCISE, 20. The ranks being open, the instructor shall place himself before the right flank, so as to see the two ranks, and shall order the manual exercise to be gone through as follows : Present Arms. Shoulder Arms. Advance Arms. Shoulder Arm?. Order Arms. Ril^A«j«A IWU Arlhsx Shoulder Arms. Support Arms. Carry Arms. Unfix Bayonets. /, '^ ' Secure Arms. ^ Shoulier Arms. . Fix Bayonets.,. Au^)|^Qg^1ioacr by Waive words of commaad. 21. The instructor shall strictly observe, that the positions of the body, feet and arms, are always exact ; that the motions are lively and close ; and that they are not slurred over, as by slight of hand. OBSERVATIONS ON THE MOTION OF CHARGING BAYO- NETS, AND ON THAT OF TRAILING ARMS. 22. Circumstances may arise, which will require the use of fixed bayonets, in attack or defence. 68 23. Ill other cases^such as passing through a thick weed, shouldereu 4rms are impracticabie ; a soldier has sometimes recourse to his tire- lock as a necessary support, as in climbing the steep sides of an emi- nence, or in crossing ditches; it becomes, therefore, necessary that the instructor should sometimes make the soldiers practice the motions of charging bayonets, and of traaing arms, to teach them to avail them- selves, most advantageously of their arms, under diferen-t circum- stances. ARTICLE FOURTH. * TO CLOSE BANKS. 24. Having gone through the manual exercise, the instructor will proceed to close the ranks. To eflfect this he shall order, 1. Rear rankf close order. 2. March. 26. At the word march, the rear rank shall dose in common time, •ach man coverii^ his file-leader. ARTICLE FIFTH;'-' ' ' AI.1GNMENT OF CLOSED RANKS. y" 26. The ranks being closed, the instructor will exercise the com- pany in taking parallel and oblique alignments to the right and to the left, to the front and to the rear, ' always pr&vious^P^cing three files as a base line of alignment in tjje new direction. He will give the words of command, directed in No. 15. 27. In aligning at close order, the captain shall superintend the alignment of the front rank, aiid^Kj^tS^^ Sergeafft that of the rear raiik ; and they will acciKtom-thenftferees to jij^e accurately of form- ing a good alignment, from the line of the eyes and shoulders, and by glancing along the front and rear of the rank. 28. When the captain sees the whole, nearly, of the front rank aligned, he shall give the word, front, rectifying, afterwards, the dressing of such- as require it, according to the mode laid down in the School of the Soldier, No. 255. The rear rank will confonn to. the alignment of the front rank, and the covering sergeant will see that \hA i» done. 69 - 29. The rank being steady, the instructor proceeds to the flank, to ascertain the accuracy, or the reverse, of the alignment of the ranks ; and he will observe whether or not the men of the rear rank correctly cover their file-leaders. • ^ 30. In taking oblique alignments, the instructor regulates the pro- cedure by\vhat has been laid down above, No. 18. 31. The officers and non-commissioned officers composing the rank of file closers shall always post themselves two paces in roar of the rear rank. 32. Te rest, the instructor shall order, I. Support ARMS, Or, Order — arms. 2. Rest. This shall take place at the conclusion of each lesson. 33. After the word rest is given, the men are not required eitlier to be steady, or maintain their position. 34. When the intention is to permit the soldiers to rest themselves, but without losing their dressing ; after directing arms to be support- ed, or ordered, the further word will be. On your grownd — rest. 35. When this command is given, the soldiers are not required to keep the body steady or immoveable, -but they must keep the left heel exactly in its place. LESSON II. 36. The instructor proceeding to the second lesson, shall give the words of command, ■» «• ' r • >' (' •'V ,-',,, 1. Attention. ' , ' r 2, Company. 3. Shoulder — arms. He shall, then, exercise the company in the loadings and firings, in tkQ following order : ARTICLE FIRST. lOA'DIWO IN ftXJICK TIME. 70 37 Loading in quick time, shall be executed by the words of com. mand, and in the manner prescribed, in the School of the Soldier, No. 158, and following ones. The instructor will cause this to be re- peatedly pifctised, before he prdceeds to loading in quickest time. ARTICLE SECOND. LOADING IN QUIDKEST TIME. 38^ Shall be executed as practised in the School of the Soldier, No. 163. 39. In loading in quick and quickest time, when, at the com- mencement, the troops come down to the priming position, the cap- tain, and the covering sergeant, will half face to the right along with them : and when the troths in loading, cast round, they will front. 40. The instructor shall bestow the most particular attention in seeing, that in the loadings, the soldiers conform to the principles laid down in the School of the Soldier, Nos. 164 and 165. 41. Loading in quickest time, (without the four pauses of loading in quick time) being that made use of in action, it becomes of the last importance, that it should be done expertly ; and, therefore, the prac- tice of it is to be particularly dwelt on. When the soldiers are well grounded in the principles of it, they will be, gradually, brought to load and fire, at least three, or four times, in a minute, with re- gularity and ease. ARTICLE THIRD. FIRING BY COMPANY. 42. To efifect this, the instructor shall order as follows : 1. ^j/e»iCompany ■aif!tj^^ 2. Commence Firing. 43. At the first word, the captain shall retire quickly behind the centre of his company, two paces in the rear of the rank of file closers. * 44. The covering sergeant shall fall back into the alignment of the rank of file-closers, opposite to the interval he stands in ; and this rule will be genera), with respect to the covering sergeant, during the firings. 71 45. On hearing the second word of command, the captain shall give the following words of command : 1. Company. 2. Ready. 3. Aim. 4. Fire. 5. Load. 46. At the word load, the soldiers will come down to the priming position, load, and shoulder ; when tlie captain shall, by the same words of command, cause the company to fire again, and so on, until a ruffle from the drum directs Vo cease firing. 47. The captain shall, sometimes, order his company to fire ob- liquely to the right, and obliquely to the left, taking care to give the caution, oblique to the right, or oblique to the left, after the word, ready, and before the word, aim, making his company fire, thus, sometimes to the right, and sometimes to the left, without any other caution. He will, also, sometimes make his men recover arms, after . aiming, in order to accustom his men to steadiness and coolness, and to attention to the word of command. ARTICLE FOURTH. INDEPENDENT FILE FIRING. 48. To cause this species of firing, the instructor shall order ; 1. Fire by iinitftiittleii^ files. 2. Company. 3. Ready. 4. CommeT^p — firing. *' 49. At the first word of conmiSifd, the captain shall retire one pace in rear of the rear rank, opposite to his interval in line. 50. The mode of execution, in consequence of the third and fourth commands, will be regulated according to the directions laid down in No. 186, and the ones following, in the School of the Soldier. 72 Firing by Independent Files. 51. The right hand file shall commence this species of firing ; the next file will aim, at the instant when the first has fired and come down to the loading position, and so on to the left ; but this progression will take place only during the first fire ; every man, afterwards, loading and firing without waiting for others, and conforming to the rules laid down in No. 188, of the School of the Soldier, 62. The instructor causes the fire of independent files to cease, by a roll or ruffle of the drum ; at the beginning of which the firing shall cease. Those who have just fired, shall load and shoulder ; if in the position of ready, they shall front, half-cocking, and then shouldering, at the same time ; and if aiming, they shall recover their arms, ef their own accords, fronting, half cocking, and shouldering arms. 53. The ruffle shall, always, be followed by a tap of the drum, and, at this signal, the captain, as also the covering sergeant, shall, quickly, resume their places in line, and rectify, if necessary, the alignment of the ranks. 64. If there is no drum, the instructor shall order the fire to cease^ by repeating the word, ruffle, as^ directing the same to be beat. 65. On hearing the ruffle of the Srum, or the order of a ruffle, when there is no drum, the fire shall instantly cease ; to ensure which ob- ject, every commissioned officer of the company, and every non- commissioned offider in the rank of file-closers, shall call out, Cease firing. The tap of the drumstick, as a signal for the captain and the cover- ing sergeant to resume their original places, shall be likewise repeated. thus, tap of the drumstick by the instructor, when he sees arms shoul- dered, if there is no drum witli the drill. ARJiQi^ .FIFTH. FIRING TO THE REAH. •' 56. To accomplish this, the instructor shall order; 1. 3^ company-!^ fire to the rear. ^ Right-about— FACK. ol. At the word, right-about, the captain shall place ' himself facing, and close against, the right hand front rank man of his com- 73 pany, and the covering sergeant, followed by the officers and non,- conJmissioned officers of the rank of file-closers, shall, nimbly, step fhrough the interval, or opening, left by the captain, placing them- selves facing to the rear, two paces from the front rank, and oppo- site to their respective pla£es in line. 58. At the word, face, the captain shall occupy his interval in line, but places himself in the rear rank, now become the front ; and the covering sergeant shall plajce himself in the proper front rank, now the rear, and covering, in that situation, the captain. 69. The company facing to the rear, shall, by word of command from the instructor, as explained in the preceding article, go through the company firing, direct and oblique, and the firing by files inde- pendent. The captain, and the covering sergeant, will act as has been laid down respecting them, in such situations. 60. Independent file firing will commence from the left flank of the company, (the flanks of which ate reversed) now become the right. 6 1 . To front the company, the instructor shall order ; 1. The Company wiU front. ' / 2. Company. -, ■■;} ^ 3. Right-about — face, 62. At the word right-ahoiU, the captain, the covering sergeant, and the rank of file-closers, will conform to the directions given above. 63. At the word, face, the captain, and the covering sergeant, resume their places in line. REBIARKS ON THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF FIRING. 64. The instructor sliall accustom the ranks to aim horizontally, to lower the muzzle, a little, under level, in taking aim. 65. The iristructor will direct the captain to make a small paustr: between the words, aim, aaA,Jire, to enable the troops to aim well. 66. The instructor must place himself in front of the right flank, so as to command a view of the ranks, in order to observe such faults as may be committed; he shall give it in charge to the captain, ^nd to the rank of file-closers, (who shall not fire unless especially ordered) to watch in this respect, and to report to him such as are 10 74 found to load or fire awkwardly ; they shall be. remanded to the School of ihe Soldier. 67. The instructor will cause the soldiers to observe the utmost steadiness and coolness during the firings, consistently with a requi- site vivacity and smartness of execution ; and he shall omit nothing that can contribute to this effect. 68. In the firings, he will lay it down as a general principle, that the left heel is always to turn on the same spot, in order that the alignment of ranks, and the covering of files, may be main- tained ; and at the conclusion of the firing, he will ascertain .this, by inspecting the alignment. 69. The instructor shall add to his remarks, all those to be found under Nos. 196, 197, and 199, of the Sdiool of the Soldier. 70. When the company fires with blank cartridges, the instruc- tor shall cause the files, in close order, to spring ramrod, to as- certain whether there may not be three charges in the firelock; and if this is the case, he will cause them to be dfawn. LESSON III. ARTICLE FIRST. MARCHIHG IN LINE. 71. The compafiy being drawn up correctly aligned, for the march in lihe, the instructor will place himself from fifteen to twenty paces, in front of the captain, facing him, on the prolongation of the line passing between the heels of the captain, and those of the covering sergeant, behind him in the rear rank. , 72. He shall, previously, assure himself, that the shoulders of- the captain, and of the covering sergeant, are perfectly in the line of direction of their relative rank^;.and also, that the latter correctly covers the former. 73. The instructor having aligned himself, exactly, on the directing file, is to command, 1. Company — forward. 74. At this word, a non-commissioned officer, selected, previously, from the rank of file-.cloSers, shall proceed, six paces in front of the captain, and the instructor, situated as has been just described, will correctly align this non-commissioned officer, in the line of prq- iongatjo^of ihe directing filg, lb lb. The non-commissioned officer placed six paces in front pf tHe captain, being the person charged with the direction of the march, shall, after his own position is fixed, with his eye, mark two points on the ground, on a straight line proceeding from his own heels to, and passing between, those of the instructor. 76. This arrangement made, the instructor will command, 2. March. 77. At this word of command, the company shall step off, smartly, together ; the non-commissioned officer charged with the direction of the march, shall maintain with the greatest precision, the length and cadence of the step ; shall march in the direction of the two points taken up in the line between him and the instructor, in proportion as he advances, and always before he arrives at the nearest of the two points originally fixed on, taking up new points accurately in the prolon- gation of the two first, and at fifteen or twenty paces from each other ; the captain will constantly march in the path traced out by the di- recting non-commissioned officer, keeping, always at the distance of six paces from him ; and the soldiers shall keep the head direct to the front, feeling lightly the elbow of the man next to them, respectively, towards the side of the file of direction and conforming to the princi- ples laid down for the march to the front, in the school of the soldier. 78. The front rank man, next to the captain, shall be particularly careful never to project in line before him, nor to push him laterally ; and for this purpose he shsdl always keep the line of his shoulders, in a very small degree, back, or towards the rear, but at the same time, in a direction parallel to those of the captain. 79. The rank of file-closers will march, two paces, in rear of the rear rank. If the soldiers lose the step, the instructor is to command, Step. 80. At this word, the soldiers glance to the directing sergeant, take up the step and turn the head again, immediately to the front. OBSERVATIONS ON THE MARCH IN LINE OR BATTLE ORDER. '81. If the company is undergoing a course of elementary discipline, the instructor posts the captain and the covering sergeant, sometimes on the right, and sometimes on the left of the company ; but when the company exercised is a battalion company, if belonging to the 76 right wing, the officer and covering sergeant are posted oil the left, aad when belonging to the left, they are posted on the right flank. 82. Tlie non-commissioned officer who leads the march, influencing its accuracy in the highest degree, the instructor sfiall appoint for this important duty such only as are thoroughly disciplined and intelli- gent, in regard to the precision of the step, the habitude of maintaining the squareness of the shoulders, and of prolonging, without deviation, a given direction. 83. Were the guide deficient, and did not follow these principles, a floating movement of the company would necessarily take place ; the soldiers would not contract the habit of taking equal steps in equal' times, and of preserving, steadily, the squareness of the shoulders, the only means of attaining perfection in marching to the front. 84. In order, the better, to confirm the soldiers in the length of the step, in the cadence, and in the principles of marching in line, when- fcver tlie ground admits of it, the instructor shall cause the company to march three or four hundred paces, without halting ; towards the conclusion of this practice, he shall cause the company to march to the front in open order, the better to observe the marching of the rear lank, and in this case, he will order a non-commissioned officer from the rank of file-closers, to post himself on the flank of the rear rank behind the captain. 85. The instructor must bestow the most unremitting attention on the observations of the principles of marching in line ; he shall fre- quently place himself on the directing flank, whence he may see the rank, and mark all the faults committed ; and he will, sometimes, re- tire to the distance of twenty or thirty paces in rear of the directing file, stopping there to assure himself that the guide directing the march does not deviate from the line perpendicular to the original front. ARTICLE SECOND. TO HALT THE COMPANY MARCHING IN LINE, AND TO ALIGN, OR DEESS IT. 8G. To halt the company, the instructor commands, 1. Company, 2. Halt. 87. At the word, Mt, the company shall halt; and the guide is to remain-in his situation, unless the instructor, not seeing it necessary to continue the march orders him to retire to his place in line. 77 88. The company being halted, the instructor will make the three files, nearest to the directing flank, advance, and he will align the com- pany on them, as a base line, or he may confine himself to rectifying the alignment. In the last case, the instructor shall command, right (or left) dress; on which the captain shall dress such files as require it, as has been directed under No. 2&5 in the school of the soldier. ARTICLE THIRD. OBLiqUE MARCHING IN LINE. 89. The company marching to the front in line, will oblique by the following commands : 1 . Right (or left) oblique. 2. March. 90. At this command, to be given conformably to the directions laid down in the school of the soldier, Nos. 36 and 37, the company shall oblique ; the guide must give his utmost «|tention in maintaining the squareness of the shoulder parallel to tlie original front, and to. oblique with an uniform movement and step ; the captain will conform to the march of the guide ; the soldiers shall keep up the light touch of the elbow towards the side of the directing flank, following studi- ously, the rules prescribed in the school of the soldier. No. 211, and the man next the captain must be careful not to project to the front be- fore him, nor to press him laterally. 91. To resume the march direct to the front, the command will be, 1. Forward. ' 2. March. 92. At the wdrd, march, which shall be pronounced at tlie moment when the foot is coming to the ground, the company is to resume the di- rect march to the front ; the instructor shall, quickly, spring forward to tlie distance of fifteen or twenty paces in front of the captain, shall face to the Tear, stationing himself, correctly, on the prolongation of the line of the captain and covering sergeant, and, by a signal, will place, oo that line, the guide, should he happen to be either to the right or left of it : and the guide will immediately then, mark Uvo points on the ground, between himself and the instructor, taking, afterwards, new points, in ■proportion as he advances, as been explained under No. 77, of the school of the company. IB OBSERVATIONS ON OBLIQUE MARCHING. 93. Were the captain inattentive to keeping tiie shoulders square, he would give the company a false direction, which would militate against the essential object in oblique marching, that of gaining ground to the right or left, still keeping the front parallel to the original line, previous to obliquing. 94. Were the guide to oblique with an inequality of step, gaining sometimes more and sometimes less ground to a flank, and were the captain to act similarly, conforming to this inaccurate marching, open- ing out, and crowding on each other, would necessarily result, among the files, according to the nature of the error. 95. The utmost attention on the part of the instructor is required to obviate these faults ; he must, immediately on perceiving, rectify them,, by placing himself, during the march, in front, facing the company, in such a manner, as to be able to regulate the march of the guide and to watch that the principles are adhered to ; he must see that the man on the flank, to which the obliquing is made, gains sufficient ground, so as not to constrain tlie marching of the files that are towards the other flank ; were he not to oblique sufficiently, the company would bulge out, or break; were he to oblique too much, openings would take place ; it is therefore of importance to regulate the step of the captain, or of the man placed on the opposite flank, when the obliquing is in that direction. 96. Finally, the instructor, when the ground admits of it, ought to continue the oblique march for a considerable time, before the direct march is resumed, in order to render the practice easy to the soldier, which is of the utmost importance in the movements of the line. ARTICLE FOURTH. TO MARK TIME, TO MARCH IN qUIOK TIME, AND THE BACK STEP. 97. To mark time, when the company is marching in common time, to the front, the instructor commands, 1. Mark Time. 2, March. 98. To resume the ordinary step, the commands are. 1. Forward. ?. March. 79 99. To march in quick, from common time, the instructor shall com- mand, iM'Quipk Time. f. 2. March. 100. The word, march, shall be given at the instant, when either foot, indifferently, is just coming to the ground. 101. To resume the common time, the command is, 1. Common Time. 2. March. 102. The word march, shall be given somewhat sooner than it is in passing from common, to quick time, and when either foot is on the ground in the rear. 103. The company being halted, the practice of the back step will larise from thege words of command, 1. Backward. 2. March. 104. The back- step is executed according t(5 the principles laid down in the school of Hie soldier, Nos. 230 and 231 ; but the occasion for using it being less frequent, than that of the other species of march- ing, the instructor shall practise the soldiers, occasionally in marching fifteen or twenty steps backward, REMARKS ON QUICK TIME, 105. The instructor ought not to exercise the men in marching in quick time, till they are thoroughly confirmed in the length and cadence of the step in common time: and he will, then, endeavour to render it familiar and easy to them to take one hundred and twenty steps in a minute in quick time cadpnce, to keep the body upright, and to be as cool and collected, as in marching in common time. 106. In the cliarge, and in all circumstances requiring great celerHy of movement, quick time may be carried as far as one hundred and forty steps, in a minute; but as troops marching at this rate, for a conside- rable time, could scarcely fail to break, in inculcating the elementary principles of the march, this measure of acceleration of march is not to 80 be considered as a prescribfed head of instruction, and coasequenfly, the troops are to be exercised in the habitual practice of one hundred and twenty steps in a minute. ARTICLE FIFTH. TO MARCH IN LINE, WITH THE REAR RANK LEADING. 107. The company beifig halted and aligned, the instructor is to or- der the march to the rear, with the rear rank leading, as follows : 1. Company. 2. Right-about — face. 108. The company having faced to the right-about, the 'instructor shall step nimbly to the front of the directing file, conforming himself to the directions laid down under No. 71. 109. The instructor being correctly situated on the prolongatioii of the line of the directing file, commands. Company — forward. 1 10. At this command, the leading sergeant shall conform to the di- rections laid down ijnder Nos. 74 and 75, with this only difierence, that he posts himself at the distance of six paces from the line of file-clo- sers. <• 111. The covering sergeant shall post himself in the alignment of the rank of file-closers, opposite to his interval, and the captain sh^ take his place in the rear rank, now become the front, or leading rank. 112. The disposition being made, the instructor will give*the word of command, March. 113. On hearing this word, all step off, the guide, the captain, and the sol4iers, conforming to the directions laid down, heretofore under No. 77, and the following. 114. With the exception of stepping back, the instructor, while the rear rank leads, shall cause the company to practise all that has been di- rected in the case of marching in line to the front ; and the words of eommaod, and procedure of execution will be the same, as if the pro- per front rank led. 81 116. When the company is halted, and that the instructor wishes tp align, or dress it, he will put it to the right-about, by the words of com- mand under No. 16, and following ones in the school of the soldier, and the captain and covering sergeant having .%iced about, will take their respective posts in line. " * 116. The instructor may, then, order the three files nearest to the directing flank to advance, to serve as a base line to dress on ; or he may confine himself to the rectification of the alignment, conformingv in either case, to the directions given, under No. 88. LESSON IV. ARTICLE FIRST. TO MARCH TO A FLANK. ^ 117. The corflpany standing aligned, is marched to the right flanl^: fey the following words of command : 1. Company. 2. Right — FACE. 3. March. Plate vii. fig. 1 . 118. At the second command, the company will face to the right, the captain will also face, moving one pace out of the rank sideways, so as to be on the left of the covering sergeant, and near him, after he has also faced to the right, and moved, laterally, to occupy before the front rank man, the place out of which the captain has just moved. • 1 19. At the word march, the company steps ofi", smartly together, iii common time ; the covering sergeant placed before the man on the right of the front rank, and the captain placed at the side of the cover- 'ing sergeant, will march straight forward. The men of the rear rank will march, dressing on their file leader, and keeping the head direct to the front ; and the rank of file-closers will march, keeping exactly opposite to the file thej^ respectively, cover in line. 120. The instructors to see that the rules of marching to a flank are adhered to, by placfiig himself, during the march, as has been di- rected in the sclwol of the soldier, Nos. 237 and 238. 121. The instructor is to cause the company to march to the left flank, by the words of command used above ; excepting, that he subr stitntes tKe word, left, instead of, right. 11 82 122. At the instant that the company faces to the left, the guide of the left flank, shall place himself before the man on.the left of the front rank; the captain shall go,-quickly, to the left, placing himself close to, and to the right of thejRit^sSleVJicMt^ and the covering sergeant will post himself in the frMt rank, occupying the place left by the ^ captain, who has moved to the left flank. ARTICLE SECOND. •WHEELING IN FILE. PlATE VII. SI6. 