216. THE
whole company being assembled on its parade ground, or in the
rendezvous, the first, or orderly sergeant, will command:
Fall
in - COMPANY.
At this command
the corporals and privates will form in one rank, faced to the right,
and in the order of height from right to left, the tallest man on the
right (now head of the company), the next tallest man immediately
covering the first, and so on to the left or rear of the rank, in which
position will be placed the shortest man. The other sergeants
will take post in the rank of file-closers, two paces the right of the
company, and assist the first sergeant in forming the company.
When the men have their places, the first sergeant will command:
FRONT.
The second
sergeant, who is the left guide of the company, will now place himself
on the left of the company, and the orderly sergeant will promptly
command:
1. In two ranks, form company. 2.
Left - FACE. 3. MARCH.
At the command
left face, the whole company will face to the left, except the guide
and man on the left, who stand fast.
At the command
march, the whole of the men who have faced to left, will step off
together; the second man, counting from the left, will place himself in
the rear rank, behind the man next to the guide, and face to the front;
the two following men will, in like manner, on closing up, form the
next file, the third man in the front, and the fourth in the rear rank
behind him, and all the other
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND
MILITIA.
men will come
successively to form files, two deep, to the right of those already formed.1
The officers will
now take their posts as prescribed in No. 8; if the captain has to
discharge the duties of instructor, the first lieutenant will take his
place on the right of the front rank, the second lieutenant replacing
the first behind the fourth section.
The instructor will then cause the files to be numbered, and for this
purpose will command
In each rank - count TWOS.
At this command
the men count in each rank from right to left, pronouncing in a loud
and distinct voice, in the same tone, without hurry and without turning
the head, one, two, according to the place each one occupies.
He
will also cause the company to be divided into platoons and sections, taking care
that the first platoon is always composed of an even number of files.
To open
ranks.
217. The
company being at ordered arms, the ranks and file closers well aligned,
when the instructor shall wish to cause the ranks to be opened, he will
direct the left guide to place himself on the left of the front rank,
which being executed, he will command:
1. Company. 2. Shoulder
- ARMS. 3. To the rear,
open order.
At
the last command,
the covering sergeant (or orderly sergeant), and the left guide, will
step off smartly to the rear, four paces of twenty-eight inches from
the front rank, in order to mark the position for the rear
rank.
They will judge this distance by the eye without counting the steps.
The instructor
will place himself at the same time on the right flank, in order to
observe if these two non-commissioned officers are on a line parallel
to the front rank; and, if necessary,
to correct their positions, which being executed, he will command:
1
(When the company is in good discipline, the files may be
formed
in two ranks at once, each man having his proper number in the company
depending upon his height, and being able to take his appropriate place
without creating confusion.)
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
4.
MARCH.
At this
command the front rank
will stand fast. The rear rank will step to the rear without
counting the steps, and will place themselves on the alignment marked
for this rank, each man stepping slightly behind the line, and then
dressing forward as in the backward dress. The covering
sergeant
will dress the rear rank on the left guide placed to mark the left of
this rank. The instructor seeing the rear rank aligned, will
command:
5.
FRONT.
At this command, the sergeant on the left of the rear rank will return
to his place as a file-closer.
Alignments in
open ranks.
218. The
ranks being open, the instructor will, in the first exercises, align
the ranks, man by man, the better to inculcate the
principles. To
effect this, he will cause two or four men on the right or left of each
rank to march two or three paces forward, and, after having aligned
them, command:
By file, right (or left) -
DRESS.
At this, the men
of each rank will move up successively on the alignment, each man being
preceded by his neighbor in the same rank, towards the basis, by two
paces, and having correctly aligned himself, will cast his eyes to the
front.
219.
Successive alignments having habituated the soldier to dress correctly,
the instructor will cause the ranks to align themselves at once,
forward and backward, sometimes in a direction parallel, and sometimes
in one oblique to the original direction, giving, in each case, two or
four men to serve as a basis of alignment to each rank. To effect
which, he will command:
1. Right (or left) -
DRESS. 2. FRONT;
or,
1. Right (or left) backward
- DRESS. 2. FRONT.
In oblique
alignments, in opened ranks, the men of the rear rank will not seek to
cover their file leaders, as the sole object of the
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
exercise is to teach
them to align themselves correctly in their respective ranks, in the
different directions.
In the several
alignments, the captain will superintend the front rank, and the
covering sergeant the rear rank. For this purpose they will
place
themselves on the side by which the ranks are dressed.
In oblique
alignments, the men will conform the line of their shoulders to the new
direction of their ranks, and will place themselves on the alignment as
has been prescribed in the school of the soldier, according as the new
direction shall be in front or rear of the original one.
To close
ranks.
220. The instructor will command:
1. Close order. 2.
MARCH.
At the command
march, the rear rank will close up in quick time, each man directing
himself on his file leader.
Alignments in
closed ranks.