1. 123. The/company being faced to a flank, and either marching in file, or halqlp will wheel its head, in file, by the following words of command;^ • 1. By files — rigM (or left) wheel. 2. March. 124. At the word, march^ the leading file shall wheel ; if the wheel be made on the front rank man, he is not to turn suddenly, but is to move over a small portion of a small circle, shortening, a little, the~three or four wheeling steps, in order to give the man in the rear rank of the same file, time to conform to his movement, if the wheel be made on the rear rank man, the man of the front rank in the same file, will march the step of twenty-eight inches in wheeling, and the man of the rear rank conforms to his movement, by. describing a small portion of a small circle, as has been just mentioned above ; and each file shall, thus, wheel on the same ground on which the first wheeled. 125. The instructor shall strictly observe, that the wheel is con- ducted on those principles, so that the distance between the files may always be preserved, and. that there is no sudden stoppage, jerking for- ward, or repulsion on the march. ARTICLE THIRD. TO HALT THE COMPANY MARCHING TO. FLANK, AND TO -FACE n / IT TO ITS PROPEll FUONT. 126. The instructor shall command, 1. Company. 83 2. Halt. 3. Front. 127. The second and third words of command are obeyed, as di- jrected in the school of the soldier, under Nos. 244 and 245. The cap- tain and covering sergeant, take their pok in line, immediately after the company fronts. 128. The instructor, if necessary, can take up a new alignment, or cause the company to be dressed, on its ground, by the captain. ARTICLE FOURTH. TO FORM THE COMPANV MARCHtNG TO A FLANK, BY FILES, TO THE RIGHT FLANK, IF MARCHING TO THE RIGHT: OR BY FJLES TO THE LEFT FLANK, IF MARCHING TO THE LEFT. 129. The instructor shall cause the company marching to the right flank, to form, by files, to the right flank, inline, as follows : 1. Company, fiy files on the right form line. i 2. March. PlATK vir. FIO. 2. 130. At the word, TJiarcfe, the rear rank marks time ; the covering ser. geant and the captain will turn to the right, march straight forward, and shall be halted by the instructor, when these have passed, at least, four paces beyond the rear rank, who are marking time ; the captain shift- ing to the right of the covering sergeant; the m^in on the right of the front rank will continue marching, shall pass behind the covering ser- geant, will turn to the right when beyond him, and shall move up to his left, dressing on him; the second man of the front rank shall, in the same manner, pass in the rear of the first, shall then turn to the right, and shall move uplo his left, dressing on him; and so on, to the last, man of this rank, whatever number of file leaders of companies may compose it ; the rear rapk will execute the movement in the same man- ner as the first, and the right hand man of the rear rank, from marking time, is not to commence the march of his rank, till he sees three or four men of the front rank in line. The men of the rear rank will place themselves correctly, covering their respective file leaders, as they come up, one by one, to their places in line. 8i 131. 'fhe eaptain having placed himself on the right of the cover- ing sergeant, shall direct the formation of the alignment, as the men of the front rank arrive on the line. 132. If the company is marching to, the left flank, the instructor can form it, hy files to tlie left flank, in line, hy the words of command di- rected above, in No. 129, but hy inversion of mode, substituting the word, left, instead of, right; and the captain, placed on the left of the front rank, shall return to his proper situation, in line, after the instruc- tor, seeing the company formed, shall have ordered him so to do. 133. The betterto make the soldiers comprehend the mechanism or component parts of this movement, the instructor will, at first, make each rank execute it separately, and afterwards the two ranks to- gether; directing them to form as- if each rank were independent of, and unconnected with the other, but always recollecting what has been directed to be done by the rear rank, relative to the moment of recommencing the-march, after marking time. The instructor will follow up the movement, to assure himself that each file has followed the rules laid down in No. 130. ARTICLE FIFTH. THE COMPANY MARCHING TO A FLANK, FO&MING TO THE FaONT FROM FILE, EITHER IN COMPANY, OR BY FLATOONS. PlATE VII. FIG. 3. 134. The company is supposed marching, in file, to the right flank. The instructor will order the captain to execute the intended move- ment. He will order, 1. Company by files form line to the froWt. 2. March. A 135. At the word march, the covering sergeant continues to marcfc ■straight on ; the soldiers shall bring forward the right shoulder, pass- ing from common to quick time, and shall move into line, over the shortest line leading to their respective places, observing to dress up one after another, without running. 136. As the soldiers come into line, they are to take up the step from the covering sergeant. 137. The men of the rear ranks, will conform to the movement of their file leaders, whom they will allow to precede them in coming \s^ "into line. 85 138. At the instant the movement commences,, the captain shall face to his company, and conduct the operation : , when the company- is formed to the front, he shall command, guide to the left, and shall then post himself, two paces, before the centre of the company, fac- ing to the front, and taking up the step of the company. 139. At the word, guide to the left, by the captain, the guide of the left shall, nimbly, spring to 'the left of the front-rank man there ; and the covering sergeant, who is at the opposite flank, shall remain there. 140. When the company is marching in file to the left flank, the- movement is executed by the same words of command, and oh the s4me principles : the company being formed from file to the front, the- captaiq would order, guide to the right, taking his bwn place, two paces before the centre ; the covering sergeant who is on the right of the front rank, would answer the purpose of guide on the right, and the guide on the left flank would remain there. • 141. Thus, in a column of companies, tiie covering sergeant of each, shall be always placed oh the right of Ijje front rank, and the guide of the left, shall be on the left of the front rank man of the left flank, in their respective companies, whether the column has the right or left in front ; they shall be termed guide of the right, and guide of the left, of the company, and one of them will be charged with the direction, according as the column may be marching with the right or left in front. 142.. If the company marching, in file, to a flank, is to be formed to the front, by platoons, the captain having received an order so to do, shall command, / Arm. 1. 9 // ,204. The chiefs of platoons having aligned their respective pla- toons, will order, front, and shall, nimbly, place themselves before the centre of their platoon. This arrangement being made, the instructor is to command, 1. heft into line wheel, 2. March. 205. At the Word, march, quickly repeated by the chiefs of pla- toons, the man in the front rank on the left of each platoon, shall face to the left, and is to bear his breast, lightly, against the right arm of the guide placed by his side, who shall not stir ; the platoons shall wheel to the left on the principles of wheeling on a halted pivot, con- &>rming to the directions laid down under No. 162 of the school of the company ; and each chief of platoon shall turn to his platoon to con- duct the wheel, giving the following words, when the right of his pla- toon arrives within two paces of the line. 1. Platoon. 2. Halt. 206. The chief of the second platoon having halted his platoon, shall retire to the rank of file- closers. 207. The captain having halted the first platoon, shall place him- self, nimbly, on the line, at the point where the right will rest when dressed forward ; and command, as soon as he plants himself there. Right — DRESS. 96 208. At this T^ord the two platoons shall dress up to the alignin6ut ; the man of the first who is opposite to the instructor placed on the directing line, will dress up to him, and shall, lightly, with his breast^ touch the instructor's left arm. The captain shall direct the align- menton the guide of the left. 209. The company being aligned, the captain will command, Front. 210. The instructor seeing the company formed steady in line, shall command. Guides to your—tosTS." 211. At this word of command, the covering sergeant shall retire behind the captain, the guide of the left, retiring tq the rank of file- closers. ,The instructor shall ascertain the accuracy of the alignment, and, if requiring it, shall order it to be rectified by the captain. 212. la order to wheel the column up into line, with the left in front, the wheel being to the right, the instructor shall place himself, feeing the leading guide, 6n the directing line, at the distance of a platoon fiom him, rectifying, if necessary, the position of the second guide ; after effecting which, he shall command, " 1. Right into line 'wheel. 2. March. 213. ■ At the word, march, the front rank man on the right of each platoon, shall face to the right, and shall bear his breast, lightly- against the left arm of the guide placed by bis side, who shall not move ; each platoon shall wheel to the right, and will be halted by its chief of platoon, when the wheeling wing is within two paces of the line ; and, for this purpose, the chiefs of platoons will give the words of command, 1. Platoon. 2. Halt. 214. The chief of the second platoon, having halted his platoon, shall retire to the rank of file-closers. 216. The captain having halted the first platoon, shall step, nimbly, to the left flank of the company, placing himself at the point where the left hand front rank man will rest, when the company is in line ; and being there, he shall command, 97 IteJi—DHESS. 216. At this word of command, the two platoons shaii dress Up to the alignment, the man of the front rank on the left of the second platoon, who dresses up to the point the instructor is at, shall, lightly, with his breast, touch the instructor's right arm ; and the captain shall direct the alignment on the man on the right of the front rank of the company. 217. The company being aligned, the captain ^yill command. 218. The instructor shall, then, command. Guides to yow — posts. 219. At this command, the captain will take his post on the right of the company ; the covering sergeant shall take his place in the rear rank, covering the captain ; and the guide of the left will retire to the rank of file-closers. REMARKS ON THE MOVEJIENT OF WHEELING UP INTO LINE TO THE LEFT, OR RIGHT, FROM OPEN COLUMN. 220. The instructor can dispense with giving the word, right, or left — DRESS, previous to commanding, lefi, or right, into line wlieel, unless it may have become necessary, by rectifying the position of the guide, that the platoon should incline, Taterally, to the right or left. 221. The instructor, previously to commanding lefi (or right) into line wheel, ought to see that the rear platoon has its proper column distance. This attention is important, as it habituates the guides ne- ▼er to neglect so very essential a point. LESSON VI. ARTICLE FIRST. TO BREAK OFF FILES, AND TO MOVE THEM UP AGAIN TO THE FROM. 3S2. The company marching, and supposed to constitute a part of a column, with the right, or left, in front, and the instructor intending to break off files, shall give an order, to that effect, to the captain, who will, immediately, face to his company, and command, -1. One file from the right (or left) break off". 13 98 2. MarcK. Plate siii. fig, 8-- 223. At the Tford of command, march, the first file oh the right, of tiie first file on the left, will mark time, and the company will con- tinue to march on ; the man of the rear rank of thaffile shall move; as soon a.s the rear rank of the company shall have passed him, to the left, if it is a file of the right ; to the right, if it is a file of the left, and sball place himself behind the second file from the flank then marching on ; the man pf the front rank shall, likewise, move behind the first file, at the instant when the rear of the company shall have passed ^ him ; and each man of the file shall move to his indicated situation, by bringing forward a little the outward shoulder, taking great care not to lose his distance, by falling too far behind. 224. The instructor seeing it necessary to break off another file, and having given an order, to that effect, to the captain, this last shall give the former orders for breaking off a file. PlAT£ XIII. EIC. 9. 225. At the word, march, by the captain, th^ file already broke off, and in rear, advancing the exterior shoulder a little, shall gain the Space of one file to the right, if a file of the left ; to the left, if a file of the right, and contract the step, in 6rder to make room for the new jile in its front ; and the new file will break off in the same manner as- the first did, and place itself between the company and tlie file first broken off. 226. The instructor shall, thus, be enabled to diminish, succes- sively, the front of the company, by as many files as he may judge Jiecessary, always breaking off new files from the same flank, till twe files, only, remain forming the front. 227. The rank of file-closers shall arrange themselves behind the part of the company that has not diminished itself, by breaking off files. 228. When the instructor sees it necessary to direct some files fn the rear, to form up, he will order the captain to effect this, by tjje following words of command ; 1 One file of the right (or hji) into linet 2. March. I'iATE xm. Fie. let 99 229. On the word, march, the front file of those broke off and march- ing behind the flank, shall move up, quicklj, to the front, and the files in the rear shall, by bringing forward the right shoulder, incline the space, or breadth, of one file to the left, if it is behind the left flank tiiat the files are ; or shall, by bringing forward the lefl: shoulder, in- cline the space of one file to the right, if it is behind the right flanjc that the files broken off are placed. 230. The captain facing his company, will see that the movement is executed according to the prescribed rules. PlATE XIII. MO. 11. 231. The instructor having, thus, caused files to break off, and form up, successively, will order that two or three files shall break off together, or at the same time ; the number of named files will mark time ; each rank, when the rear of the company has passed it, shall bring forwSrd, a little, the exterior shoulder, shall oblique together, and shall place itself behind one of the two nearest files, as if the movment were executed, file by file, observing not to lose the «listar»ce. 232. The instructor will, afterwards, order the captain to cause -,two or three files, at the same time, to move to the front ; and, fer . this purpose, the captain commajods, X. Three j Mmt files into line. n 2. MARca. \ - Plate xm. fig. 12. ' SS3.' The named files will move up quickly over the shortest lines leading to their places. 234. As often as files are broken off, the guide on the flank shall close into that flank, to the right, or left, in proportion as the front diminishes, so as to be always close to the flank of the company, from which a file, or files, have been broke off; and he will incline off from the flank, in proportion as files are ordered to move up. HEMARKS ON THE MOVEMENT OF BREAKING OFF FILES TO DIMINISH THE FRONT, AND ON ORDERING THEM AGAIN INTO LINE. 235; It is, of the greatest importance, with respect to the preservar tion of distaaces in a Column of route, composed of seve.ral b^tAlJons.. leo to accustom the soldiers, in inculcating the minute details of discip- line, to go through these movements tvith the utmost precision. 236. If, when new files are broke oS, they do not step out well in obliquing ; and if, when coming up again to the front, they do not move up, quickly, they would, in either case, stop the progress of the files already in the rear, which would occasion a loss of distance, and a lengthening out of the column. 237. The instructor is to place himself on the flank where the movement is executing, to ascertain the accuracy of the movenrents. 238. The instructor will observo, that by, successively, throwing ffles to the rear of the same flank, the front may be reduced tojwo files, behind which the broken off files march. 239. When the front is reduced to four files, by breaking off from each flank, and a further diminution is necessary, the division must inarch in file, with the right or left flank in front. For that purpose, the files of the flank, which is to be in front, must rapidly counter- march from the rear to the front ; an,d the rest of the division will follow in file. ARTICLE SECOND. TO MARCH IN COLUMN OF ROUTE, AND TO EXECUTE THE VARIOUS FILS MOVEMENTS PRESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING ARTICLE. 240. The company being halted, and supposed to form a part of a column, the ipstructor shall give the following words of command, t» make the column march at ease, 1. Column forward. 2. Guide to the left (or right.^ 3. Route step. 4. March. 241. On the word, march, repeated by the captain, the ranks step off together, taking open order, to about the distance of three feet, from rank to rank, which being effected, the instructor shall com- Hiand, ■ Arms at — ease. 242. At this word, the arms shall be carried in eithjt hand, or on either shoulder, the soldiers taking care to keep the mu^les of their Huiskets upwards ; apd they will w longer be required to'march with 101 a cadenced step, nor to keep silence : the files march at ease, but the ranks must never intermix, and the men of the front rank must never be further advanced to the front than the guide who is on the pivot flank ; and the rear rank must keep at the distance of about three feet from the front rank. 243. Were the column marching with the cadenced step, the route step would be assumed from the following words of command ; 1. Column. 2. Route step. 3. March. 244. On the word, march, the front rank continues to march the step of twenty-eight inches, and the rear rank shall take open order, on the taarch, to the distance of about three feet from rank to rank ; and the instructor shall then order, arms at — ease, which will be done as di- rected. 245. The Soldiers marching at ease, the instructor shall cause the direction of the column to be changed on the pivot, or on the reverse flank, which is to be executed without a formal word of command, and siroplj on a caution given by the captain ; the rear rank will, succes- sively, when on the spot where the front rank effected the change, wheel on a moveable pivot, or turn to the right or left, conforming, though marching at ease, to the principles which have been detailed for changing the direction, when marching at close order and with the cadenced step ; with this only difference, that in changes of direction on the side opposite to the guide," the pivot man takes steps of fourteen inches in order to clear or disengage the wheeling point. 246. The instructor shall also direct the men to be exercised in the various file-movements detailed in the preceding article, strictly ac- cording to the rules mentioned therein ; and he will, close the ranks, by directing the captain to give the words, ' 1 . Rear rank close order. 2. March. 247. At the word, march, the front rank shall resume the cadenced step ; the rear rank, and also the files which may be behind the flanks broke off, shall, quickly, close up, taking up, afterwards, the ca- denced step ; and both rariks will support arms. 248. When the company marching at ease, halts, the rear rank shall flcse up, at thejv«rd, halt, and the mea will support arms: 102 were the corapanj marching at closed ranks, if halteS, arms would be carried. This rule is general, whatever may be the number of com- panies. 249. In the drill of the company, a column of route shall march itt common time. In the drill of the battalion, and on service, without observing the cadence of the step, it will march as nearly at that rate as the nature of the ground will admit. ARTICLE THIRD. breakino and forming company on tbe march".. Plate ix. fig. 1. To break into platoons. 250. The company marching with the cadenced step, and being aippo^ed to form a part of a column, with the right in front, the in- structor, in order to break into platoons, will give the order for the purpose to the captain, who is to command, 1. Break into jilatoons. /\ The captain takes post before the centre of the first platoon. 251. The chief of the second platoon, placed in its rear, shall, on tearing the last word of command, post himself, also, before its cen- tre, where, when arrived, he will command, Mark time. 252. The captain will then command^ 2. March. 253. The first platoon is to cohtinue to march straight forward, and the covering sergeant shall place himself on its left flank ; when that flank separates, or is clear of the right flank of the left platoon which is, niarkftig time ; the covering sergeant passing to his place along the front of the first platoon. 264. On the word, march, given by the captain, the second pla:; toon is tp mark time, as previously cautioned by its chief, and shall, likewise^, oblique to the right, as soon as the rear raijjs of the first pla-- tooa shall have passed beyond its front. 103 255. The guide on the left of the second platoon having nearly ar- Bived on the line of direction of the first, the chief of the second platooa shall command, forward, and at the instant, when the guide of the second platoon covers the guide of the first he shall command, Makch. 256. The formation of the platoons, when the left is in front, is ef- fected by inverse means 267. The left being in front, the guide of the left shall move to the right flank of the second platoon, when clear of the left flank of the first platoon ; and the covering sergeant on the right flank of the first platoon remains there. TO FORM COMPANY. 258. The column marching in platoons, with the right in front, the instructor directs the captain to form company ; the captain effects thfs' by the following words of command, 1. Form Company. PiATE IX. no. 2. ■259. The captain having given this word, is to caution the first pla- toon to prepare to oblique to the right. 260. The chief of the second platoon shall warn his platoon to con- "slinue to march, steadily, stl-aight forward. 261. The captain will then command, 2. March. 262. At this word, which must be repeated by the chief of the se- cond platoon, the first platoon shall oblique to the right to uncover the Second, and the covering sergeant, placed on the left flank of the first platoon, will move to its right, passing, for this purpose, along its front. 263. When the first platoon shall have, nearly uncovered, or cleared fte front of the second, the captain is to give the word, forward; and that of march, at the instant when his platoon has completely uncovered the second, which is marching steadily on. 264. During this operation, the second platoon is to continue to march straight forward at the same pace, and the first, after uncover- ing the second platoon shall mark time, waiting for the second, to which it shall unite, when up to it. 265. Tbe company is formed, wbeo tbe left i? ia front, by inverse means. 104 266. In this case, of the left in front, the guide of the secona pla- foon, placed on the right flank of it, shall move to the left flank, when the obliquing commences; and the guide of the first platoon, placed on its right flank, shall remain there. 267. The instructor will, afterwards exercise the company m break- ing and forming company,, when matching at ease, in column of route ; which shall be effected by the same words of command, and by simi- lar means of execution, as when marching with the cadenced step, with this only difference, that in the platoon, which obliques,, each man Will half face to the right, or, half face to the left, instead of maintain- ing the squareness of the shoulders to the front, as is required in obliquing, when marching regularly, with a cadenced step. 268. The instructor shall, sometimes, also cause the company to break and reform by the prescribed words of command, which he himself shall give, in lieu of the captain. REMARKS ON THE MOVEMENT OF BREAKING AND FORMING COMPANY. 269. In both operations, it is necessary that the platoons should step out well in obliquing, to avoid losing ground, and in order not to im- pede the march of the platoon, which is following. 270. If, in diminishing the front of the company, the platoon that is to break off by obliquing, marked time too long it might impede the following platoon in its march, which would produce a lengthening out of the column. 271. If, in breaking or fonning company, a platoon obliqued too long a lime, it would be under the necessity, afterwards, in order to rectify the error, of obliquing in a contrary direction, and by that means, the succeeding company might be interrupted in its march. 272. When in a column of several companies, the breaking takes place successively, it is of the last importance, thaf each company should continue to march at the same rate, without stepping short, or altering tlie time,, while the preceding company is going through the movement of breaking, though even the succeeding company should be obliged to close up, entirely, to the company breaking: and this at- tention is indispcnsible to prevent a lengthening out of the column. 273. Errors of snlall magnitude, in a column consisting of a few companies, would be attended with serious inconveniences in a column of several battalions ; so that the instructor ought to be extremely vi- gilant in observing that all the prescribed rules and principles are slrictly adhered to ; and for this purpose, he must place himself on the Tpivoi flank of the column, in order the better to observe all the move- ments. 105 ARTICLE FOURTH. - COUNTERMARCH. 274. The company being halted, and supposed to constitute part of a column with the right in front, the instructor, in order to make it countermarch, will command, Plate li. fib. 3. 1. Company — countermarch. 2. Right — FACE. 3. Left Countermarch^ 4. March. 275. At the second command, the company is to face to the right , the captain shall move to the side of the guide of the right ; and the guide of the left shall face to the right-about. 276. At the fourth word, march, the guide of the left is not to move ; the company will step off smartly; the leading file conducted by the Captain, must wheel to the left-about, moving along the front rank now marching in file, so as to arrive at the distance of two paces in rear of the guide of the left, who has not moved, nor followed the company; each file shall wheel, successively, on the same ground as the leading file wheeled on, and in the same manner; and when the leading file has arrived as far as the guide of the leA, the captain must command, 1. Company, 2. Halt. 3. Front. 