221. The
ranks being closed, the instructor will cause to be executed parallel
and oblique alignments by the right and left, forward and backward,
observing to place always two or four files as a basis of
alignment. He will give the same commands prescribed for
opened
ranks.
In alignments in
closed ranks, the captain will superintend the front rank, and the
covering sergeant the rear rank. They will habituate
themselves
to judge the alignment by the lines of the eyes and shoulders, in
casting a glance of the eye along the front and rear of the ranks.
The moment the
captain perceives the greater number of the front rank aligned, he will
command FRONT, and rectify afterwards, if necessary, the alignment of
the other men by ordering this or
that file
forward or back, designating each by its number. The rear
rank
will conform to the alignment of the front rank, superintended by the
covering sergeant.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The ranks being
steady, the instructor will place himself on the flank to verify their
alignment. He will also see that each rear rank man covers
accurately his file leader.
In all
alignments, the file-closers will preserve the distance of two paces
from the rear rank.
The alignments
being ended the instructor will exercise the company at the manual, and
finish with stacking arms as follows:
To Stack Arms.
222. The men being at order arms, the instructor will
command:
Stack - ARMS.
At this command,
the front rank man of every even numbered file will pass his piece
before him, seizing it with the left hand above he middle band, and
place the butt behind and near the right foot of the man next on the
left, the barrel turned to the front. At the same time the
front
rank man of every odd numbered file will pass his piece before him,
seizing it with the left hand below the middle band, and hand it to the
man next on the left; the latter will receive it with the right hand
two inches above the middle band, throw the butt
about
thirty-two inches to the front, opposite to his right shoulder, incline
the muzzle towards him, and lock the shanks of he two bayonets; the
lock of this second piece towards the right, and its shank above that
of the first piece. The rear rank man of every even file will
project his bayonet forward, and introduce it (using both hands)
between and under the shanks of the two other bayonets. He
will
then abandon the piece to his file leader, who will receive it with the
right hand under the middle band, bring the
butt to the
front, holding up his own piece and the stack with the left hand, and
place the butt of this third piece between the feet of the man next on
the right, the S plate to the rear. The stack thus formed,
the
rear rank man of every odd file will pass his piece into his left hand, the barrel turned
to the front, and, sloping the bayonet forward, rest it on the stack.
223. If the
company be armed with rifles, or any piece without the
bayonet,
arms will be stacked by the same commands, and in
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
the following
manner: At the
command stack arms, the front rank man of every even numbered file will
pass his piece before him, seizing it with the left hand near the upper
band; will place the butt a little in advance of his left toe, the
barrel turned towards the body, and draw the rammer slightly from its
place; the front rank man of every odd numbered file will also draw the
rammer slightly, and pass his piece to the man next on his left, who
will seize it with the right hand near the upper band, and place the
butt a little in advance of the right toe of the man next on his right,
the barrel turned to the front; he will then cross the rammers of the
two pieces, the rammer of the piece of the odd numbered man being
inside; the rear rank man of every even file will also draw his rammer,
lean his piece forward, the lock-plate downwards, advance the right
foot about six inches, and insert the rammer between the rammer and
barrel of the piece of his front rank man; with his left hand he will
place the butt of his piece on the ground, thirty- two inches in rear
of, and perpendicular to, the front rank, bringing back his right foot
by the side of the left; the front rank man of every even file will at
the same time lean the stack to the rear, quit it with his right hand,
and force all the rammers down. The stack being thus formed,
the
rear rank man of every odd file will pass his piece into his left hand,
the barrel to the front, and inclining it forward, will rest it on the
stack.
224. The
men of both ranks having taken the position of the soldier without
arms, the instructor will command:
1. Break ranks. 2.
MARCH.
To Resume
Arms.
Both ranks being re-formed in rear of their stacks, the instructor will
command:
Take - ARMS.
At this command,
the rear rank man of every odd numbered file will withdraw his piece
from the stack; the front rank man of every even file will seize his
own piece with the left hand, and that of the man on his right with his
right hand, both above the lower band;
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
the rear rank man of
the even file
will seize his piece with the right hand below the lower band; these
two men will raise up the stock to loosen the rammers or bayonets; the
front rank man of every odd file will facilitate the disengagement of
the rammers, if necessary, by drawing them out slightly with the left
hand, and will receive his piece fromthe hand of the man next on his
left; the four men will retake the position of the soldier at order
arms.
The firings.
To
fire by company.
225. The instructor, wishing to cause the fire by company to
be executed, will command:
1. Fire by company. 2.
Commence
firing.
At the first
command, the captain will promptly place himself opposite the centre of
his company, and four paces in rear of the line of file-closers: the
covering sergeant will retire to that line, and place himself opposite
to his interval. This rule
is general, for both the captain and covering sergeant, in
all the different firings.
At the second command, the captain will add:
1. Company. 2. READY. 3. AIM.
4. FIRE. 5. LOAD.
At the
command load the men will load their pieces, and then take the position of ready, as
prescribed in the school of the soldier.
The captain will immediately recommence the firing, by the commands: 1. Company. 2. AIM. 3.