4. Right — DRESS. t*n. The first word of command is to be given, when the leading file is within two paces of the point, where the company ought to halt. 278. On the second word, the company is to halt. 279. On the third word, the company shall face to the side the front rank is on. 280. At the fourth word, the company shall move up to the align- ment marked by the position of the guide of the left; the man on the right of the front rank, shall place himself to the left, and by the side of the guide ; the captain will place himself at the distance of two paces on the outside, or to' the right, of the- guide, in order to direct the 14 106 alignment ; when efiiected he must command, front, placing himself before the centre of the company: the covering sergeant shall then place himself on the right of the front rank ; and the guide of the left^ who was there, shall move to his place, to the left of the front rank. 281. In a column with the left in front, the countermarch would be executed on the same principles, but by inverse means ; accordingly since the facing is to the right,, and the countermarch to the left abouty when the right is in ftont ; the facing must be to the left, and the coun- termarch to the right about, when the left is in front, always counter- marching before the front rank. 282. Finally, if it were a column of platoons,, the countermarch Would be executed by the same words of command, and in the same manner, as in a column of companies. •• ■ ARTICLE FIFTH. TO FORM TO EITHER FLANK, FROM OPEN COLUMH OF PLA- TOONS- 283. The company being in open column of platoons to form on th& light (or left) in line, the instructor shall command, 1. On the right, farm company. 2. Guide to the right. 284. At the second word of command, the guide of each platooB' shall move, nimbly, to the right flank of his platoon, and the soldier's stall talce the light touch of the elbows from the right ; and the column' will continue to march straight forward. 285. The instructor having given the second word of command, shall move, nimbly, to the, point where the right of the company is to rest in line ; and shall place himself there, facing to the left of the new line he has chosen. 286. The line fixed on, ought to be so situated that each platoon, after having turned to the right, with the left shoulder forward, may have, after so turning, at least, four paces, or steps, to march up to the line. 287. T^e head of the column having arrived, nearly, as far as the instructor, placed at the point of appui, the chief of the first platoon- -viU command, Right Turn, 107 S88. And wlien it shall be opposite to the instructor, the xhief of platoon shall command, March. 2.89. On the word, march, the first platoon shall turn to the right, conforming to the directions given in the school of the soldier, under No. 285 ; it shall then move to its front ; the guide shall conduct him- self in such a manner, that the man of the front rank next to him, and by his side, arrives opposite to the instructor ; the captain is to march two paces in front of the centre of the first platoon ; and when it ar- rives at the situation of the instructor, the captain shall command, 1. Platoon. 2. Halt, 290. At the word, halt, the platoon is to halt ; the g«ide shall, imme- diately on that, move along the new line till opposite to one of the three files on the left of his platoon ; he shall face towards the instructor, who shall align him on the point of direction beyond the left ; and the cap- lain is to move, at the same time, to the point where the right will rest when dressed up, commanding, when there, JRight DRESS. 291. At 'this word, the first platoon is to dress forward. 292. The second platoon shall continue to march straight on until it arrives opposite to the left flank of the first, when, by a command from, its chief, it will turn to the right, and move up, theh, towards the line., Ihe guide conducting his march on the left file of the first platoon. 293. The second platoon being arrived within two paces of the line, shall be halted by its chief, by the same commands prescribed for the first ; at the instajit of halting, the guide is to spring forwa'rd, nimbly, placing himself on the line of formation, facing the guide of the first platoon ; the instructor shall direct him to move to the right, or left, till he is on the line ; and the guide must talce care to be opposite to one of the three files on the left of his platoon. 294. The chief of the second platoon, seeing his guide established on the line, sliall command. Right — DRESS. 295. The chief of the second platoon, after giving this order shall quickly retire to the ranji of file-closers passing between the first and l«cond platoons, and the second platoon is to dress up to the first. 108 296. The man of each platoon who is opposite to the guide placed before him, shall, in dressing, gently press his breast against the arm of the guide, at the moment of coming up to the luie. 297. The instructor, on Seeing the company in line, is to give the word of command, Guides 10 your — posts. 298. At this word of command, the covering sergeant shall go to his situation, covering the captain ; aiid the guide of the second platoon will retire to the rank of file-plosers, 299. A column of platoons, with the left in front, Will form on ike left Jlank, op the same principles ; and the instructor shall command, 1 . On the left form company, 2. Guide to the left. 300. On the second word of command, the guide of each platoon, shall step nimbly, to the left of it ; the soldiers shall keep up, and take the touch of the elbow from the left, and the column is to continue to inarch straight forward. 301 . The instructor havifig given the second, word of command, shall proceed, quickly, to the point where the left of the line is to rest, pla- cing himself facing the point of direction he has fixed on,-!© the right* 302. The instructor shall choose the new line in such a manner, that each platoon, after having turned to the left, shall have, at least, four steps to take to the front, to bring it up to the line. 303. The head of the column having nearly arrived -opposite to the instructor placed at the point of fippw, the chief of the second (, v^ |te non-commissioned officer who was originally pb^ed on the leftj Jp^e front rank Of the batta- lion,*«i» *«wesume ttonplac^in the iwat rank. ARTICLE SECOND. MANUAL EXERCISE. 9. Before the ranks are closed, the colonel shall direct the follow- ing exercise of arms to be gone through. The present arms. ^ To shoulder arms. To order arms. To shoulder arms. To support arms. To carry arms. To prime and load in quick time. 119 IG. The colohel is to superintend the execution of this exercise by die front rank, and the lieutenant-colonel that of the rear rank. The captains and Covering sergeants in their respective ranks, sha'l, al- ways, half face to the right with the soldiers, in the first motion of loading, and are to front when the man nest to them, respectively, "in their own Company casts about. ARTICLE THIRD. LOADING IN QUICKEST TIME, AND THE FIRINSS. 11. The colonel shall cause the ranks to be closed by the words "jf command directed to be given by the instructor in the school of the company, under No. 24 ; and will, afterwards, order the battalion to prime and load, without cartridge, in quickest time. 12. The colonel must put the battalion through the company firings, the firings by wings, by battalion, and by independent files, by the words of command which shall be directed hereafter. 13. The firing by comps^nies, and by files independent, shall be, always, direct to the front ; and the firings by wings, and by batta- lion, may be direct or oblique. 14. When the fire is to be oblique, the colonel must, each time, give the caution of oblique to the right (or, oblique to the left,) after the word ready, and previously to the word aim. ► 15. Gbmpany firing shall be executed by the first and second com- panies of each grand division, alternately, as if each grand division were insulated, or alone ; the fir?t company shall fire first ; the cap- tain of the second shall not give the first word of command, until he sees one or two firelocks shouldered in the first, after loading ; and the captain of the first company, in his turn, will observe the same ,rule in regard to the second, tlie firing continuing thus, alternately. 1 6. The colonel must regulate the firing by wings, in the same manner, 17. Independent file-firing shall commence in all the companies, at the same time, and conformably to the mode laid down, in the scjiool of the company, No. ^1. 18. The guard of the colours" do not fire, but remain shouldered during the firings. 19. The colonel must order the fire to cease by a roll of the drum, followed by a tap of the drumstick ; and on the signa! of tl-e tap, the captains, the covering sergeants, and the guard of the colours, stfall, quickly, resume their places in line. 120 20. At the instant when the ruffle of the drum commences, the sol- diers shall act as has been described in the school of the company, No. 62 ; and all the commissioned officers of the battalion ; and the non- commissioned officers of the rank of file^closers, shall promptly re- peat the words, cease Jiring. 21. When the battalion rests, the captains, the covering sergeants, and the officers and non-commissioned officers of the rank of file-clo- sers, shall not quit their ranks, excepting in a case of urgent necessity, and captains quitting their ranks, must cause their covering sergeants to occupy their places, in order that the squareness of the alignment remaining always the same, there may be no occasion to rectify the alignment, after calling attention, excepting in the interior of the com- panies. ' 22. The colonel shall give the word of command for firing from Jhe rear of the battalion, placing himself where he can be heard to most advantage. 23. The lieutenant-colonel is fo take post, during the firings, be- hind the centre of the right wing, and the major likewise, behind the left wing, both at the distance of about eight paces from the rank of file-olosers ; and when the battalion rests, they must report to the eommanding officer such faults as they may have observed. COMPANY FIRISG, 24., To effect this, the colonel must give the following words »f command : 1. Battalion, fire hy companies. 2. COMMENCE FIRING. 25. On the first command of caution, the captains, and their cover- ing sergeants, shall retire to the situations assigned to them in the school of the company, Nos. 43, and 44. 26. The bearers of the colours, and the guard of the colours, will retire in such a manner, that their front rank may be in, and dressed on the rear rank of the battalion. 27. On hearing 'the second word of command, the odd companies shall commence the firing ; and the captains are to give the words of command prescribed in the school of the company. No. 45: taking care to add to the word company, the designation oi first, third, fiJUi, or seventh, according to the number of each. 28. The captains of the even, or left hand companies, shall give, in their turn, thesame words of command, adding likewise, the deno- 121 tnlnation of the number of each company ; and thus the firing conr tinues, alternately, by the companies of each grand division. 29. In order that the odd, or first companies, who commence the firing, may not fire all at once, the captains must observe, but for the first fire only, to give the word fire one after another ; thus, the cap- tain of the third company, must not give the words aim, zaifire, till he has heard the report of the fire of the first company ; and the cap- tain of the fifth company must follow the same rule respecting the third .company, as also the captain of the seventh, in regard to the captain t)f the fifth, company. pmiNG BY WINGS. ,30. To effect this, the commanding officer orders, 1. BaUaMonfire by wings. 2. Ri^hi wing. 3. Readv. 4. Aim. 5. Fire. 6. Load. si. The colonel vrill cause the wings to fire alternately, conforming to what has been prescribed above in No. 16, respecting the time, or intervals, between the firings. TIRING BY BATTALION. 32. The colonel shall use the same words of command as in firing by wings, substituting the word battalion, instead of right wing, or left wing. FIRING BY INDEPENDENT FILES. "33. To execute this species of firing, the colonel will command, }, Battalion, fire by files,- 16 122 2. Ready. 3. Commence firing. 34. In .firing by wings, by battalion, and independently, by fileSj the captains, at the first word of command given by the colonel, shall retire to the distance of one pace in rear of the rear rank, each op- posite to tis own interval ; and the covering sergeant shall move, as in company firing, into the line of the rank of file-closers, each behind his respective captfiin. 35. The colour-bearers, and guard, take post as has been directed in firing by companies. FIRrUG TO THE REAR. 36. To execute this, the colonel commands, 1. Battalioxt, fire to the rear. 2. Right-abetit-r-FACE. 37. At the second word of command, the captains, covering ser^ geants, and rank of file-closers, must arrange themselves as has been directed in the school of the company, under Nos. 67 and 58. 38. The battalion, facing to the rear, with the rear rank in front, fihall execute, by the same words of command, the same species of firings, as when fronting. 39. The wings and companies, though thp right has become the left, and vice versa, shall still retain their proper appellations of right or left Tiling, and first, second, 4'C. company. 40. Independent firing by files shall commence from the left of companies, now, by facing about, become the right flank. 41. The captains, the covering sergeants, and the guard of the colours, occupy the situations prescribed for them when firing to the proper front ; and move to them, respectively, on heaving the first word of command from the commandiiig officer. 42. In order to front the battalion, the colonel will order, 1. Battalion. r 2. Right-about — FACE. 43. At the second word of command, the captains, the covering 123 sergeants, and the rank of file-closers, will act as has been directed in the school of the company, Nos. 62 and 63. REMARKS OS THE FIRINGS. 44. When the battalion fires with blank cartridges, the colonel must, sometimes, order the captains to inspect the arms,- after firing, which will be performed as prescribed in the school of the company. No. 70. J 45. In firing by wings, the commanding ofEicer must not give the word of command to one wing, till he sees many firelocks loaded in the wing which has fired last. This rule will also be observed, with regard to battalions, in line. PART II. DIFFERENT MANNERS OF FORMING THE OPEN AND CLOSE COLUMN, FROM THE POSITION INLINE. ARTICLE FIRST. VrStEN THE BATTAI.IO-N HALTED IN LINE, WHEELS FORWARD BV OOMPANIES INTO OPEN COLUMN, THE RIGHT OR LEFT IN FRONT. 46. The battalion breaks, habitually, into column in common time. 47. The commanding officer must make use of the words of com- mand, in the formation of open column, directed to be used by the instructor in the school of the company ; substituting the appellation of company, for that of platoon. Plate x. fig. 1. 48. What has been directed to be done, in the scliool of the cortir pany, in order to wheel forward into open column of platoons, ap- plies here for wheeling by companies; and the captains shall follow, in respect to their companies, what has been laid down there to be done by the chiefs of platdons relative to their platoon's, the colonel acting as the instructor does, in the school of the company. 49. The captains having ordered, front, no guide must stir, even though he should not be in the line of direction of the guides in front of hiifi, in order that an error of short, or over wheeling, committed by one company, may not be communicated to others ; and the guides who are out of the line, must not attempt to get on it, till the column is put in march. 60. If, however, the colonel saw it necessary, immediately, to fonji the liHe, he would, previously, rectify the positions of the 124 guides, following the directions to be hereafter laid dowa under -Nos. 211, and 212, and those following. 61. As often as the battalion breaks by companies, if to the right,, the guide of the right, of the company, shall place himself by the side of the man on the right of the front rank of his company, at the mstant when the captain shall command front ; if the left is to be in front, the guidt of the left, of the company, shall place himself by the side of the man on the left of the front rank of his company, at the instant when his captain has halted the wheel ; and, thus, whether the right or left is in front, the front rank of each company is square to its front, and included between its two gurdes. 62. In a column of grand divisions, the guide ef the right of the first, odd, or right hand company of each, shall be denominated . guide of the right of the grand division, and shall be placed on the right flank of his grand division ; and the guide of the left, of the se- cond, or left hand company, shall be denominated guide of the left of the grand division,, and shall be placed on the left flank of his grand division. 63. The battalion having brokeii into column, the lieutenant-colo- nel and major, are to take post on the pivot flank of the column, the former in the' line of the front of the leading, and the latter, in that of tlie front of the rear division. The colonel of a battalion receiving elementary instruction, has no fixed situation' assigned him, but in co- lumns composed of several battalions, the colonels shall, habitually, take post on the pivot flank of the column, at the distance of eight or ten paces from the guides, and opposite to the centre of the battalion. The adjutant and sergeant-major shall be near the lieutenant-colonel and major, to aid them as previously directed. PiiTi X. no. 2. 54. When the battalion is to prolong its direction in column to- wards the right or left, or is to march perpendicularly, or diagonally, before, or behind, one of its flanks or Wijjgs, the commanding officer shall cause it to break to the right or left as has been directed ; but, when the battalion is to break to the right, in order to march to the left, or the reverse, the company on the flank shall march to its front, twice the extent of its front, while the other companies are wheelino- ibnvard info open column, and for this purpose, the colonel shall command ; battalion form column of companies, right in front, to march to the left ; or, battalion form column of companies, left in front, to march to the right, before he gives the words, by companies ri^ii (or left) wheel. 125 ARTICLE SECOND. XP FILE TO THE REAR INTO OPEN COLUMN WITH THE RIGRT OR LEFT IN FRONT. 65. To eflffc'ct this with the right in front, the colonel commancb^ 1. Battalion. &. Into open column from, right of eompfinies. 3. File to the rear. 4. Right — FACE-. 5. March. FlATE X. FIG. 3- t 66. At the second word, the captains shall place themselves in front of the centre of their respective companies. 57. At the third, they must caution their companies that they are to face to the right. 68. Att£e fourth word, the battalion will face; each captain shall move, nimbly, to the right of his company, causing the two files on the right to disengage to tlie rear, the front file to its right the breadth of two ranks ; the second file, advancing only the left shoulder ; which be- ing effected, each captain will then move opposite to the last file of the left of the company, which is immediately to the right of his own placing himself there, so as to press liglitly his breast against the left arm of the man of the front rank of that file ; the captain of the company on the right of the battalion, will place himself in the same manner as if there were a company to the right of his own, aligning himself on the other captains of companies ; and the covering sergeant of each com-r pany shall throw himself to the rear with the head of his company when the two files of it disengage on the right, placing himself before the man of the front rank of the first file, in order to conduct it. 69. At the word, march, the first file of each company must wheel to the right, th^ covering sergeant conducting it, perpendicularly, to the rear ; the following files will wheel, successively, on the same ground where the leading file wheeled; and the captains shall not stir, observ- ing their companies wheel before them, and, at the instant when the last file shall have wheeled, halting them by the words, 1. Gompany. 126 2. Halt. 3. FaoNT. 4. Xe^— «RESS. 60. At the instant the company fronts, the guide of the left shall place himself opposite to the captain of the company, against whose breast he is to press his left arm, lightly. 61. At the fourth word, the company is to dress up to the alignment the guide of the left is on, and the captain shall direct the dressing, in such a mannei", that the new position of the company may be perpen- dicular to that it occupied in line ; and for this purpose, he shall more about two paces without the flank, or backward, to be the better ena- bled to ascertain the direction. 62. The company being dressed, the captain is to order, front, and shall place himself in front of the centre of his company. This . must be a general rule. 63. In order to file to the rear from the left of companies, and from column with the left in front, the commanding officer gives the same commands as in the last case, substituting left, for right. 64. The movement is executed on the same principles, as in form-,., ing column with the right in front; each captain proceeds to the left of his company, causing two files to disengage, and placing himself im- mediately afterwards, facing, and bearing lightly against the right arm of the front rank man of the last file of the right of the company on the left of his own, as has been described in an inverse manner, in No, 58. 65. As soon as the two files on the left of the company have disen- gaged to the rear, the guide of the left of each company shall place himself before the front rank man of the first file, in order to lead it. 66. At the moment when each company fronts, the giride of the right of each company, is to place himself before his captain, beaiing his right arm, lightly, against the breast of th€ captain. REMARKS ON THE MOVEMENT OF FILING TO THE REAR FROM LINE, IN ORDER TO FORBI OPEN COLUMN, WITH THE RIGHT OR LEFT IN FRONT. 67. Tbis mode of forming open column from line, can be made use of, when want of room does not admit of wheeling forward according to the preceding article ; and it must be always practised, as often as it may be necessary that the flank of the open column should march on the prolongatien of Ibe Hnc from vchich, the operl column is formed. 127 ARTICLE THIRD. TO FORM olosb: column from line. 68, Thi3 movement can be executed by companies, or grand di- visions, either on a division of the right, or on one of the left, or on any other division of the battalion, with the right or left in front. 69. In order to form close column of grand division on a central one, with the right in front, the colonel shall command, 1. Battalion. 2. Close column of grand divisions. 3. On second grand division, right in front. 4. Left and right inwards— facf,. 5. March. Pl,ATE XI. FIG. 2. ^0. At the second word, all the captains commanding grand divisions shall place themselves in front of the centre of their respective grand divisions. 71. At the third, the captain of the second grand division is to cau- tion it to stand fast. 72. The captain commanding each grand division to the right of the second, shall warn his gi'and division that it is to face to the left ; and the captain of each grand division to the left of the second, shall cau- tion his grand division that it is to- face to the right. 73. At the fourth word of command, the first grand division, and the light infantry shall face to the left ; the captain commanding each of these grand divisions must step, nimbly,, to the left of his grand di- vision, causing the two files on the left, to disengage to the front ; and, then, the guide of the left of the grand division, shall place himself be- fore the man of the front rank of the first file, in order to lead it. 74. The third and fourth grand divisions are to face to the right ; the captain of each shall step, nimbly, to the right of his grand division, causing the two filesoh th,e right, to disengage to the rear ; and the guides of the right of these two grand divisions, shall, each, disengage to the rear, along with the files, placing themselves, respectively, before the man of the front rank of thS first file, in order to conduct it. 75. The captains, commanding grand divisions, who shall have faced to the left and right, shall place themselves, those of the grand divisions of the right, by the side Qf their guide of the left ; and those command- 128 ing the grand divisions of the left, by the side of their reepective guides of the right. 76. At the word, manh, the captain commanding the second grand tlivision, shall command, guide to the left; the guide of the left of that ? grand division will move to its left flank,, when he can pass to it, and ; the rank of file closers is to close up within one pace of the rear rank. 77. All the other grand divisions conducted by the captains com- manding them, respectively, shall step off together, in order to takes their stations in the column ; the first shall gain, by wheeling by files to the front, the space of three paces which ought to separate it from the second in the column, directing itself, afterwards, in such a manner, as to enter into the column with files at right angles, and in a direction parallel to the second grand division ; the light infantry must re- gulate themselves on the first grand division, and shall enter the column, as has been described, by directing themselves accordingly, taking care to leave a space of three paces between their rear and the front rank of the first grand division. '!■ 78. The third grand divisioii will gain, by wheeling by files suc- cessively to the rear, the space of three paces, which must separate it -ftom the second, directing itself, afterwards, in such a manner, as to enter the column with files at right angles, and in a direction parall^s- 132. If, lastly, the column, instead of arriving before or behind the line, should arrive on the right or left of it, and was to proloftg that line, in order to wheel up, afterwards, to the left, or right, into line ; the commanding officer would order the general guides to the flank of the column, by giving the word of command, general guides on the line, when these guides would prolong the line, conducting them- selves conformably to what has been prescribed above. 133. If, instead of making the column march with the cadenced step, the colonel should deem it necessary to direct it to march in column of route, the. word march, would be preceded by route step. 134. AH that has been directed to be done above, relative to main- taining the direction, is equally applicable to the march of a column of route. REMARKS ON THE MARCH IN OPEN COLUMN. 135. The route step is not to be used in the exercise of the bat- talion, excepting in going to, or returning from the field of exercise, or in order to shew ttie mechanism of the movements of a column of route, as will be explained, hereafter, in No. 145, and following. 136. When tbe march in column, in common time, is well ac- quired, the maTCh in quick time must be practised. 137. Two non-commissioned officers, in every respect thoroughly trained, are to be chosen as general guides^ they must be particularly qualified in the accuracy and precision of the step ; and in prolong- ing, without deviation, a given direction of line ; these two non-com- missioned officers must be placed in line, one behind the company on the tight, and the other behind the company on the left of their bat- talion; they are to be deemed in the number of the rank of file-clo- sers of these companies. Besides the duties required from them in this article, they are also intended for others, to be pointed out, when marching in line is treated of; and they are to be distinguished by the appellation oi general guide of the right, and general guide of the left. 138. When the bearer of the colours is stationed outside the flank <»f the column, to march on, or to prolong a line to be formed on, he is to carry his colours perpendicularly before, and between the eyes, tJie heel of the staff as high as the haunck. 43? 139. As when a eolunui prolongs, or inarches on a line of forma' iion, it is extremely important that the general gvides should march on that line, correctly, it becomes necessary, that the commanding officers of battalions, the lieutenant-colonels, and the majors, whose common duty it is to prevent ^deviations from it, should be abk, as much as possible, always, to see the two objects on which the marcjj of the general guide is conducted ; consequently, as often as the ground parched on, does not present to the eye, striking or projecting ob- jects, the commander of the column ought, beforehand, to supply this want, by stationing aids-de-camp, or officers on horseback, whom ho can multiply as much as circumstances may require. 140. In the following manner, three aids-de-camp, or officer? mounted, can prolong a line, while it may be necessary so to do ; they are to place themselves, previously, on the line, the first wtiere the head of the column is to enter, the second, three or four hundred paces behind, or more advanced than the first, and the third, at the same distance from the second ; the aid-de-carap stationed where the head of the column is to enter the alignment, must remain there, till the leading company has wheeled ; after which he is to gallop to the distance of three or four hundred paces behind the third ; the se- cond must act in the same manner, when the head of the column ap- proaches him, and so on. • The officers do^'not dismount ; but face towards the column^ and align, or cover each other ; if must be al- ways on these mounted officers that the general guides are to march, and it will be so much the more easy for Ihem to keep on the line of direction, on account of always seeing these mounted officers over the heads of the preceding guides, so that if one of the general giiides deviates, from inattention, from the true line, the fault committed by him will not mislead the guides^in his rear. 141. A single aid-de-camp, or mounted officer, is sufficient to en- sure the just direction of a column, when the distant point, of view towards which it is tending is distinct ; in this case the aid-de-camp is to post himself on the line, beyond the point where the head of the column is to rest, and to remain in his station, \VhiJe the column con- tinues to march ; serving thus, as an intermediate point for ensuring the accurate march of the general guides. 142. To regulate the direction of a column of one or two batta- lions, it will be sufficient to employ men on foot, to establish the line jvhich the general gtddes are to follow. IS 138 , ARTICLE SECOND. COLUMN OF ROUTE. 143. It is a geiieral principle with respect to columns of r6ute, as well as columns of manreuvre, that they are i^oi, when in column, to occupy more space than they would in line. 144. The observation and practice of this pririciple require no particular rule in st column of manoeuvre ; but as columns of route frequently meet with narrow roads, bridges, and defiles, which oblige them to diminish the front of divisions, it is necessary to point out the method to be pursued in such cases, in order to enable the column to jnarch at ease, as long as possible, without the inconvenience of lengthening out the space it ought to occupy ; therefore, PlATE XUI. EIQ. 1. 145. 1st. When a column of route in companies, has its progresr obstructed by a defile that will receive a platoon only in front, the co^ lumn of companies, previous to entering the defile, must form a co- lumn of platoons. 146. The companies, successively, will form platoons, on receiv- ing a caution to that effect from the commanding ofBcer, or lieutenant- colonel, by the words of command and means detailed in the school of the company ; and the companies in the rear will form platoons, suc- cessively, on the same ground, where the leading company diminished its front. 147. Or, the commanding ofiicer may order the whole column, at the same time, to form platoons, as follows : 1. Colvmn. i. Form Platoons, 3. March. 143. The platoons, and officers who are to command them, will, at once, in the execution of these orders, conform to the rules laid down in the school of the company. PiATS XIII. FIG. 2. 149. ,2d. The column being in platoons, if a want of space de- raanijs a farther diminution of front, the officers leading platoons are 139 to break ofif one or more files, according to the breadth of the defile, posting themselves, at the same time, on the pivot flank of their pla,- toona, in the place of the guide, vrho falls back to the rear rank. ISO. In order to diminish the front of platoons, files are to be broke off, alternately, and in equal numbers from the right and left, as want of room may require, until the front of the platoon becomes reduced to four men, exchisive of the officer commanding the platoon. 161. 3d. When the front of the column is reduced below four, i. e. when the companies qiarch in file by a flank, the cadenced step and close order shall be assumed. The manner of reducing the front below, four is described No. 239, school of the company. When the front is again increased to four by throwing the divisions into double files on their centre, the route step shall be resumed on the command. 1. Route Step. 2. Makch. 3. Slope — ARMS. 152. These orders ar^e obeyed in following the directions given ih the school of the company, under Nos. 241 and 242. PiATE XIII. riG. 7. 153. The officer commanding the platoon, shall then order up to the front, files from the rear of the' right and left flanks, in proportion as the road, or defile, becomes more wide. 154. All the above movements are executed by word of command given by the officer commanding the platoon, first, in the platoon at the head of the column, and, successively, in those following, when they arrive on the same ground where the diminution commenced. 156. The leading platoon must follow the windings of the road, or defile ; the following platoons are nbt to occupy the attention with the direction, but must, all, successively follow where the preceding shall have passed.-. The soldiers are not to endeavour to avoid bad roads, each, as much as possible, moving straight where his particular line of direction ought to conduct him. . ^ 156. When the platoons march in column of route, changes of di- rection take place always ivithout words of command ; the officers commanding platoons' are only to caution them, when the change of direction is somewhat considerable ; and the rear rank, and files in the rear, change direction, successively, on the same ground where the front rank did (he same. U6 157. When the two leading platoons have passed the defile, (he tSaptain will form company, if so ordered hy the commanding officer^ or the lieutenant-colonel ; and the captains of the companies followingy in platoons, will execute the same movement, successively, on the same ground. -168. The colonel, the lieutenant-colonel, and the major, must care- fully observe that the principles and rales laid down in this article, are strictly adhered to?, and that there may not be sudden stops, transi- tions, or jerks in the march, that occasion fi loss of the step, the pre- yenting of which depends on the attention of the officers of divisions in causing the same rate of march to be maintained without being accele- rated, or retarded. 169. The colonel,;^or lieuienant-colonel, remains at the head ef the battalion to regulate the step, or rate of march of the leading divisioB,- and to suggest to the officer commanding that division, the instant at which he is to execute the various f3e-mOyements prescribed above,^ according as circumstances may require them. 160. If the column is composed of many battalions, each of them,- in its turn, executes, what has beeii described as necessary t& be done fey the battalion at the head of the column ; each taking care to g» throngh the movement on the same ground, and in the same manner, 161. In order to render the mechanism of all these movements fste . miliar to the troops, and to accustom them to march in column of route in narrow roads, without lengthening out the column, the com- liianding officers of battalions, will, regularly, cause them to march in column of route, to and from the field of exercise,, practising diminu- tions of front in narrow passages, in order to inculcate the utility of the above rules and principles : they can even in the course of the or- dinary drills, when the soldiers are confiimed in the practice of the length, and cadence of the ordinary step, cause tlje battalion to march, occasionally, in column of route, practising, the formation of divisions sometimes, at once, at other times, successively; as also the various movements of breaking off, and moving up files to the front, as has been explained. 162. For this' purpose, the officer commanding the division at the head, will reduce its front, successively, to four files, causing them, afterwards, to form np, successively, to the front, according to the principles detailed; ^nd the colonel will give it in charge to the lieu- tcnant-colonef to superintend this, and to suggest to the officer of the division, the moment 'when he is to execute the various file-movements i.\hich have been explained in this article. 163. The colonel will, himself, carefully, see, tliat the other di- visions shall, each, go through the same movements, and in the same 141 place, as the leading one did ; and that the column does not lengthen out beyond its just extent. 164. Repetitions of this lesson will give the officers of divisions a knowledge of the mechanism, or component parts of these movements, and accustom the soldiers to execute with facility and precision", aH such as the nature of roads may render necessary in a column of route. 165. The observance of the rules prescribed in this article, for di- fiiinishing the front of a column, according to circumstances, is ^o much the more easy; as it requires on the part of the commanding offi- cers of divisions, simply, to do, respectively, in successive ordei, what is executed by the division immediately preceding. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS RELATIVE TO A COLUMN OF' ROUTE. 166. Of all the lessons that can be given to soldiers, there is no»e more important in its application than that relating to the column of route ; — if the instruction it inculcates is not established on just and accurate principles, it will generally happen, that the rear of a column of route will be under the necessity of running, to regain its distance, or that the head must halt till the rear comes up : — it will result also, that the column occupying more space than it ought, will not be in a condition to sustain an unforeseen attack, and that its march will take up several more hours than if it were made in good order: — another bad consequence will be, that the soldiers will be harassed, and that the general, unable, on these accounts, to calculate the time which a column will take to go over a certain distance, can never, with pre- cision, combine properly the march of several columns acting relatively. 167. The ordinary rate of march of a column of route on good roads, and in a level, even country, ought to be about ninety paces a minute ; — this rate of quickness can be easily kept up, whatever may be the depth of the column ; — but on roads cut up by rain, in ploughed lands, on sands, and among . mountains, the reje must be something less ; — it depends on the commander of the column, to regulate it ac- cording to circumstances: — and a column of one battalion, or even of one brigade, can easily march, when necessary, from ninety to a hun- dred and twenty paces. 168. The maintaining of an equal and regulated movement, is the surest means of marching well in column of route — and if any ob- stacle renders it necessary for one or more divisions to slacken or shorten the step of march, they will resume it when the ceuse 4s re- moved. 142 169. A division ought never to have too great an interval bciweeu itself and the preceding one ; but, sometimes, a necessity arises for contracting this interval, in order that the march may not be retarded, as win he explained. > 170. If, for instance, the leading , division meets with a difficult pass, a steep. declivity, or some other obstacle which occasions a shortening of the step, or decrease of the rate of its march, the suc- ceeding division is not to shorten or slacken its pace till it arrives at the same place, although it may be necessiated to doge up entirely to Uie lea^ding one ; — and, in its turn, the third respecting the second di- vision, must observe the same rule, and so on to the rear of the column. :}71. If, Jnst^ad of following this rule, all the divisions erf" a column were to march at a slower rate, or shortened the step, at the same time with the division at the head of the column, it would result, in sup- posing the length of the column to be twelve hundred. yards, that the rear division would commence marching in a slower time, at the dis- tance of twelve hundred yards from the obstacle ; — and it would ne- cessarily follow, to prevent an elongation of the column, that the lead* ing division, after passing the obstacle, must, for the space of twelve hundred yards, continue tpmarph slower, or to shorten the step : it is evideitt how much the march of a column meeting frequently with such obstaqjes would be retarded. 172. It would also happen, if it were endeavourted to preserve al- ways, exactly, the same distance between the divisions, that the lead- ing one having begun to march slower, or to shorten the step, the second would not perceive this alteration till one or two steps, at least, had been taken, and would, consequently, diminish its dis- tance more or less ; — the same thing would happen with respect to the second and third, and fourth divisions, and, thus, to the rear of the column ; — from which it would arise, that each of these divisions would be obliged to mark time, or step short, more or less time, to re- gain the distance, which would produce irregular stops, sudden jerks, transitions, and a perpetual undulation in the column. 173. These inconveniences are avoided by each division preserving the same rate of march till the very moment of the occurrence of the obstacle ; and the distances, afterwards, would be very naturally re- established, because each division resuming tlie original rate of march the moment the obstacle is passed, while the following division being still engaged by the obstacle is obliged to slacken the rate of march, it must foUovV, that the leading division becomes as far removed from the second, that is, in the same proportion as the second, at first, closed up to thp first: and Ihi.s being applicable to all the divisions, succes- 143 gively, each, after passing the obstacle, must, necessarily, find itself at the proper distance from that which precedes it. 174. No elongation of the column can happen if this rule is adhered to; but when the column arrives at an acclivity or a mountain, it will happen that the ascending part of it, will close distances in proportion' to the rate of alteration in the march occasioned by the ascent ; so that if it were forced to retard the rate of march by a sixth part, for example, it would result, that a sixth part of each division on the ac- clivity would not find room were the column wheeled into line, while the divisions not as yet entered on the ascent, and those that have as- cended, are at their proper distances : — if, under these circumstances, the column were obliged to wheel up into line, those divisions not at their wheeling distances, would leave out of the line one or more files, which would be attended with no inconvenience, because these super- numerary files of each battalion, might be' formed into one or two com- panies, to constitute a reserve in the rear of their battalions, or to be employed to reinforce such parts of the line as might require it. 175. If, instead of wheeling up to a flank into line, it became ne- cessary to form the line on the then front, or facing to the rear, the less space the column occupied in depth, so much the sooner would the line be formed ; and, therefore, it is demonstrated, that the principle just established, offers the advantage of rendering the march of a column quicker and less fatiguing, without exposing it to any danger, in case of attack. 176. As often as the head of a column descends a mountain, or along a declivity, it must pi'eserve the same rate of march as in plains. 177. When the commanding officer deems it necessary to accele- rate or retard the rate of march, he will transmit his orders to the dif- ferent colonels of battalions, directing them to regulate themselves, respectively, by that preceding them; and he will, himself, order the step to be quickened, or the reverse, in the leading battalion, till the rate of march is such as he may wish to establish. 178. Should the column consist of several battalions, the comman- der will, always, station an aid-de-camp in the rear of the column, to inform him whether the rear finds any difficulty in keeping up. 179. In marching in column of companies, should want of space require the breaking off of some files, the captains shall break oil' suck files from the flanks ; but if the want of room requires the diminution of the half of the front, platoons must be formed in preference. ' 180. Platqons ought to be formed, at once, by the whole battalions, by one word of command ; but to form companies from platoons, it is a matter of indiflerence whether the movement is successive, o- 144 executed by all the platoons at once : when the breadth of the narrow- est-part of a defile can be previously known, it is preferable, in a co- lumn of platoons, that before entering, the necessary number of files should be- broke off, at once, by order of the commanding officer : and when a deficiency of space in front obliges a platoon to resume the cadcaited step, it must march, at the same rate, as when in co- lumn' of route. 181. Platoons must step out well in obliquing when the front of a company is diminished or increased ; and files, in breaking off, or in forming up again, must follow this rule. In diminishing, or increas- ing the front of companies, successively, it is of the utmost impor- tance that no platoon should march slower, nor step shorter, while the preceding one is executing the movement, to- avoid an elongation of the column. 182. Exclusive of the officer commanding the division, a column of Eoute cannot march on a less front than four men, without lengthenmg ■out the column. A column of route marching on a front of two, ex- clusive of the officers commanding the division, would occupy double the space that it would in line ; and if it were attacked, unexpected- ly, it ^ would run a risk of being beat before it could form. Froflj these considerations, it becomes eligible, when near an enemy, to march with a cadenced step, and closed ranks, provided the breadth of the roads does not admit of a front of four men, exclusive of the officer. 183. If a column meets with a pass so narrow as to require defiling with one or two in front, the commander of the column will order one or two files to pass at a time ; the files ought to follow each other as close as possible, without losing time : the divisions will form up in proportion as they pass ; the head of the column marches forward till a sufficient space intervenes between it and the defile, to contain the whole of the battalion in close column ; and it must then halt, and Tfait-tjU the rear may have passed the defile. ARTICLE TPimp. .CHANGE OF DIRECTION OF THE OPEN COLUMN ON THE MARCH, AT FrLt DISTANCE OF COMPANIES OR PLATOONS. PlATE XIV. riG, 1, & 2. 184. The commander intending to have this movement executed, must intimate the same to the chief of the first division of the column, he himself, immediately, repairing to the spot where the movement 145 is to commence ; he is to place himself there, whether the change ot •direction is to be on the pivot, or reverse flank, as represented Plate XIV. fiG. 1, and 2. and remains in that situation till the rear division of his battalion is up to him. 185. The guide of each division is to conduct himself soas to pass before, and close to the head of the horse of the chief offlM^wBT; and when there, the captain will cause his division to change curec- tion, according to the principles laid down in the school of the compa- ny, and by the words of command directed tolse used there. 186. When the column changes direction on the reverse flank, be- ing that opposite to the one the guide is on, the colonel must observe, that the guide moves, accurately, on the proper curve, without devi- ating to the right or left. 187. As often as remarkable or distinct objects do not present them- selves in the tie w direction, to the guide of the leading division, to serve as a distinct point of view, the lieutenant-colonel must step, be- forehand, to the front, to the distance of thirty or forty paces, and the leading guide, as soon as he has turned, or ivheeled, must fix on two points on the ground, in the straight line running from himself to be- tween the heels of' the lieutenant-colonel who" faces towards the column ; and this leading guide will assume new points to march on, in proportion as he advances. 188. The major must be vigilant in observing, that the guides con- duct their march on the commander placed at the wheeling point, and that they, respectively graze the head of his horse. 189. In a column formed of several battalions, the commander of the second battalion will post himself at the wheeling point in the situation of the first, at the moment of his relinquishing it, this constant succession taking place till the rear of the column comes up ; and the lieutenant-colonel of the leading battalion, only, is to place himself thirty or forty paces in front, on the new direction, the heads of the following battalions marching in the path traced by the preceding one. REMARKS ON THE CHANGES OF DIRECTION OF A CO- LUMN. 190. It has been pointed out in the selwol of the company, how im- portant it is, that each division should execute, successively, its change of direction, precisely, on the same ground where the leading one effected it, and arrive there at right angles to the line passing through the flank of the column ; and then march on wheeling : it has been shewed how important it is, that the ground should be cleared, .•>nd the initial wheelins; point disengaged, always, in such manner, 19 146 that the wheeling division ma^, at no time, obstruct the movement of the succeeding one, and that the guide of each division should neither step out, nor step shorter in wheeling, or turning, than is directed: ' the deeper the column is, the more strictly ought these principles to be adhered to, because an almost insensible error committed at the head of the column, would, by communication along an extensive co- lumrf, increase infinitely ; a circumstance which the field officers and adjutant must prevent by every possible effort. 191. When a battalion is undergoing a course of discipline, and not acting with others, the commander has no occasion to post him- self at the wheeling point, where it will be sufficient to station .a marker. ARTICLE FOURTH. CHANGE OF DIRECTION IN COLUMN OF FULL DISTANCKj BY THE PROMr^ MANOEUVRE. 1 92. Changes of direction by the prompt tnatmuvre, or, filing the rear companies in quick time, consist in moving, rapidly, 'a coluinn in march, on a new line of direction, by filing the companies into it from the nearest flank, instead of continuing to wheel them, successively, into it, at the point where the leading company commenced the movement. Plate xiv. no. 3. 193. Thus, suppose an open column, marching with the right in front, is to change direction to the left, by the prompt manoeuvre, the commander will caution the captain of the leading company, that he is to turn his company on the march, to thfe left, pointing out, at the same time, to the guide of that company, the point in front, towards which he is to march, after having turned ; and if no distinct object offers for the guide of the leading company to conduct himself on, the colonel will, in that case, send forvf'ard the lieutenant-colonel thirty or forty paces in front, in order to post himself on the new di- rection. 194. The leading company will turn to the left, by word of com- mand from the captain ; and the guide on the left, will then prolong the new line, according to the instructions given in No. 187 of the pre- ceding article. 195. When, at least, two companies are in the new direction, the colonel will give the word, 147 1. FroTnpt MantEWvre. 2. Six rear Companies. 3. Riglit — PACE. 4. Quick — MARCH. 196. At the word, /ace, all the companies, excepting those that have turned into, and are on the new direction, shall face to the right into file, and mark time ; at the word, march, they shall assume the quick step ; the companies conducted, each by its captain, who has shifted to the right flank, where he places himself by the side of his guide of the right, march, thus, to the right Sank, towards the new direction, entering, successively, into the column, inclining, as they tend towards the column, to its head, while it continues to prolong the new direction ; and each company, in entering the column, must take a direction parallel to the preceding company already arranged there, and marching on. 197. As soon as each captain of a company shall arrive as far as the line passing through the guides of the left of those companies al- ready arranged in the column, he will halt in his own person, allow- ing his company to file past him, and seeing that the guide of the right conducts the company parallel to the preceding one ;' and when the guide of the left is up to the captain, the captain commands, 1. Company. 2. Halt. 3. Front. 4. March. 5. Cktide to the left. 198. These words of command succeed each other rapidly. At the second word, the company shall halt. 199. At the third, the company faces to the front; the captain takes his situation two paces in front of the centre, and the guide of the left will, quickly, cover tlie preceding guides. 200. The word, march, shall be pronounced at the instant when the company is at its proper distance from the preceding ; the com 148 pany will step off, smartly, together, regularly, taking the step froiK THE BATTAIION MARCHING TO THE TRONT, ANB TO DRESS IT. 524. The colonel will give the words of command to the battalion marching to the front. 1. Battalion. 2. Halt. o25. At the word halt, the battalion is to halt ; the rank of the bear-' crs of the colours, and the general guides, shall remain in their situa- tions in front, unless the colonel gives the word, colours and guides~- 1.0 your posts; and this order will be given when the battalion is not t» resume the march to the front, nor to Undergo a general alignment. 526. When the colonel does not deem it necessary to give the bat- talion a general dressing, he will, if he thinks proper, cause the align- ment to be rectified, he will, in this case, command, captains dress the line; the captains will, on this, turn their eyes towards the cen- tre, aiTanging themselves on the base of alignment which the lieuten- ant-colonel has carefully preserved in a good direction, and dressing, quickly, their respective companies. The lieutenant-colonel will cau- tion the captains who are not accurately arranged on the continuation of the base of alignment, by giving the word, captain of sucha com- pany, or, captains of such companies, move up, or, fail back. Plate xix. fib. 2. 527. When the commander requires a general dressing, either parallel, or oblique, he will' place himself on the outside- of one of the general guides, ordering the bearer of the regimental colours, and the other general guide, to face towards him, by making a signal with his sword to that effect ; he will establish them on the line of direction in which the battalion is to align. The bearer of the regimental colours carries them perpendicularly between his eyes, and the bearer of the 197 national colours, and the sergeant between the colours retire to their places in line. 528. If the new direction carries the position of one or more compa- nies of one of the wings to the rear of the present front, the comman- der will, at first, cause these companies to march to the rear, either by the back step, or by facing them to the right-about, according as the line of direction may be more or less in rear of that wing; he will, tiien, establish the bearer of the colours, and the general guides, as has been explained above. 529. This arrangement being made the colonel commarids, 1 . Guides — on the alignment. 630. At this word, the guides of the right of each of the companies «f the right wing, and the guides of the left of each of the companies of the left wing, will place themselves in the line of direction of the bearer of the colours and general guides f they will face to the bearer ' of the colours, and will take their stations on the line, each, at the dis- tance of -the length of the front of his company from the guide who is immediately before him. 531. The captains of companies of the right wing will move to the left of their respective companies, excepting the captain of the fourtli company, who will, remain on the right of his company, taking care to place himself in the rear rank. 532. The lieutenant-colonel will rectify, quickly, if there is occa- sion for it, the position of the guides of the right wing ; and the major, in the same manner, that of the guides of the left wing ; and when these positions are ascertained to be accurate by the colonel, he com* mands, , 2. By the centre — dress. 533. At this word of command, the companies will step off together jn common time, in order to move up to the guides, where having ar- rived, each captain will dress his own company according to the pre- scribed principles ; and the lieutenant-colonel will ahgn the company to which the colours are attached. 634. If the alignment is oblique, the captains will take care to con- form the direction of their companies accordingly, in conducting them towards the line of the guides. 535. The battalion beiiig dressed; the colonel will command, 3. Colours and guides — to your posts. 636. At this word of command, the bearer of the colours, the ge» peral guides, and the guides of companies, as also the captains of com- 198 panics of the right wing, take their places in Dne ; and the bearer of the colours will carry them resting against the right haunch. ARTICLE SIXTH. WHEN THE BATTALION IS TO RETIRE. 537. The commander having halted the battalion in order to cause /• it to retire, commands, I. Battalion, right-about — face. 538. The moment the battalion has faced about, the rank of the colours, and also the general guides, if in front, resume their places in line ; the bearers of the colours and the sergeant between them will take post in the rear rank b«come the front rank ; the three corporals of the colour guard glide laterally between the ranks, to make room for the passage of tlie colour rank to its situation ; the colonel moves behind the front rank become rear rank ; aiid the lieutenant-colonel, and major, proceed to the front of the rear rank become, front rank. ^ 539. If the battalion is the directing one, the markers are stationed in the same manner as for the march to the front ; excepting that they are to face towards the battalion : the commander placing himself about forty paces in the rear of the file of the sergeant between the colours, will station the markers on the line, if they are not already establish- ed ; or if they are, the adjutant or sergeant-major directed to superin- tend the prolongation of the line by the successive covering and shift- ing of the markers, will cause them to face about as soon as the bat- talion has faced to the rear. 640. If it is a subordinate battalion, the colonel will post himself as has been explained ; the lieutenant-colonel will place himself about forty paces in front of the rank of file-closers, opposite to the bearer of the colours, and the colonel will establish him on the line of direc- tion, as has bieen directed for marching in line to the front. 541. The arrangements being made, the colonel commands, 2. The battalion will retire. 542. At this word, the bearers, of the colours, and the sergeant placed between tliem shall march eight paces forward, and their places will be occupied by the corporals of the colour-guard ; the two gene- ral guides move out in a line with the colour rank; tSe covering ser- geants step forward into the rank of file-closers, and the captains oc- 199 cupy their places in the rear rank become front rank ; and the three file-closers nearest to the centre of the battalion, are to unite into a rank in the rear of the colour rank, in order to serve as a base of align- ment for the rank of file-closers to march on. 643. The colonel shall, then, command, 3. March. 544. The battalion is to march with the rear rank leading, on the same regulating principles as when the proper front rank leads : if it is -a directing haUalion, the sergeant between the colours directs his march on the markers, who' will themselves, successively, move to the proper rear of each other to prolong the line of direction, in proportion as the battalion retires, and approaches towards them ; the adjutant or ser- geant-major superintending their movements will see that they place themselves, correctly, on the line of direction : if the battalion is subordinate, the sergeants between the colours will march on the line, by means of points taken on the ground ; and the centre file-closer of the three united behind the colour rank, will march, exactly in his track. 545. The colonel, and major also, act as when the battalion advan- ces, with the proper front leading. 546. The lieutenant-colonel placing himself on the outside of tlie jank of file-closers of the fourth company, must endeavour to preserve the part of the rank of file-closers constituting the base of alignment, perpendicular to the line of direction ; and the rest of that rank will march, keeping dressed on this basis. ARTICLE SEVENTH. TO HALT, AND FRONT, THE BATTALION, WHEN RETIRING. 547. The colonel having halted the battalion, and intending to front it, commands. Battalion, right-about — face. 548. At this word of command, the colour rank, and the general guides, the captains, and their covering sergeants, resume their places in line ; and the colour rank will repass to the front rank. 549. If the colonel intends that the battalion should undergo a ge- neral dressing, he will order, Coheirs and general guides on the alignment. 2(30 J350. At tbis wordj.the bearer of the regimental colours, and the general guides, move out in front, and face towards the colon'el, who is either on the right, or left ; and he, after establishing them on the line of direction which he intends giving to the battalion, will com- mand. Guides — on the alignment. ' By the centre — dress. ARTICLE EIGHTH. TO MARCH IN MLE TO A FLAMC. 551. The colonel will, sometimes, exercise the battalion in mark- ing time, and when confirmed in the accuracy of the cadency, and length of the step in common time, he will change to quick time ; and he will, also, exercise the battalion in marching in file, to a flank, by <;ommanding, 1. Battalion right (or, lefi) — face. 2. Forward. 3. March. 552. At the first word of command, when the battalion marches i» die right flank, the captains, and covering sergeants, will station them- selves, as has been directed in the school of Hie company. No. 118. 553. But when the battalion marches, in file, to the left flank, the captains of companies will move to the left file of their companies ; and the covering sergeants shall put themsejves on the outside of the front rank opposite to one of the three right files of their companies so as to march behind their captains now leading on the left. The left guides of companies place themselves on the front rank to lead that rank. 554. Whether the battalion marches to the right, or left, in file, the lieutenant-colonel takes his post as far advanced as the leadir^ file, and the major, his, at the place of the colours ; and both are on the front rank side of the battalion, removed fronj it about six paces. 555. At the third word of command, the battalion will step off smartly ; the guide of the left (or right,) placed before the leadmg file on the left, (or right) will bestow the most particular attention in pre- .serving the exact length and cadence of the step, and in marching 201 straight to his front, without deviating from a given line into a curved direction. 666. The lieutenant-colonel will inarch, constantly, the same step, and at the same rate, as the head of the battalion, and the major will march, always, at the same rate, and with the same accuracy as the lieutenant-colonel ; and these both, give the step which the batlaiion follows. 667. The captains ; the officers, and non-commissioned officer? in the rank of file-closers, will vigilantly observe, that the files nei- ther open out, nor crowd forward on each other, and that they regain their distances, insensibly, should they have lost them. 658. The colonel will see that the rules and principles are strictly- adhered to. 559. To wheel the head of the battalion marching in file, the colo- nel commands. By files, right (or, left.) March. 560. The files wheel, successively, and on the same ground where the leading file commenced the wheel, conforming to the principles prescribed in the school of the company. No. 124. 661. In the progress of instructing the battalion, the colonel will cause it to wheel in file, sometimes, to the right, and at others, to the left in such a manner that the front of the battalion may exhibit differ- ent divisions wheeling in file, at the same time, some to the front, and some to the rear, of the original direction of the battalion, without any alteration of the step, or loss of the lock-step. 562. This lesson is one of the best that can be given to a battalion, jn order to confirm it in the cadence of the step. ARTICLE NINTH. TO FORM IN LINE, FROM FILE ON EITHER FLANK. 663. If the battalion marching, in file, to the left flank, is to b<- formed on the left flank, the colonel, having ascertained the direction of the line, the lieutenant-colonel will place two markers on it, distant from each other, about the length of a company, and so situated as to have the left shoulder nearest to the battalion, when in line. 664. When the head of the battalion approaches near to the first marker, the commander prders, 1. On the left by file, form line. 26 202 2. March. 565. At the word, march, the guide of the left of the front rank of the battalion, will turn to the left, and place himself with his breast in contact with the left arm of the marker situated on the line ; the bat- talion will form on the line, to the left flank, file by file, conforming to the directions laid down in the school of the company; each captain will place himself on the line, at the same time with the man of the front rank of the first file on the left of his company, posting himself by the left of that man, and the guide of the left will cover him in the second rank. 666. The guide of the right of each company, excepting of the eighth, will place himself on the line of direction of the markers, op- posite to the right file of his company, at the instant when that file ar- rives on the line. 567. The formation being accomplished, the colonel is to command. Guides to your — posts. 668. At this word tlie captains, and guides, will resume their places in line ; and the two markers will retire. 669. If the battalion is marching in file to the right, the movement will be executed by inverse means. 670. The two markers placed, previously, on the line, will be so situated on it, as to have their right shoulders nearest to the battalion when formed in line. 671. The guide of the left of each company, excepting of the com- pany on the right, will place himself in the line of direction of the markers, at the instant when the last file of the company arrives on the ■line ; posting himself in front of that file. 572. The colonel will superintend the successive formation of the companies, following up each company as it forms up. 673. The lieutenant-colonel will regulate the successive positions of the guides ; and will prevent the men of the front rank, in dressing up to the line, from passing over it. ARTICLE TENTH. PASSAGE OF LINES. MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST LINE RETREATING. Plate xsiii. fig. 1. 674. 'The battalion being supposed of the first line, retiring in line, and going to pass through the second line ; when within about twenty paces of it, the colonel commands, without halting it, 1. Battalion, file from the left of companies. 203 ^. Left FACE. 3. By file to the right. 4. MarcA. 675. At the word, face, the battalion faces to the left into file, and marks time. 676. At the word, march, the head of each company will disengage, and immediately wheel to the right; the rank of the bearers of the colours, and, also, the general guides, shall resume their places ; the covering sergeant of each company, placed befoVe the leading file of his company, and the captain of the company, placed by his side, must direct their march towards the respective openings made in the second line for their passage. ■ 677. The heads of files march, by the left, and Ranees of com- panies, are preserved from the left, durihg the filingj^by companies, to the rear. 678. The colonel, after passing one hundred paces beyond the second battalion, commands, fiATE XXIII. no. 2. 1. Battalion, 2. Halt. 3. Front. 4. Left — DRESS. S. Left into line, wneeL 6. March. 579. At the second word, to be repeated by all tlie captains, the battalion will halt. 680. At the tliird word of command, the captains placed by the side of their guide of the right, will, each, move to the front of the centre of their companies ; the colonel situated before the guide of the left of the first company, will rectify the position of the guides, previous to giving the fourth word of command, 581. At the fourth word, not to be given till the guides are cor- rectly covering in the line to be wheeled up to, each captain of a com- 204 pany will conform to what has been prescribed in No. 214, of the school of the battalion. 582. At the moment when the first company has passed through the second line, the colonel, placing himself behind the captain of that company, will point out to hiro the direction he is to take to his front, by showing a point to march on, if any offers ; the captain of the first company will, immediately, on this, take two intermediate points, or the lieutenant-colonel will proceed, quickly, thirty or forty paces in front of the captain of the first company, who will take two points on the ground, between himself and the lieutenaBt-colonel, and new points, successively, as he advances. 683. The commander will maintain order in the march, and the preservation of distances ; and will direct the march of the first com- pany, accurately, in the requisite direction.. 584. The lieutenant-colonel (6) placed at the distance of a few paces on the left of the captain of the first company, juid the major (k) placed, also,- at the same distance on the right of the eighth com- pany, will see that the leading flanks of the companies march aligned by the proper right. »!- MOVEMENT OF THE SECOND LINE IN THE PASSAGE OF LINES. 685. The battalion being supposed of the second line, and it being supposed that from a halt, the platoons are to double behind each other, in order to open passage for the first, the colonel will, in suf- ficient time, not to retard the movement of the first battalion, command, 1 . Battalion, double platoons in close order. 2. Second platoons, 3. Right — FACE. 4. March. 586. At tlie first caution, all the^captains will step, nimbly, in front of the centre of their respective companies. Plate xxiii. fig. 3. 687. At the second word, they will caution the first platoon to stand fast ; and the second, that it ijtp face to the right. 205 688. At the third word of command, the second platoon of each company will face to the right ; and the captain will cause, imme- diately, the three files on the right to disengage to the rear. 689. At the fourth word, the second platoon of each company, will double behind the first; at the distance of one pace from the rear rank ; and will be halted by the ofiBcer of the second platoon, who is to give the following words of command, 1, Platoon. 2. Halt. 3. Front. 4, Left DRESS. ' 5. Front. 590. At the word, front, the officers of each company will move to the flanks of the platoons, in order to cover and steady them ; and will arrange themselves so that there shall be one on the right, and one on the left flank of each platoon, and two in the rank of file-clo- sers, in rear of the second, in the following order : the captain on the right of the front rank of the first platoon, the second lieutenant on the left of the same platoon, the first lieutenant on the right of the se- cond platoon, and the ensign on the left of the same. 691. If the number that ought to compose the rank of file-closers of each company is not complete, still the flanks of platoons must be covered as here directed. This arrangement of the officers has for object the preventing the first line, if it should pass in disorder, from disturbing the regularity of the second. 692. The battalion of the first line being supposed passed through Ihe intervals, the colonel of the second line will command, * 1 . Second platoons into line. 2. Left FACE. 3. March. 693. At the word, march, the second platoons will march to the left flank, and when uncovered, their captains will command, 1. Platoons. 206 2. Halt. 3. Front. 4. Right — DRESS. 594. At the instant when the second platoon marches iu order, to deploy, the first lieutenant stationed on the right flank of that platoon, and the second lieutenant placed on the . left flank of the first, will re- sume their places in line. 595. This arrangement for effecting the passage of lines, which has been considered here as applicable for retreating, may be equally applied to offensive operations, where it may be necessary to relieve troops of the first line that have sustained loss, by fresh detachments from the second line. 596. In this last case, the battalion of the second line will advance in line, in order to approach near to the first line ; and the colonel, in sufficient time not to interfere with the movement about to be exe- cuted by the first line, commands, 1 . Battalion double platoons in close order, 2. Secorid platoons — march. 597. At the second word of command, the second platoon of each company iS to mark time ; and as soon as the first platoon shall have cleared its flank, the second shall oblique to the right, in order to double behind the first ; these movements must be executed by a cau- tion given by the officer of the second platoon, who is in the rank of file-closers ,- the officers will divide and post themselves on the flanks of the platoons, as has been explained in No. 590 ; and the battalion is to continue to advance in this order. 598. The second lieutenants placed on the left flanks of the first platoons, will, in the right wing, preserve platoon distance, be- tween themselves, and the captain of the company that is next to them, on the left. 599. The second lieutenant stationed on the left of the first platoon of the company to which the colours are attached, will march in the track of the bearer of the colours, whom the major will take care to make incline to the right, so as to cover the second lieutenant on a line perpenditular to tlie front, 600. The captains of companies of the left wing preserve distance of platoons between thcmselvep, and the second lieutenant placed on 207 the left of the first platoon of the company which is, immediately, on their right. 601. The rear rank of the colour-guard double along with the pla- toons to which they belong ; but the rank of the bearers of the colours, and the general guides, remain condiicting before the front. 602. The colonel of the battalion in the first line, seeing him of the second arrived within about twenty paces of him, commands, 1. Battaliim. 2. File from right of companies to the rear. 3. Right FACE, 4. March. 603. The battalion of the first line, will file through that of the second, halting at the prescribed distance, and, afterwards, wheelino- up into line; as has been explained in this section. 604. As soon as the first line has passed through the second, the colonel of the second line will command, 1. Second platoons into line. 2. Left Oblique. 3. March. 605. At the word, march, the second platoons oblique to the left ■ the officers resume their places in line ; and the first platoons continue to march steadily forward. 606. As soon as the second platoons are uncovered, or have their right flanks open, the officer belonging to each, will conunand, 1. Forward. 2. Quick — march. 607. The second, or left, platoons move up to the line, taking up, of their own accord, the step, time, and aligmnent. 608. The colonel of the battalion of the second Une may halt it, as goon as the first has passed through ; the second platoons will, then, quickly deploy into line, on hearing the command, second platoons into line; given by the colonel; or the commander may continue marching the battalion for some time to the front, previous to halting it. 208 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE PASSAGE OF LINES. 609. It is supposed, in this artiele, that the companies retiring in file, march, regulating their heads by the proper right, and filing from their right flanks; but the colonel of the battalion of the -first line, may cause the movement to be, equally executed by passing from the proper left of companies in file ; and in this case, the left being in front, after halting and forming, the companies will regulate distances, and alignment of leading flanks, from the right, which is the proper left, and will wheel up to the right, into line. 610. In order to execute the various movements explained in this article, in the progress of the exercise of the battalion, the commander will suppose the battalion, sometimes, of the first, and sometimes of the second line. AkTICLE ELEVENTH. CHANGE OF FRONT. 611. The battalion being in line, and the commander intending to cause it to change front, will station two markers onKhe new direc- tion, distant from each other something less than the length of the front of a company, and in front of the company that is to give the base of alignment. 612. It is supposed here, that the commander wishes to change front forward on the first company ; he will station two markers as has been explained, and will direct the captain of the company to wheel and halt it in the new position, close to, and behind the markers ; and when this is effected, the colonel conmiands, 1 . Battalion, change front forward on the first company. 2. By companies^Right — half -wheel. 3. March. 4. Forward. 5. March. 6. Guide to ilie right. PliATE XXTV. FIB. 1. 613. At the second word of command, the captains will move in front of the centre of their companies. 209 i314. At the third word, the companies will commence wheeling io the right on a halted pivot ; and when the colonel perceives thai they have wheeled as many degrees as are requisite, he will give :the three remaining words of command. 615.- At the fifth command, the companies will cease wheeling, and will march straight forward. 616. On hearing the sixth word of command, they will take the touch of the elbow /from the right ; the guide of the right of each com- pany will follow the file which is opposite to him in the preceding company, and will march in the track of that file, until the company, «f which it forms a part, arriving as far as the place where it is to enter on the line, shall turn to the right, and then the guide of the right will direct his march straight, and square to his front. 617. The right of the second company, having come up opposite to the left flank of the first company, the captain of the second com' pany commands, 1 . Right turn. • 2. March. 618. At' the word, march, the second company will turn on the principle of changes of direction on the pivot flank, on the march, in such a manner as to arrive square on the line ; the company is halted by the captain, at the distance of two paces from the line, and aligned, according to the mode pointed out in successive formations. 619. All the other companies conform to the directions given for forming the seconOme. 620. The formation being accompKshed, the colonel commands, Crwides to youi — posts. 621. In order to change position to the rear on the first company, the colonel, after having caused this company to be established on the new direction, and a marker to be placed before the file on the right and left, will command, 1 . Battalion, change front to the rear, on the first company. 2. Right about — face. .3. By companies, left half wheel. 4. March. 27 210 S. Forward. 6. March. 7. Guide to the left. PlATE XXIV. FIG. 2. 622. At the second word of command, all the companies, except- ing the first, face to the right about. 623. At the third word, the captains of the companies which have faced about, move behind the centre of their companies, at the dis- tance of two paces from the front rank, become the rear rank. 624. At the fourth word, the companies commence wheeling on a fixed pivot, with the rear rank in, front. 625. At the sixth word, thej will cease wheeling, and move straight forward towards the new line. 626. At the seventh word, they will all take up the light touch of the elbow from the left, and the guide placed on the right flank of each, become the left, will conform to the directions laid down in No. 616. 627. The proper right, become the left of the second company, having arrived opposite to the left of the first company, already dressed on the new line, the captain of the second, company commands, 1 . Left turn. 2. March. f 628. The second company turns to the left, according to the prin- ciples of changes of direction on the pivot flank, on the march ; and will move, afterwards, to the front, and be halted by the captain, when arrived as far as tha rack of file-closers of the first company ; the captain will, then, cause the second company to face about, and will align it, according to the mode already explained for successive formations. ' 629. All the other companies will execute what has been directed to be done by the second company. 630. The formation being effected, the colonel will command, ■ Guides to your — posts. 631. The colonel will cause the battalion to change position to the front, or to the rear, on the left company, on the same principles. 211 632. The colonel superintends the general execution of the more- ment. 633. The lieutenant-colonel will correct, if necessary, the posi- tion of the guides as they come on the line, conforming to the pre- scribed rules for successive formations. 634. The colonel can, equally, cause the battalion to change front on a central company, or on any other company of the battalion that may be deemed eligible ; and under any required angle formed by the new and old lines ; and, in this case, one of the wings will change position to the front, and the other to the rear, both conforming to what has been prescribed to be executed, in this article, as applica- ble to each. 635. If, for instance, the change of front is to be executed on the fifth company, and if the left wing is to be thrown forward, and the right back, the commander will place two markers on the new direc- tion in front of the fifth company, and he will order the captain of this company to wheel it into the new line, and dress it on the markers. 636. The fifth company being thus established in the new direc- tion, the fourth company is to be formed on the new alignment, by command given by the captain of it, and the guide of the right of the fourth company, will immediately station himself before the file on the right of his company, and covering the markers placed before the fifth company ; the colonel having ascertained the accuracy of po- sition of this guide, will order, 1 . Battalion, change front on the fifih company, ike left wing thrown forward. 2. Right wing, right aboitt — face. 3. By companies — right half wheel. 4. March. 5. Forward, 6. March. ^ 7. Gvide to the right. Plate sxv. no. 1. 637. At the second word of command, all the companies, to the right of the fourth, will face to the right about. 212 638. The movement will be executed according to the regulating: principles laid down in detailing this article. 639. When the movement is a central one, as in this instance, the lieutenant-colonel rectifies the position of the guides of the compa- nies of the right wing, as they come up on the line ; and the major will correct, if necessary, the position of the guides of the compa- nies of the left wing, on the alignment of guides. REMARKS ON CHANGES OF FRONT. 640. When the new direction is nearly at right angles to that of ibe battalion, the companies wheel about the eighth of the circle, be- fore they march forward to the new line ; but when the two lines form an acute angle with each other, the less the angle, so much the less •ught the companies to wheel previous to marching forward in echel- lon ; and when the angle is very acute, the commander will cause the companies to wheel only as much as will disengage them from line, and from each oth^r. 641. The precision of movement depends on the accuracy and aptitude of judging by the eye {coup d'leil) of the commander, rela- tive to the instant at which he ought to give the words, forward, MARCH. 642. If the new line forms a very acute angle with that on which the battalion is placed, the companies will arrive on the line, nearly square, or parallel to it, without there being any necessity for the word, turn to the right (or, left) being given, when the companies have arrived opposite to their respective situations for being dressed on the line. . ARTICLE TWELFTH, PASSAGE OF A DEFILE IN HETREAT FROM THE RIGHT OR LEF1P ■WING. 643. The battalion being in line, and the commander suppoMng the defile in rear of the left flank, he will command. To the rear, from the right wing, pass the (^ffee. Plate ssv. pig. 2. The captain of the company on the right flank, will, immediatelyr order, 213 1. Light infantry (oT, first company.) 2. Right — FACE. 3. March. I 644* At the word march, the first company steps off ; the leading file will wheel to the right, and march to the rear four paces beyond the rank of file-clijsers ; it will, there, wheel again to the right, and inarch straight forward towards the left wing ; and all the files of this company, are to wheel, successively, on the same ground on which the leading file wheeled. 645. The second company will put itself in motion, in its turn, by command of the captain, who will cause it to face to .the right, when the leading file of the first company, has arrived opposite to him ; he will give the word, march, to his company, at such itime, as that the leading file of the second company may follow in immediate- suc- cession the rear file of the first company, but without effort to take up the accurate step of the preceding company, which will happen on the mai'ch ; the leading file of the second company will wheel to the right on its ground, and all the other files will wheel, successively, on the same ground where the leading file wheeled. 646. The succeeding companies will execute, each in its turn, the same movements as have been prescribed for the second company. 647. The first file of the first company having come up opposite to the defile, supposed to be situated behind the left flank of the bat- talion, will wheel, by files, to the left, in order to enter the defile ; and all the following files will wheel, exactly, on the ground on which the file of the head of the company wheeled. 648. The companies pass through the defile, by marching in file, and as each has cleared it, the captain will form company, from file, by the rules detailed in No. 134, and the following ones, of the sc/jooZ of the company. 649. Supposing the defile to be in rear of the right flank, the colo- 'fiel commands. To the rear from the left wing pass the defile. 650. The company on the left will, immediately, commence the movement, and the following companies, successively, conforming to the directions laid down for passing the defile, by filing from the right flank ; and, in this case, the captains will shift to the left flank of their companies, in order to conduct the leading file. 214 REMARKS ON PASSING A DEFILE IN RETREATING. 651. Should the breadth of the defile admit of the formation of companies, or platbons, from files, the captain of the leading compa- ny will effect this, after his company has entered the defile. 652. All the succeeding companies execute this movement by com- mand of their respective captains, in the same place where the leading company commenced it. 653. As soon as the first company shall have passed the defile,, if the right is in front, the head of the column can be wheeled to the left in a direction parallel to the original one, in order to be, afterwards, wheeled up to the left into line ; or the head of the column may wheel to the rigiit, in order to form line on the right flank, by succes- sive formation of companies. 654. If the defile is narrow, and does not admit of forming compa- nies, or platoons, the battalion will continue to march in file ; and as soon as the leading file has cleared, or passed the defile, it may wheel, to the left, prolong the direction of the battalion, and the formation" may be made on the left flank, into line, by facing the battalion to the left; or, the leading file may wheel to the right, and the line may be formed on the right flank from file. ' If judged more eligible, after passing, companies may be formed from file ; and the wheel may be made to the right or left, in order to form line, on either side of the defile. ARTICLE THIRTEENTH. COLUMN OP ATTACK. 655. This movement, which consists in filing from line, into a dou- ble column, formed in rear of the two centre companies, is executed as follows, by word of command from the colonel. 1. Battalion form column of attack. 2. Companies right and left inwards — face. 3. Quick MARCH. Plate sxvi. fig. 1. 656. Upon the first caution, all the captains of companies, except- ing those of the fourth and fifth, will move to the front of the centre of 215 their companies, cautioning them that they are to face either to right or left, according to the wing they belong to ; and the captains of the fourth and fifth companies will stand fast. 657. Upon the second word of command, the fourth and fifth com- panies stand fast; all the other companies will face, those of the right wing, to the left; and those of the left, to the right; the captains of the faced companies will, immediately, cause the three leading files of their respective companies to disengage or throw themselves to the rear ; the guides of the left, of each of the companies of the right wing, and the guides of the right, of those of the left wing, will place themselves, respectively, before the front rank man of their leading file ; and the, captain of each company will station himself by the side of his guide, in order to conduct the company. 658. Upon the word march, the movement commences, the captain of the fifth company steps, nimbly, to the left flank of his company, and the captain of the fourth, stands, fast ; and these companies, if ne- cessary, dress on each other, on a caution given by their respective captains. 659. The fourth and fifth companies that are to form the head of the column, stand fast ; all the others step off in quick time, in order ■to place themselves, at platoon distance, in rear of the company of the wing they belong to, in such arrangement, that the fourth compa- ny precedes the third, the third the second, and so on ; and that in the left wing, the fifth company precedes the sixth, the sixth the seventh, and so on. 660. The corresponding companies of each wing will unite into one grand division in the column ; and for this purpose, the captain of each of the companies of the right, will command, 1. Company. 2. Halt. 3< FHONT. I 4. Left — DRESS. 661. The captain of each of the companies of the left wing will give the same words of command, excepting that instead of his giving the fourth word of command, he will give his company the word. Right DRESS. 662. The captain of each of the companies having given the word. Left (or, ngfe)— DRESS will take post on the exterior flank of his 216 company, those of the right wing, on the right flank, and those of the left wing on the left flank; the two companies united will dress on each other ; and the centre of the two companies is marked hy the covering sergeant of the company on the left, who must place himself, accurately, and carefully, covering the preceding sergeant. , 663. The drumm.er will take post in rear of the column. niFFEBENT MODES OF FORMING AND DEPLOYING INTO LIKE, FROM THf; COLUMN OF ATTACK. 1st. Forming line to the front by an echellon movement; 2d. Forming line to and on the right (or, left) flank by a compound move- ment ; and 3d. deploying into line facing to the rear. , 1st. When the column of attack, at company distance, forms line TO THE FRONT. 664. The column of attack being supposed to arrive behind the centre of the line on which the formation is to take place, the colonel will indicate, beforehand, to the major, the point where the headjiof Ihe column is to rest, as also, the points of direction to the right and left ; and the major will, immediately, establish two markers on the line, as follows. 665. The first will mark the situation where the front rank man on the right of the leading grand division will rest when in line ; the se- cond will be placed oi> the line, where one of the three files on the left of the leading grand division will dress up to, when coming into line ; and the markers shall stand faced towards each other. 666. The head of the column having arrived at about the distance of the front of a company from the two markers established on the line, the colonel will halt the column, directing the senior captain of the Ifflj^^^ra^ division to march it up and establish it on the markers^TTiisSpHRtt placing himself in front of the leading grand division, commands, *>*»<. 1. Grand mvision, forward.- 2. Guide to the centre. 3. March. 667. When arrived close to the markers on the line, the captaia commanding it must order, 4. Grand division. 217 5. Halt. 668. At the word halt the grand division halts, and the covering sergeant of the fifth company is to be posted, between the two mark- ers, opposite to the right hand man of bis company, abd facing to the left, being correctly stationed on the line by the major ; and the cap^ tain commanding the grand division, having immediately on that, moved to the centre of the grand division, and placiijg himself in if^ commands, 6. Centre — dress. 669. This being effected, the word front, will be added. 670. The colonel seeing the leading, grand division, nearly esta- blished on the line, shall give the following words ; 1 . Column of attack, form line to the front, 2, By companies, right and Iffi, outwards Iialf wheel. ?. March. .671. At the first caution, the captains, excepting those of the lead- ing grand divisiop, shall place themselves, before the centre of their respective companies ; at the second word the captains are to caution their companies to which hand the wheel is to be made ; at the word march the companies wheel outwards on a halted pivot ; and at the moment when the colonel shall judge that they have wheeled suf- ficiently, according to the direction of the line, he is to order, 1. Forward. 2. March. 3. Guide to the right and left, ■672. The third, second, and fim companies having half wheeled to the right will form line to the frmiLas from an open column of companies with the left in front; thejseventh, and eighth, companies, having half wheeled to the left, Vfillform line to the front, as from an open column of coHipanjes with the right in front. .673. All the compart, as they arrive on the alignment are dressed on the flank nearegt^^tfae .cgjrire ; for this purpose the captain of the fourth company is t^ st^ jfedt to the place of his covering sergeant, tq pnable the captain of the tliird to dress his company on its left. ,^ - 28 218 674. The formation being accomplished, the colonel must com^ mand^ Guides to your — posts. 675. At this word the captains in the right wing of the battalion ■will also shift to their proper places in line. REMARKS ON FORMING LINE TO THE FRONT FROM THE COLUMN OF ATTACK. 676. This last movement supposes that the column stood at right angles, or nearly so, to the line formed on. But let it be supposed that such line was more or less obliqued to the column, that part of the line to the right forming an acute angle with the column. Iq thi^ case the right companies in each grand division must wheel more and the left companies lees, than the eighth of a circle. (See No. 357.) In such case the colonel will wheel the left and right companies into echellons separately ; for which purpose he will command, ie^ compa- nies, outwards wheel, makch, adding the yroTds, forward march, when he shall judge that they have wheeled the desired portion of the cir- cle. He shall then do the same thing in respect to the right compj- nies, substitutin'g the word right for left. The companies of the left wing will arrive on the line about the same time with the correspond- ing companies of the right wipg, the latter having a smaller space to march over. 2d. To FORM LINE, FROM THE COLUMN OF ATTACK, TO, AND ON, A FIAJTK. 677. The colonel wishing to form line to, and on, a flank, the right, for example, will command, 1. Column of attack, form line to and on the right Jlarik. 2. Guide to 1rhe right. PiAT? XXVI. riG. 3. 678. At the first caution the captains shall place themselves before the centre of their respective companies ; at the second,the lieutenant- colonel shall place himself a little in froTlTof, and facing the right guide of the fourth company, and the major shall place himself, also, a little in the rear of the right guide of the first company ; the left guide of the fourth company must place himself, at the same time, on the line of the guides on the right of the column, facing towards them, ai?d posting himself as has been directed in No. 30^ . i f '' 219 679. The colonel seeing the companies on the right dressed on their right guides shall order, 3. Right companies, to the right into line wheel. 4. Left companies, forward, on your right form line. 5. March. 680. At the word march, the movement commences ; the right com- panies wheel up to the right in line and the left companies march for- ward and form successively on the right, the whole conforming to the 'principles prescribed for those two separate modes of formation. ■ The line being formed, the colonel will command, Guides to your — posts. 681. At this word, the captains in the right wing of the battalion will also, shift to their places in line. 682. The line wpuld be formed to, and on the left flank, by in- verse means. 3d. To DEPLOY THE COLUMN OF ATTACK INTO LINE, FACING TO THE REAR. 683. The first step to be taken is to countermarch the column ; the second, to close it to the front. These movements will be exe- cuted according to the principles before prescribed, with three excep- tions ; 1st. each grand division countermarches on its own ground ; 2d. the countermarch may be made from either flank, and 3d. in closing to the front the grand divisions dress on the centre, and not on a flank. 684. The. countermarch having been efliected and the column closed to the front, the colonel will order the major to post two markers at the head of the column in manner detailed in No. 398 ; the colonel will then command, 1 . Column of attack, deploy into line, on the rear grand division. 2. Outwards — face. 3. March. Plate xxvi. fig. 4. 685. At the first caution, all the captains, excepting those in the named grand division, place themselves in front of their respective companies ; at the second word, the named grand division stands fast, and the senior captain in it will place lymself in its front; the firstj 2io se'cond, and third compaines face to the right ; Ae eighth, seventh', and sixth companies faces to the left, and the captains of the faced coiJi- panies place themselves on the proper flanks to conduct them. 686. At the vvord, march, all the companies faced to a flank, shall step ofi' together-; the captains of the first and eighth companies must march perfectly straight to their respective fronts, taking care not to cross, or be beyond the line. 687. The guides on the leading flanks and the captains of the first, second, third, sixth, seventh and eighth companies shall conform to the principles laid down in Nos. 404, 405 and 406, substituting " company" for " grand division." 688. The captain commanding the rear grand division, when he sees the front of it uncovered by the deployment .of the companies in front, commands, 1. Grand division forward, 2. Guide to the centre. 3. March. 689. At the word march, given at the moment when the front is uncovered, the grand division shall move up to, and be established on ■ the line, according to the principles prescribed in Nos. 667, and 668. 690. The remaining companies, or those which faced to a flank, shall march and dress up, successively, on the right and left of the named grand division in the centre of the line, according to the pre- scribed principles in the case of deployments on a central grand di- vision ; and the captain of the fourth company will step back to the place of his covering sergeant when the captain of the third comes to dress his company on the flank next to the centre. The colonel seeing the hne formed, will give the word, Guides to your — posts'. 691. When these and the captains in the right wing will take their places in line. to halt the column of attack. 692. To effect this, the colonel shall prefix the caution, column of attack, before the word halt. 221 693. At the Word halt to be repeated by the senior captains of grand division, each shall add, Centre — dress. TO CLOSE THE COLUMN OF ATTACK. 694. The colonel wishing to close the column of attack, will for that purpose, commandj 1. Column of attack, close to the front. 2. Guide to the centre. 3. March. 695. At the word, march, if the column is at a halt, the first grand division will stand fast ; if the column is in march, the first grand di- vision will halt ; and in either case the following grand divisions shall x;lose up successively to the front, until the guide in the centre of each shall be at the distance of three paces from the second rank of the grand division immediately in front. 696. The grand divisions will be halted successively by their re- spective senior captains. TO OPfesr THE COLUMN OF ATTACK. 697. The column of attack will be opened to company distance by the following command, to be given by the colonel : Column of attack, take company distance, by opening out from the head. 698. At this word, the senior- captains of grand divisions will con- 'form to the principles prescribed in Nos. 386 and 387, substitutin:; " grand division" for " company," arid " guide to the centre" for " guide to the left or right." GENERAL REMARKS. 699. The principles of this "formation are not applied to the evolu- tions of the line, or section the fifth of th6se regulations ; because the application of those principles would be readily perceived, by an :officer experienced in the evolutions of the open column of line, as detailed in that section. 222 700. A column of attack, which should pierce the enemy's line, suppose his centre, might turn to the right and left, outwards, from its own centre, and take the enemy's line in flank in both directions. A column of attack thus separated from' the centre, would present two distinct and complete columns. The companies of the right wing of the battalion would form one, with its left in front; and the compa- nies of the left wing of the battalion, the other, with its right in front. The two columns would turn to the right and left outwards, because the right of the right column would be the pivot flank, and the left of the other column. ARTICLE FOURTEENTH. RALLYINOj OR ASSEMBLING, TO FORM AFTER BREAKING Ori?. 701. The battalion being in line, the commander will cause the working parties call (pioneers march) to be beat ; and on this signal, the battalion will break off, and disperse. 702. When the commander wishes to re-assemble it, he will place two markers and the bearer of the colours on the line on which the battalion is to assemble, and form ; after which, he will order the assembly, or troop, to beat. 703. Each captain ot a company will assemble liis oflicers, non- pommissioned officers, and soldiers, about six paces in the rear of the place which they are to occupy in line. 704. The commander wilf, quickly, cause the campany of the colours to b««formed on the line, close to the markers ; each company, by order of its captain, will move up, immediately, on this, on the alignment of the company to which the colours are attached, and will be dressed on the line, according to the prescribed principles. SCHOOL OF THE BATTALION, ARRANGED IN LESSON^ SUCH AS ARE TO BE REPEATEDLY PRACTISED IN EX- ERCISING BATTALIONS SEPARATELY. * LESSON I. 1st. To open ranks. 2d. Manuel exercise, and loading in quick time. 3d. To close ranks. ' 4th. Loading in quickest time, and the various firings to tlie front and rear. 223 LESSON II. 1st. To break, or wheel forward, to the right or left, into open column. 2d. To inarch in open column, with a cadenced step, for a consi- derable time, the guide at the head of the column conducting the march on two objects taken on the ground ; to change direction on the pivot flank, and on the reverse flank ; and to form platoons and companies, by doubling, and forming up on the march. 3d. To countermarch, and repeat the same movements. 4th. To change direction in open column, by filing the rear com- panies into the new direction. ii^Cn-oE^"-"- 6th. To assume the route-step of column marching atv-s*9q ; to form platoons ; to go through, in succession, the various movements "detailed in the- article of column of route, such as reducing the front of platoons, by breaking off files, to four files in front, moving up the ■ files again to the front, on the same principles, and forming com- panies. 6th. To halt the column, and to wheel it up to the left, or right, into line. 7th. To wheel tip the companies, sometimes, into line, to the right or left, by inverting the natural order of the flanks, LESSON III. 1st. To form open column, with the right or left in front, by filing the companies into column, on the line. 2d. To form the column into line, to the front ; and fronting to the rear of the march. 3d. To form line, from open column, on the right or left fl3nk. 4th. To march in file to a flank, and to form companies, or platoons, fin the march. 6lh. To prolong the march of the column in-an alignment before, or behind which it has arrived ; and to wheel it up to the left, or right, into line. 6th. To change position to the front, or rear, on a flank, either right or left, placed at right angles, and oblique to the old line. 7th. To change front on a central company, by throwing forward the left, or right wing, perpendicularly, and obliquely. 224 LESSON IV. 1st. From line, to form close column of grand divisions, or com-, panics, on the company on the right, or left of the battalion, and i» front, or rear of it, or on a central cpmpiny, with either right, or left in front. 2d. To change the direction of a dose column to the right, or left, by filing the column from either flank into the new direction. 3d. To countermarch the clpse column. 4th. To march in close column. 6th. To open out froni the head of the column. 6th. To close to half, or platoon distance, and change direction ; to form close column, halt the column, foim column of grand di- visions from a halt, and deploy into linp. 7th. -To form the column of attack, and deploy it into line. LESSON V. 1st. To march in line for a considerable time, advancing and re- tiring ; and to execute the passing of obstacles in different manners. 2d. To. change direction in line, repeatedly. 3d. To march obliquely. 4th. Passage of lines, as a battalion of the first, and as a battalion of the second line. 6th. To march, in file, to the right, or left flank ; to vrheel in file, successively by files ; and to form line, on the right, or left flanks, by files. 6th. To pass a defile retiring. 7tli. To cause the drums to beat the call for wording parties ; and, afterv/ards, to assemble and form the battalion. REMARKS ON THIS ARRANGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL OP THE BATTALION INTO LESSONS. The first lesson, vphich includes the loadings and firings ; the se- cond, which includes marching in column, and all that relates to it ; tlie fifth, which coitnprehends the march in line, and the various move- ments connected with it, being the most essential parts of this instruc- tion, are, therefore, those that ought to be most dwelt on, in the exer- cise of the battalion. 225 The battalions which are expert in the execution of the second and fifth lessons, will, in a very short time, attain perfection in the execu- tion of the third and fourth. Arms may 'be supported in marching in file, by companies, or grand divisions ; as also; when marching in column with a cadenced step. Arms may, sometimes, be supported in marching in line, when the battalions are well disciplined, and aligned. The quick step must not be made use of in the instruction of batta- lions separately, either in marching in line, or in column, or in forma- tions, until they are thoroughly confirmed and grounded in the cadence of the ordinary step. The non-cadenced, or route-step, is not to be made use of in the discij^line of the battalion, excepting for the purpose of practising the movements relating to a column of route. SECTION V. EVOLUTIONS OF THE LINE. The School of the Battalion comprehending the principles and ex- plication of all the movements that a single battalion can make in any case that may arise, it remains to apply these principles to tbe opera- tion of a line consisting of many battalions. In laying down ihe instructions for the movements of the line, eight battalions are supposed acting conjointly ; but the rules which will be given, are equally applicable to two battalions or to a brigade, or -to any indefinite number of battalions. The discipline of the battalion has been divided into five parts. A similar division will be observed here. Whenever several brigades are to mantsuvre in line, each battalion will be distinguished by its number, according to the rank it holds in the line. The battalion on the right will be termed the first, that next, the second, the following, the third, and so on, in this order, te the battalion on the left of the whole line. THE SITUATIONS OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, OF BRIGA- DIERS, AND OF COLONELS, IN LINE, AND IN COLUMN. In line, the commander in chief has no fixed situation assigned him ; and he is to repair to all situations where his presence may be ne- cessary. 29 226 In colurah, he is to be.liabitnallj, at its head, in order to direct its movements according to the views he may have. In evolutions, he will station himself where he can most adyan- tageously direct the execution of the general movement. However, in all pases, the commander in chief will repair to every place where his presence may, by himself, be deemed requisite ; placing, in his absence, another officer in liis situation, who is entrusted with the care of directing the execution of his orders. In line the commandants of brigades post themselves forty paces in the rear of the centre of their brigades. In column, they will post themselves on the pivot flank, side of the column, opposite to the centre of the brigade, and about ten or twelve paces on the outside of the line of the pivot guides. The commandants of brigades, in line, in column, or in going through the various other movements, will carefully superintend the exact and regular execution of all the orders communicated to them ; and for this purpose, they are permitted to move, every where, . throughout the extent of their brigades, where they may deem their presence necessary. The posts of the colonels, lieutenant-colonels, of the majors, and of the adjutants, whether in line, or in column, have been assigned them in the school of the battalion. « GENERAL RULES FOR THE WORDS OF COMMAND. When all the battalions of the line are to execute the same move- . ment, the commander in chief will give the battalion nearest tohim the general words of command relative to the movement, which are to be, immediately, repeated by the colonel of that battalion. Each colonel of a battalion must, always, repeat, witli the utmost rapidity, all the general words of command which he may hear given to the battalion immediately on his right, or leit, according to the side whence the word comes ; unless the commander in chief may have given, or sent to him, a contrary order. The colonels having repeated the general words of command, as has been directed, will order, and cause to be executed, immediately afterwards, without regulating themselves by each other, the prepa- ratory movements in their battalion, which are to precede the general movement ; the generals of brigade will superintend the prompt exe- cution of these preparatory movements, in their brigade, taking care, that the colonel does not make any mistake in this respect. ■ 227 The commander in chief will, always, give the word of command which is to indicate the execution of the general movement. The lieutenant-colonels, and the majors, placed in the rear of the right and left of their battalion in line, repeat the general commands, either of caution, or execution, whenever the extent of the front of their battalions, the wind, or the noise of the small arms, prevent these words of command from being easily heard from one battalion to another. When a colonel has not heard the general word of command, and sees the next battalion executing the movement, he will, immediately, cause his own battalion to go through the same movement?. When the line is to execute a central movement, the commander in chief will repair to the point which he has chosen for the centre on which the movement is to take place ; and he will communicate, or ^ send to the colonel of each of the nearest battalions on the right and left, the order to give the general word of command relative to the movement which each portion of the line is to execute ; as will be explained herein afterwards. In column, the repetition of words of command will be subject to tihe same rules. Whenever a line breaks into several columns, the senior officer in rank of each, will command it, apd will discharge, with respect to the column, the duties of commander in chief. FORMATION OF BRIGADES IN LINE, IN FRONT OF THEIR QUARTERS. When.a brigade is to form in line in front of its quarters, the briga- dier will order the company of the centre of either battalion, some paces to the front, establish it on the direction to be given to the line, and order two markers to place themselves close in front of this com- pany ; and he will cause the colonel of the other battalion to be warned, at Ae same time, to establish the company of the centre of his bat- talion on the same line of direction. These two companies being thus formed, at battalion distance, and the len<'th of an interval from each other, on one and the same line, the brigadier will cause a short roll to be beat, at the conclusion of which, the companies of each battalion will, by command of their respective captains, move up, successively, on the alignment of the company of the centre of their respective battalions ; and the colonels must see that the guides of botli battalions place themselves, accu- rately, on the same line. The battalions being formed, if the brigade 228 is to mancBuvre, the brigadier wjll cause the battalion to be told off, which is to be quickly done, by beginning on the right of each. The companies are to be equalized as much as possible ; the non- commissioned officers who are to form the guard of the colours of each battalion, will fall in on the left of the fourth company, and are to be reckoned among the number of liles of that tompany, which on this account, is to have three files of battalion men, less than the other companies. , The interval between the battalions will be twelve paces. o FORMATION AND ORDER OF MARCH OF A PARTY TO ESCORT THE COLOURS. When the drums beat for parading the briggyle under arms, if the colours are required, one of the two companies of light infantry, in its turn of duty, 6f each battalion ; or if they are detached, cme of the battalion companies will march to bring and escort the colours, in the following order. The drum-major, and the drummers of each battalion, followed by the band, the detachment in column of platoons, with supported arms ; and the' two sergeants appointed for carrying the colours, abreast, be- tween the two platoons. Each party marches, in this order, without music, or beat of drum. When arrived in front of its colonel's quarters, the platoons wheel up into line, with the band formed on the right. As soon as the detachment is in line, the two sergeants who are to carry the colours, will proceed to receive them, accompanied by the lieutenant, and a sergeant belonging to the party. When afterwards, the two sergeants f ome out with the colours, fol- lowed by the lieutenant and sergeant, they will halt before the door, or gate. At the instant when the colours are brought out, the officer com- manding the party will order arms to be presented, and the drums will beat the troop. After beating some time, accompanied by the band, the officer commanding tlie party will direct the beating and music to cease ; and he will order the party, then, to shoulder arms, and to wheel, or file, into platoons : the two sergeants who carry the colours, place themselves, side by side, between the tsto, platoons ; and the lieuten- ant and'sergeant resume their places. The officer commanding will, then, march off the party in the same order in which it arrived, in order to join the regiment assembled on the parade; The drums beat and the music plays. 229 eOMPLIMENTS PAID TO THE COLOURS. When the colours arrive, the brigadier will order arms to be shoul- dered, the drums will cease beating, and in quick time, with the party, will resume their places in line, passing for that purpose, in rear of the regiment ; and the colonels will place themselves, respectively, six paces in front of the file in the centre of their battalions. The bearers of the colours of each battalion will march, in quick time, side by side, at the distance of ten paces before the front, halting opposite to the dfentre of their battalions, and facing towards them ; the colonel will, then, order arms to be presented, they themselves, im- mediately afterwards, saluting with the sword : the bearers of the co- . lours, will, immediately take their posts in the centre of their respec- tive' battalions, and the colonels are to order arms to be shouldered when the colours take post in line : the colours are escorted back in tlie ordsr prescribed above. PART I. ARTICLE FIRST. TO OPEN KANKS. 1. To effect this, the commander in chief will order, 1. Prepare to open ranks. 2. This word of command having been repeated, the colonels, im- mediately afterwards, command, rear ranks open order, which will be executed as prescribed in the school of the battalion; the commander in diief will then order, ' 2. March. 3. Upon this jvord of command, loudly and quickly repeated, the rear rank steps back, conforming to the directions laid down in the school of the battalion. 4. Each battalion executes this movement as if it were single; and, consequently, no attempt is to be made to align the rear ranks of the different battalions, on each other. ARTICLE SECOND. MANUAL EXERCISE. 5. The manual exercise is never to be gone through iij, line, when the number of battalions exceeds one. 233 ARTICLE THIRD. LOADING ANP FIRIKO. ^. In line, loading in quickest time only is to take place. 7. When the line is to load, the commander in chief gives the cau- tion, 1. Prepare to load. The caution having been repeated, the commander in chief orders, 2. Load. 8. The word of command, which is to be, immediately, repeated, will be obeyed, as has been prescribed in the school of the battalion. 9. When the,line is to fire, posted, the commander in chief will order, 1. The line will fire by battalions, by wings, or, by companies. This order having been repeated, the commander in chief will give the word, 2. Commence Firing. 10. The odd, or right hand battalions, will begin the firing by bat- talions ; the colonel of each of these battalions having repeated the word, commence firing, will immediately give the words to be used in the school of the battalion, for executing this fire. 11. The colonels of the even, or left hand battalions, are not to give their first word of command, till they observe some firelocks shoul- dered in the odd battalion which is, immediately, on their right ; the colonels of the first, or odd battalions, will, in their turns, observe the same rules with respect to the even battalions, which is, immediately, on their left ; and the fije will continue, thus, alternately. 12. The fire by wings, is to be executed, in each battalion, as has been directed in the school of the battalion ; each colonel, having re- peated the word, commence firing, will, imtfiediately afterwards,-vrith- out regulating himself by the battalion next to him, give the words of- command^ requisite for the execution of this fire. "13, Firing by companies will be executed as has been prescribed in the school of the battalion; and the captains of the odd, or right hand compavies, are to give the first word of command, immediately after the colonel has given the word, commence firing. 231 14. The firing of companies, by independent files, will be executed as followft : the commander in chief orders, 1 . Line reill Jire by independeht Jiles. The command having been repeated, the colonels will, immedi- ately afterwards, order 1st. Battalion; 2d. Ready. The commjtoder in chief, then orders, 2. Commence Firing. 15. Upon this word of command, repeated by the colonels of bat- talions, the fire by independent files will commence, and be executed, as has been directed in the school of the battalion. 16. The commander in chief wii) cause the firing to cease by a. very short ruffle, or roll of the drum, to be repeated by the drums of each battalion, the moment it is heard, when what has been directed in the school of the battalion will be observed ; and as soon as each bat- talion has loaded, the colonel of it will order a tap of the drum-stick, as a signal for the captains, and their covering sergeants, to resume their places in line. 17. To fire to the rear, the commander in chief will order, 1. The line ■will Jire to the rear. This command having been repeated, the colonel will, immediately afterwards, command, 1. Battalion, right-about — face. 18. The commander in chief will, then, cause the various firings to be gone through, oy the same words, and modes of precedence, "as detailed in this article. 19. After causing the firing to cease, in order to front the line, the commander in chief orders, 1 . The line will front. The colonels having repeated this word, will, immediately after- wards, order, Battalion, right-about — face. 20. The commander in chief wishing to make the line stand at ease, will order, 1. Prepare to rest. This command of caution having been repeated, the commander in chief orders,, , 2. Order (or, support) — ^arms. 232 This command having been repeated, and executed, he will order, 3. Rest in your places. This order is to be obeyede-camp is posted ; this they will do, when the head of their, battalion shall have arrived within the distance of one hundred paces from the line ; and they will, after- wards, during the formation in line, discharge the duty prescribed for them in No. 339y of the school of (he battalion. 171. A column , with the left in front, arriving behind the left of the line to be formed on, would form line to the front, according to the same principles, and by the contrary mode of procedure ; that is, by breaking off from the general column, to the right, and forming line with the point of appui on the left. 4th. When the column at wheeling distance, with the right in front, forms line fronting to Ike rear of the march. 172. A column at wheeling distance, with the right in front, being supposed to arrive in front of, or before the right of flie line on which tho-commonder intends to form the line, he will indicate, a little pre- 257 viously, to an aid-de-camp, or to the major of the leading battalion, the point at which he has determined to rest the right of the line, as also the point of direction on the left : this aid-de-camp, or major, will, immediately, proceed forward with two markers, ^om he will establish on the line pointed out, as has been explainea in No. 322, of the school of the battalion. 173. The head of the column having arrived at about the distance of a company from the markers established on the line, the com- mander will halt the column, and will, immediately, dijrect the cap- tain of the leading company to form it on the line, in rear of, or be- hind, and close to the two markers, by countermarching it in file into that situation, which is to be executed as has been prescribed in No. 364, of the school of the battalion. PtATE 3CIVUI. FIB. 2. 174. This arrangement having been Wde, the general in chief will qrder, -• -> • 1 . The column will form line, facing to the rear. The colonels having repeated this order, the colonel of the fir?t battalion of the column will, immediately afterwards, order, Battalion, right — ^faoe. The colonel of each of the following battalions will order, The battalion column will chamge direction to the right. 2. March, (or, quick — March.) 175. Upon this word, briskly repeated, the first battalioDH|||||(|||[^ of the columnl»will form line, facing to the rear, on the leading com- pany, as has been prescribed in No. 367, and following ones, of tlie school of tlie battalion. 176. The following battalions will move, diagonally, in separate battalion columns, towards the line ; for this purpose, the division at the head of each of them, will disengage, or break off, from the ge- neral column, by a wheeling movement to the right, and will, after- wards, direct its march, diagonally, towards the line, as in the case of forming line to the front, 33 258 1 77. The he^d of e%ch battalion-column being arrived at about the distance^of fi company frOm its lieutenant-colonel, who will have pro- ceeded, previously, to place himself on the line, as has been pre- scribed in forming to the front, in line, the colonel Yirjll h^t his bat- talioa ; the'^wo guides of the leading divisiqn will move up, at the same instant, on the line on which the lieutenant-colonel will estab- lish them, accurately, and the leading division will, immediately on that, by word of command from its captain, form fronting to the rear, close to its guides on the line ; and when this has been effected, the colonel of the battalion will give the words of command prescribed in No. 366, of the school of the battalion ;• in order to form in line, front- ing to the rear of the march. 178. The line being formed, the commander orders, Colours to your — posts. > 179. The general in chief will direct two aids-de-camp, or two mounted officers, to^certain, in this formation, the points at which thcdifferenrbattali(^.begii3o file towards the line from battalion- columns, arrive^in front of'ijj 4l these points ; as has been explained in No. 166, and the following ones. 180. The general in .chief, or officer charged with the execution of his orders, will take post during the execution of the movement, at the point of appui of the line, as in the case of a formation into line on the right flottk, and he will there superintend the general formation. 181. The colonels will be on the pivot flank of the leading di- vision, during the march in column towards the line, in order to re- gulate its direction ; and when, afterwards, the battalion begins to form on the line, they v.ill act as directed jn forming.io iJie front irito line. 182. The lieutenant-colonels in this formation, will discharge the duties prescribed for them in the case of forming to the front, into line. ' • 183. A column, with the left in front, arriving before the line to be formed on, would form line frontihg to the rear of the march, on the same principles, and by the contrary meacs of procedure ; that is, by breaking off from the general column, to the left, and by filing into line, from the left of companies, ARTICLE THIRD. JORMATIOSr EXECUTED BY THE COMBINATION OF TWO MOVEMENTS. 184. A combination of two movements is sometimes necessary, i?i or cier to form in a required line, as will be now explained, 259 185. When, for instance, a column at wheeling distance is to form in line, on a division of the inferior of the column, if the tine is to face to the front, all that part of the column which precedes, or is before the named- division forming the basis of the alignment, must countermarch, and will, afterwards, form line on that division, facing to the rear J after having countertnarched ; and all that part of the co- lumn which is behind the named division will, on the contrary, form line to the front, on that division. 186. The commander must always, in this case, choose as the di- vision of alignment, the rear one of a battalion column. Pi ATE XXIX. FIO. 1. 187. Thus, the column being of companies at wheeling distance, with the right in.front, and the commander intending to form it in the line on the third battalion, will halt the column, if in march, and pro- ceed, in his own person, to the eighth company of this battalion, sta- tioning two markers in front of the right and left files of that company, which is to be considered as the base of the alignment. 188. The commander in chief will order the colonel of the third bat- talion to cause his battalion to countermarch, and, at the same time, he will send an order to the colonels of the two battalions preceding the third, to countermarch also ; and the eighth compariy of this bat- talion stands fast, and will not countermarch. 189. During the execution of this movement, the commander will cause the first company of the fourth battalion to be dressed on the line, in the prolongation of the front of the eighth company of the third battalion,' and at the distance of twelve paces from its flank. 190. The three battalions i)f the head of the column, with the ex- ception of the eighth company of the third, having countermarched, the commander will send an order to the colonel of the second batta- lion, to give the following words of command, which are to be re- peated by the colonel of the first battalion. 1st. Form line facing to the rear ; 2d. T/ie head of the column will change direction to the left. 191. The general in chief must, at the same time, send an order to the colonel of the fifth battalion, to give the following words of command, which are to be repeated by the colonels of the sixth, se- venth, and eighth battalions. 1st. Forrrl to the front. 2d. The head of the column will change direction to the left. 192. The commander will, himself, order the colonel of the third battalion to give the words of command, l?t. Form line faced to thx rear; 2d. Battaliwi left— face. 260 , He will direct the colonel of the fourth battalioH to order risf form line to the front ; 2d. Guide to tlie right; 3d. By companies, left, half wheel. The commander in chief will then order, March. 193. Upon this word of command, loudly and briskly repeaited, the general movemeHt commences, and is executed on the principles of forming line to the front ; and fanning line faced to the rear. 194. The eighth company of the third battalion, and the first com- pany of the fourth, having been, previously, formed on the line, will stand steady, as they, constitute the basis of alignment for the rest of the line. 195. If, on the same supposition of a central movement, the line, instead effacing to the fronts were to form fronting to the rear of the march, the commander would assume as the basis of alignment the first company of the fifth battalion ; he would cause this company to countermarch ; and would place two markers in front of the right and left file of it. 196. He would send an order to the colonels of the three first bat- talions of the column, to countermarch their respective battalions ; he- himself giving the same order to the colonel of the fourth. 197. The four battalions of the head having countermarched, the commander in chief would cause the eighth company of the fourth battalion to be dressed on the line, in the prolongation of the front of the first company of the fifth, at the distance of twelve paces from this last ; and these two bompanies would constitute the basis of the general alignment. 198. This arrangement made, the commander will send an order to the colonel of the third battalion to give the following orders, which must be repeated by colonels of the second and first batta- lions ; 1st. form line to the front ; 2d. the head of the battalion colvma will change direction to the right. 199. The commander must, at the same time, transmit an order to the colonel of the sixth battalion, to give the following words of com- mand, which are to be repeated by the colonels of the seventh and eighth battalions ; tst. form line facing to the rear ; battalion, change the direction of the head of the column to the right. The commander will, himself, give an order to the colonel of the fourth battalion, to give the words of command : 1st. form line to the front; 2d. guide to the left; by companies, right half wheel. 261 He will command the ctylonel of the fifth battalion to order, 1st. form line facing to the rear; 2d. battalion right — face. The commander in chief will afterwards order, March. 200. Upon this word, briskly repeated, the geiieral movement will commence, and be executed conformable to the prinQiples of forming Une to -the front, and forming line facing to the rear. 201. The first company of the fifth battalion,' and the eighth com- pany of the fourth, having been established on the line, stand fast, as forming the basis of the general alignment. 202. When a column with the right in front, arrives behind an alignment, enters, prolongs it, and wheels up into line, before the whole of the column has entered into the new direction, the formation is to be executed in the following manner. TlATE XXIX. FIG. 2. 203. The commander having halted the column, at the instant when the iburth company, for example, of the fourth battalion shall have wheeled its pivot flank into the new direction ; having afterwards, if necessary, corrected the position of the general guides, who, aceord- . ing to the principles already established, ought to be on the flank of the part of the column on the line ; and having established the pivot flank of the column on the line, by the means prescribed in No. 89, and the following ones of article fifth, will, quickly, detach an aid-de- camp to caution the colonel of the battalion of the column nearest to the new direction (the fifth battalion in this instance,) that that battalion is to break oiF to the left, in order to form to the front, in line ; and when the commander judges that the order has been delivered, he will give the word, 1. Left into line wheel. 204. Thfe colonels of the four first battalions will repeat this order, and the colonel of the fourth, the half of which, only, has wheeled into the direction of the line, will, immediately afterwards, order, four rear companies to the front in line. The colonel of the fifth battalion, having been cautioned respecting the movement which his battalion is to execute, will give the following; orders, which are to be repeated by each of the three colonels of the three rear battalions. 1 . Form line to the front. 2. Battalion cohmn, change direction tojhe left. 262 The commander will then, order, 3. March, 205. At this word of command, which is to be briskly repeated, the formation la line will take place. 206. If the column, instead of arriving behind the line to be formed on, should arrive, in front of, or before the line, the formation.would be executed in the following manner ; PiATE XXIX. no. 3-, 207. The eommander having halted the column, and having recti- fied the position of the guides who have entered on the new direction, will cause the colonel of the fifth battalion to be cautioned, that his bat- talion is to break off from the column, to the right, in order to form in line, fronting to flie rear of the, march ; and he will, then, command, •Left into line miheel. This order having been repeated by the colonel of each of the four battalions of the head of the column, the colonel of the fourth will, immediately 'afterwards, command, four rear coircpanies form line facing to the rear. - < The colonel of the fifth battalion, having been cautioned respecting the movement which his battalion is to execute, will give the following orders, which are to be repeated by the colonels of each of the three rear battalions of the column. 1 . Form line facing to the rear. 2. Battalion, change the direction of tlie head of the colunfm to the right. The general in chief will, then, order, , , 3. March. Upon this word, briskly repeated, the formation is to be executed. 208. All these various movements will be executed by a column with the left in front, according 'lo the same principles, by inversion of procedure. A REMARK ON THIS MOVEMENT. 209. Should the head of the fifth battalion be nearer to the line than, at least, fifty paces, at the instant when the commander halts the 263 coluimn suriving.behind the line, this battalion would form to the front, by a wheel of forty-five degrees, and moveB.Ess. 458. The following echellons will be dressed on the line, succes- sively, by a similar procedure. 459. Each superior officet commanding an echellon, will order> Guides — to your posts, as soon as his echellon is aligned ; but the bearer of the colours, and the two general guides of each battalion? are not to resume their places, till the commander in chief, on per- • «eiving the last echellon aligned, gives the order, Colours to your posts. . 460. The first echellon being aligned, the commander in chief may direct it to commence firing by battalions, by wings, by companies, or by independent files ; the following echellons commence firing in their respective turns, when established on the line ; in this case, the two general guides of each battalion resume their places in line, but the bearer of the colours is not to fall back into his situation, till the com- mander in chief, after the line is completely formed, has given the order, Colours, to your posts. 461. The commander in chief can, equally, cause the line to retire by direct echellons ; and, to effisct this, he will order, 1. The line mill form direct echellons of battalions (or of brigades) at the parallel distance, of (so many) paces. This order having been repeated, the commander in chief gives the word, 39 306 2, The line will retire by direct echellons, formed from the pghf, (or, left) jlamk. PllTE 5XXVII. FIG. 2. 462. This second command having been repeated, the commandant of the first echelloh will put it to the right-about, and march it off to the rear. 463. The commandant of the second echellon will face it to the right-about, when the first has marched, nearly, two thirds of the dis- tance which is to intervene between the one and the other ; and he will cause his echellon to step off, at the moment when he, perceives the first echellon at the requisite distance. 464. Each of the succeeding echellons will, in its turn, conform to the directions that regulate the movements of the second echellon. 466. When the commander in chief deems it necessary to re-form the line, he will direct the commandant "of the first echellon to halt^ front, and dress it in general alignment. 466. The following echfllons continue to march, are halted, suc- cessively, by their respective commandants, when they have passed about four paces beyond the line ; and will be fronted, afterwards^ and dressed in line, as already detailed. SECOND SUPPOSITION. 467. The direction of the line being supposed to form an angle with that of the enemy, when the commander in chief deems it necessary to throw the line into echellons parallel to the line of the enemy, this movement can be executed by battalions, or by brigades, as follows,: 468. If the direction of the enemy's line is such, that the right flank, or wing, is nearer to the enemy than the left, the commander in chief virill proceed to the right, and thence ascertain, by following the di- rections laid down in No. 413, a new direction which he may judge to run parallel to that of the enemy. 469. The lieutenant-colonel of the battalion on the right, on re- ceiving an order from the commander in chief, will lay off the angle which the echellon is to form with the present direction of the line, according to the directions laid down in No. 414. 470.. Let it be supposed that the lieutenant-colonel has marked off sixty paces, as the measure of the angle formed by the two directions. 471. The commander in chief will send an order to the command- ant of each brigade, to direct each brigade, or each battalion of each brigade, to change position forward on the right company, in the an- gle given'by sixty paces measured off by the lieutenant- colonel, to the 307 front of the battalion on the right of each brigade, or battalion, accord- ing as the echellon is to consist of a brigade, or of a battalion. 472 If the echellons are to consist, each, of one brigade, the com- mandants of brigades will, as soon as they have received orders from the commander in chief, proceed, each, to the right of his brigade, and will direct the lieutenant-colonel of the battalion on the right, to mark off the requisite number of paces for ascertaining the angle, in- forming him, also, of the nature of the movement to be executed. 473. The lieutenant-colonel of the> battalion on the right of each brigade is, immediately on this, to conform to the instructions given in No. 414- PlAT^ XXXVIII. HO. 1. 474. Each commandant of brigade will align the company on the right of his brigade, on the lieutenant-colonel stationed on the new direction ; and he will, then, caUse the whple brigade to change po- sition, forward, on this posted company. PiATE xxxvni. no. 2. 475. Should the commander in chief see it necessary to close up the formed echellons to the front one, nearer than they stand after changing position from line into echellon, he will give an order to that effect ; the commandant of each of the echellons will, imme- diately, march it off, halting it at the directed distance from the echel- lon immediately preceding ; and the first echellon is to stand fast. 476. The commandant of the echellon ivill dress it immediately on halting it, ordering, as soon as this is accomplished. The line will advance. 477. The leading echellon will, afterwards, march, on a caution given by the commander in chief; the commandants of each of the following echellons, will, each, march off his echellon at the instant he perceives that the preceding one has stept off; and the echellons will preserve the same distance from each other. 478. The battalion on the right of the leading echellon is to be the regulating battalion; and markers are to be placed, at right angles to its rear, to ensure the accuracy of its march perpendicular to its front. The other battalions of this echellon are to^march, accurately, in line with the right hand regulating battalion. 479. The battalion on the right of each of the following echellons, is to march at the prescribed distance from that which precedes it ; a non-commissioned officer from the rank of file-closers of this bat- 308 taTioB, wfll place himself in the rear of, and covering the file of the colours of the hattalion on the left of the preceding echellon ; he will march, accurately covering this centre file, and, also, in the line of the front rank of his own battalion, in order that if the echellon should incline to the right or left of the parallel directionj the commandant of it may readily perceire such deviation, or lateral inclination. The other battalions of each echellon will regulate their march on the battalion on the right of their respective echellons. 480. If the left of the original, line should be nearer to the line of the enemy than the right, echellons may be formed from the left, ob the same principle. REMARKS ON ECHELLONS FORMED, SO AS TO RENDER A LINE OBLIQUE TO THAT OF THE ENEMY, PARALLEL TO IT,, IN ECHELLON MARCH. 481. The greater angle formed by the echellons with the original' direction, or, in other words, the more the outer flanks of the echel- lons are thrown up, the more the echellons will be, in part, doubled behind each other ; and -the more space there will be between eadi. 482. Although echellons formed in this manner, are doubled mere or less behind each other, nevertfieless, it becomes easy to re-form the line in various modes. ARTICLE TWELFTH. CHEQUERED RETREAT OF THE LINE. 483. The chequered retreat is executed by the even and odd bat- talions, alternately, as will be explained. , Plate xxxrx. Ae. 1. 484. To execute this movement, the commander in chief orders, 1. The line will retire by the chequered retreat of one hundred paces^ This order having been repeated, the commander in chief will give the word, 2. Odd (or, even) battalions will commence Hie movement. 309 485. The second coiimand having been repeated, the colonels of the battalions that are to begin the movement, will, immediately afterwards, order, 1st. Battalion, right about— face ; 2d. Battalion, forward. The commander in chief will then order, 3. March. 486. Upon this word of comiiiand, which is to be repeated, briskly, by the colonels of the battalions that have faced about, these battalions step oflF to the rear, in common time, and march perpendicular to the line, by the means pointed out in the school of the battalion ; and they will be halted by their respective colonels, when they have retired to the requisite number of paces. 487. Each colonel having halted his battalion, will face to the right about, and align it parallel to the first line, without occupying his at- tention with dressing it on the other battalions. 488. As soon as the second division of battalions has fronted, the commander of the first, will order, 1. Battalions, rightabout — face. 2. Battalions, forward. These orders having been repeated and executed, he will order, 3. March. 489. The first line will retire by the directions given above, will pass through the intervals of the second, will march one hundred paces beyond it, will halt, face about, and align, as has been explained above. 490. The second line, become the first, will, in its turn, go through the same movement, and so on, alternately. 491. The colonels of battalions of the first line are, always, to di- rect the sergeant between the colours to conduct his march through the interval of the battalions of the second line, and to march, ex- actly, for the middle of such interval. The bearers 6f the colours are to count the prescribed number of paces from this interval, to- wards the rear. PlATE XXXIX. riH. 2. 492. When the commander in chief sees it necessary to re-form the line, he will order a roll of the drum, after the first line has marched 310 off to the rear, and this ruffle, or roll, is to be, quickly, repeated by the drums of all the battalions of this line ; the colonels of the first line will, then, halt their respective battalions when in the integsJs of the second, fronting and aligning them ; and the commander m chief can then, if requisite, cause the line to take a general alignment. REMARKS ON THE CHECKERED DIRECT RETREAT. 493. If the sergeants between the colours are as well trained as they ought, in the cadence and length of the step, the battalions, after retiring the isame number of paces, will be very nearly in proper line. If, however, one of these battalions should be, evidently, to the front, or in the rear of the others, the colonel of such battalions is to cause it to fall back, or move up to its proper line. 494. The commander in chief can order the retreating distance be- tween lines to be one hundred paces, but never less. ARTICLE THIRTEENTH. PASSAGE OF LINES. 495. When the commander in chief intends that the second line shall remain posted, and that the first shall retire and pass through it, he will order the first line to retire ; and when it arrives within fifty or sixty paces of the second line, he will order, 1 . By the left, (or, right) Jlank, pass the line. This order having been repeated, the colonels of battaliops wiU, immediately afterwards, order, 1st. Battalion, file from' the left, (or, right) of companies. 2d. Left, (or, right) face. 3d. By file ta the right, (or, left.) The commander Jn chief will then order, 2. March. 496. Upon this word, smartly repeated, the battalions of the first line win execute the movement prescribed in the school of the battalion. 497. The commander in chief must have cautioned the commandant of the second line, relative to the nature of the movement about to be gone through by the first line ; and the latter on perceiving the near approach of the first line, will, in sufficient time not to interrupt the march of the first line, order, 1 , Double platoons in close order. 311 498. The colonels of the second line will, immediately afterwards, order, 1st. Second platoons. 2d. Right — face. The commandant of the second line will then order, 2. March. 499. At this word, smartly repeated, the second platoons double in rear of the first, conforming to the directions given in the school of the baitalion. 500. As soon as the first line has passed through the second, the , colonels, without waiting for any general .order, will direct the pla- toons in the rear to move up, and form companies 601. The commander in chief will halt the first line, when he may judge that it has marched to a sufficient distance in rear of the second ; he will front it, and after arranging the pivot flank of the column in the direction which he intends giving to the line, he will wheel up the column to the left, (or, right) into line. 502. When the commander in chief, instead of causing the first line to retire, deems it more eligible that the second line should advance and pass through the first, he will send an order to the commandant of the second line, to direct that line to advance. 503. The second line adveinces marching in line, and when arrived at the- PLATE IV. Figure 1, Represents the front rank man kneeling, and having made " ready" for firing. Figure 2, Hepresents the centre rank man in the position of having made " ready" for firing. Figure 3, Kepresents the rear rank man in the position of having made " ready," previous to aiming. Figure 4, Represents the front rank man in the attitude of " atming." Figure 5, Represents a man of the centre ranis in the attitude of " aiming." Figure 6, Shows a rear rank man with his firelock " aimed." PLATE V. Figure I, Represents a man standing at " ordered arms.^ Figure 2. " Presented arms." Figure 3. " Supported ojnns." 324 Figure 4. " Charging bayonets." Figure 5. " Trailed arms." PLATE VI. Figure 1, Shows the position of the feet of the men in the occasional order of three ranks, when firing direct to the front. Figure 2, Shows the position of the feet of the men of each rfink, when firing, obliquely, to the' right. Figure 3, Represents the position of the feet of the men of each rank, when firing, obliquely, to the left. PLATE Vn. Figure 1, Represents a company marching in file, to the right flank, wheeling its head, by files, to the left, and afterwards to the right. Jfote. In the first case, it may be perceived that the men of the ftont rank do not wheel abruptly ; and that the men of the rear rank begin to s^tep previous to their arriving at the angle formed by the two directions, which naturally arises from this species of movement. In the second case it appears, that the men of the rear rank describe proportional small arcs of concentric circles, while the corresponding man of the front rank is going over a greater arc, or sweep, in order to wheel to the right, in file. The chief of platoon (b,) is placed by the side of the covering ser- geant (a,) in order to conduct the leading file. The front rank is some- what nearer to the rear rank than when in line ; and it follows the movement of the rear rank by conforming to it. The mstructor (c,) is posted at the wheeling angle; in order to su- perintend the execution of the movement. Figure 2, .Represents a company marching in file to the right flank, and forming to the right flank, by files, successively. 325 JVoie. Five front rank men appear formed in line, while only three of the rear rank appear, at the same time, formed ; in conse- quence' of the method prescribed for this species of formation. The instructor (d,) stationed in a hne with the front rank, and re- moved at the distance of some paces from it, directs the formation, ia prop ortion as the men arrive on the line. Figure 3, Represents a company marching in file to the right flank, and forming to the front, from file. The covering sergeant (a,) appears marching straight forward; the soldiers brinj; the right shoulder forward, and change to quick time, moving over the shortest lines leading to their places, which they are to occupy, file after file, in quick succession. Each file, as it forms up on the march, will resume the common time. The captain faces to the rear, in order to give the command, guide to the left, after the last, or rear file, has formed up. PLATE VIII. Figure 1, Represents a company wheeling forward from line into open column of platoons. Note. It appears that upon the word, mrerc/t,. the right hand man f c) of the front rank of each platoon has faced to the right. The offi- cer of each platoon has placed himself, as represented by the letter (d,) in a line with the front rank of the platoon as it will stand after effecting the wheel of ninety degrees. This officer posts himself at the distance of some paces from what will be the pivot, after accom- plishing the wheel, and faces to the rear. When the man who conducts the wheeling wing has, in wheeling, arrived within two paces of the point perpendicular to the position in line, the figure shows the platoon halted in this position by the officer commanding it. At the word, halt, the covering sergeant, and the file-closer from the left of the rank of file-closers represented by the letter (e,) have placed themselves in the direction ascertained by the platoon officer, who has, immediately afterwards, commanded, Left — dress; front; and, then, moved to the front of the centre of his platoon, his position be- ing marked (f.) Figure 2, Represents a company marching in column of platoons, and wheeling on the march, into a new alignment, or direction. The wheeling is on the pivot flank. 326 Note. The plate shows that the guide (g,)'at the instant of his having arrived at the wheeling point (h,) has turned to his left, and con- tinued the march at the same uniform rate ; the wheeling point has a marker (h) placed at it ; each man, in his file, brings forward the right shoulder a little, arriving, in quick time, successively on the luie of dressing, as represented by tlje files on the right (i ;) the files on the left (k) are represented after having successively wheeled, and form- ed up, continuing the march. The instructor (l,) is posted near the wheeling point, superintending the movement. Figure 3, Kepresents a company marching in column of platoons, and wheeling on a moveable pivot, on the reverse flank. j jVo^e. At the word, march, given at the instant when the guide (d,) on the pivot flank, has arrived at the marker (m,) previously placed, the platoon executes the wheel to the right on a moveable pivot, tak- ing the touch of the elbow from the left, the pivot flank ; and not from the right, the reverse flank. The pivot man on the right continues taking steps, in wheeling, of seven inches, in order to clear the ground for the succeeding platoon. ' The letter (f) represents this pivot- man on the right. The guide on the left, the pivot flank of the co- lumn, takes the usual step of twenty-eight inches. From the nature of the movement, the platoon curves a little at the centre, towards the rear, as the figure shows. The guide (e) of the second platoon follows, exactly, in the track »f the preceding guide. Each guide, in his turn, takes care, in de- , scribing his arc of a circle, not to open out from, or close in, to the point round which the pivot-man wheels. The chiefs of platoons, during the wheel, are to turn round to them, in order to conduct the wheel. Figure 4, Represents a company in column of platoons, wheeling forward, to the left, into line. The instructor (a) has moved forward in front of the pivots, placing Mmself in a line with the guides on the pivot flank, facing towards, and at the specified distance from them. At the word, march, the man (b,) on the left of the front rank of each platoon faces to the left ; the guides (e,) stand fast ; and when the platoon-right-flank of each platpon has, in wheeling, arrived within two paces of the line of guides, the platoon-officer commands, platooitf halt. 327 At the word, dress, given by the captain, the two platoons dress forward to the line, by completing the wheel. I The officer of the second platoon, after giving the word, halt, re- tires to the rank of file-closers. The captain directs the dressing of both platoons. PLATE IX. Figure 1, Represents a company marching in a column, with the right in front, forming platoQns. Note, (a) and (b) represent the two platoon-officers, who, on the first word of command, have moved forward in front of the centre of their respective platoons ; on the word, march, the second platoon marks time ; the first continues to march straight forward ; and as soon as the first is disengaged from the second, the second obliques to the right, in order to be at platoon-distance in rear of the first. ' Figure 2, Represents a company in column Of platoons, marching with the right in front, and forming company. JVote. The plate shows the leading, or first platoon, only, obliquing to the Tight ; and when it has uncovered the second, it marks time, waiting for the coming up of the second, which has, always, continued to march straight forward, perpendicular to the front. Figure 3, Represents a company supposed composing a part of a column with the right in front, executing the countermarch. JVote. The figure shows the guide of the left (a,) who has faced to the right-about ; the company marches to the right flank, and wheels by files (b,) successively, one hundred and eighty degrees, or in a small semi-circle, to the left-about; aiid when the.leading file has ar- rived opposite to, and as far as the guide (a,) the company halts, fronts, and dresses on the guide (a.) At the word, front, the covering ser- geant (d,) occupies the place of the guide of the left, who places him- self on the left of the front rank, passing to his situation, along the front of the company. The instructor (f ) remains on the flank, in order to superintend the execution of the movement. 328 PLATE 'X. Figure 1, Represents a battalion in line, wheeling forward by companies, to the right, from line, into open column. Note. The figure shows the lieutenant-colonel (f) who, after the battalion has broke to the right, has, on a caution given to him to that effect, by the colonel, proceeded thirty or forty paces in front of the leading guide, in order to indicate to him the line he is to march on, on a supposition that there may not be any projecting, or striking objects on the ground in ftont of the column, for the lead- ing guide to march on. The major (g) posts himself in rear of the pivot line of the column, in order to be ready to discharge the duties required from him, when the column is put in march. • The colonel (a,) takes post opposite to the centre of the battalion, on the pivot- flank side of it, in order to be properly situated for giving his worcfe of command, and for superintending, advantageously, the maintenance of order, and the connected regularity of march of the column. Figure 2, Represents a battalion in line, wheeling forward into open cdlumnj to the right, in,prder to march towards the left. Note. The parallelograms in white, or not filled up by etching, or black strokes, show the companies of the battalion after having broke forward into open column. The leading company is represented after having advanced forward a space equal to twice the extent of its front. The companies in black, or, etched, represent the column in march, each company wheeling on its pivot-flank at the point marked by the - marker (b,) who has been previously stationed. The lieutenant-colo- nel (f,) marches on the pivot-flank, in a line with the leading com- pany, in order to direct and give the step and time. The colonel (a,) remains at the wheeling angle, in order to watch over the move- ment there. Figure 3, Represents a battalion in line, filmg from line into open colunvn, by placing its pivot-flank on the line, with the right in front. Note. The figure (a,) shows the battalion after it has faced to the right ; the companies hi ve disengaged their heads to the rear ; and each captain has posted hiaisi'lf by the side of the front rank man on the left of the company AVhich is immediately on the right of his own. The figure (b,) shows the battalion formed in open 329 . colqmn, after having marched, perpendicularly, to the rear, and after having been halted at the moment when the rear file has arrived at, or come up, to the captain. PLATE XI. Figure J, Represents a battalion forming cloSe column of grand divisions, in rear of the right grand division. JVote. The figure shows the first battalion grand-division wheeling, by files, to the right, to the rear, so as to be three paces in rear of the grand division of light infantry formed on ; and the first grand division, after wheeling its head' to the rear, directs its march parallel to the grand division of light infantry. The captains commanding the other grand divisions, conduct them, as represented by (a,) so as to enter the column in a parallel direction to the preceding grand division, and at the distance of three paces from it. The lieutenant-colonel (d,) stationed in front of the guide of the lefl of the light infantry, superintends the covering of the other guides (b,) on the pivot-flank, as they, respectively,- take their places in the co- lumn. The major (f,) stationed in rear of the pivot-flank of the di- recting grand division formed on, discharges a similar duty. Figure 2, -Represents a battalion forming a close column of grand divisit)ns on a central grand division, with the right in front. JVote. The figure shows the first grand division and the light infantry faced to the left, with their leading files disengaged to the front ; and the third and fourth grand divisions are exhibited faced to the right, with their leading files thrown to the rear. The first and third grand divisions wheel their leading flank, by files, to the right, gain a distance of three paces from the directing grand division, to which they, then, move parallel into their respective places in column. The guides of the left (b,) of the grand divisions which take post in front of the grand division of direction, face to the rear of the column. The lieutenant colonel (d,) corrects and confirms, successively, the positions of the guides, as they, respectively, arrive in their situations in the column. The major ([,) discharges a similar duty, in his si- tuation in rear of tlte directing grand division. 42 330 Figure 3, Represents a battalion forming a close column of grand divisions, i(i front of the left grand division. Note. The figure shows all the grand divisions, excepting the fourth, faced to the left, with their leading files disengaged and thrown to the front ; and they, afterwards, march in file to the left flank, to their respec- tive places in front of the fourth grand division. The guides of the left (b,) are faced to the rear, on the pivot flank, and are, successively, confirmed in their positions, covering each other, by the lieutenant- colonel (d,) and by the major (f.) ^ , .PLATE XII. Figure 1, Represents a battalion in column, with the right in front, arriving in front of the line on which it is to foroi, and prolonging, that line by means of general guides., Kote. The marker (d,) who shall have been previously stationed, in- dicates the point where the head of the column is to enter and wheel to the left into the new alignment, previous to prolonging it, and wheel- ing up into line. The figure shows that the captain of the leading company does not cause it to wheel till after it has passed on, about four paces, beyond the marker (d.) The general guide of the right, and the~bearer of the colours (f,) are, likewise, represented prolonging the line ; the former opposite to the leading company, and the latter opposite to the company to which the colours are attached. The three rear com- panies appear as not having, as yet, entered on the new alignment. The colonel (a,) is on the pivot . flank, on the outside of the ge- neral guides, in order to see that, the column inarches about four paces on the inside, or other side, of these guides. The lieutenant-colonel (b,) marches opposite to, and ag far ad- vanced as, <