FIRE. 4. LOAD. The firing
will be thus continued until the signal to cease firing is sounded.
The captain will
sometimes cause aim to be taken to the right or left, simply observing
to pronounce right (or left) oblique, before the command aim.
The fire by
file.
226. The instructor wishing to cause the fire by file to be
executed, will command:
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
1. Fire by file. 2. Company.
3. READY. 4. Commence
firing.
The third and
fourth commands will be executed as prescribed in the school of the
soldier.
The fire will be
commenced by the right file of the company; the next file will take aim
at the instant the first brings down pieces to reload, and so on to the
left; but this progression will only be observed in the first
discharge, after which each man will reload and fire without regulating
himself by others, conforming himself to what is prescribed in the
school of the soldier.
The fire by
rank.
227. The instructor wishing the fire by rank to be executed, will
command:
1. Fire by rank. 2. Company.
3. READY. 4. Rear rank
- AIM. 5. FIRE. 6. LOAD.
The fifth and sixth commands will be executed as is prescribed in the
school of the soldier.
When the instructor sees one or two pieces in the rear rank at a ready,
he will command:
1. Front rank. 2. AIM.
3. FIRE. 4. LOAD.
The firing
will be continued thus by alternate ranks, until the signal is given to
cease firing.
228. The
instructor will sometimes cause aim to be taken to the right and left,
conforming to what is prescribed for the oblique fire.
The instructor
will cause the firing to cease, whether by company, by file, or by
rank, by sounding the signal to cease firing; at which signal the men
will cease to fire. If they have fired, they will load their
pieces and bring them to a shoulder; if at the position of ready, they
will half-cock and shoulder arms. If in the position of aim,
they
will bring down their pieces, half-cock, and shoulder arms.
229. The
signal to cease firing will be always followed by a bugle note, or tap
of the drum; at which sound, the captain and covering sergeant will
promptly resume their places in line, and will rectify, if necessary,
the alignment of the ranks.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The fire by file
being that which is most frequently used against an enemy, it is highly
important that it be rendered perfectly familiar to the
troops.
The instructor will, therefore, give it almost exclusive preference,
and labor to cause the men to aim with care, and always, if possible,
at some particular object. As it is of the utmost importance
that
the men should aim with precision in battle, this principle will be
rigidly enforced in the exercises for purposes of instruction.
To fire by
the rear rank.
230. The
instructor will cause the several fires to be executed to the rear,
that is, by the rear rank. To effect this, he will command:
1. Face by the rear rank. 2.
Company. 3. About - FACE.
At the first
command, the
captain will step out and place himself near to, and facing the right
file of his company; the covering sergeant and file- closers will pass
quickly through the captain's interval, and place themselves faced to
the rear, the covering sergeant a pace behind the captain, and the
file-closers two paces from the front rank opposite to their places in
line, each passing behind the covering sergeant.
At the third
command, which will be given at the instant the last file- closer shall
have passed through the interval, the company will face about; the
captain will place himself in his interval in the rear rank, now become
the front, and the covering sergeant will cover him in the front rank,
now become the rear.
The company
having faced by the rear rank, the instructor will cause it to execute
the fire by company, both direct and oblique, the fire by file, and the
fire by rank, by the commands and means prescribed. The
captain,
covering sergeant, and the men will conform themselves, in like manner,
to what is prescribed.
The fire by file
will commence on the left of the company, now become the
right.
In the fire by rank the firing will commence with the front rank, now
become the rear.
To resume the proper front, the instructor will command:
1. Face by the front rank. 2.
Company. 3. About - FACE.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
At the first command,
the captain, covering sergeant, and file-closers will conform to what
is prescribed above.
At the third
command, the company having faced about, the captain and covering
sergeant will resume their places in line.
In this lesson,
the instructor will impress on the men the importance of aiming always
at some particular object, and of holding the piece as prescribed in
the school of the soldier.
The instructor
will recommend to the captain to make a short pause between the
commands aim and fire, to give the men time to aim with accuracy.
To advance in line of
battle.
231. The
company being in line of battle, and correctly aligned, when the
instructor shall wish to exercise it in marching by the front, he will
assure himself that the shoulders of the captain and covering sergeant
are perfectly in the direction of their respective ranks, and that the
sergeant accurately covers the captain; the instructor will then place
himself twenty- five or thirty paces in front of them, face to the
rear, and place himself exactly on the prolongation of the line passing
between their heels.
The instructor, being aligned on the directing file, will command:
1. Company, forward.
At this, a
sergeant,
previously designated, will move six paces in advance of the captain:
the instructor, from the position prescribed, will correctly align this
sergeant on the prolongation of the directing file.
This advanced
sergeant, who is to be charged with the direction, will, the moment his
position is assured, take two points on the ground in the straight line
which would pass between his own and the heels of the instructor.
These dispositions being made, the instructor will step aside, and
command:
2.
MARCH.
At this, the
company will step off with life. The directing sergeant will
observe, with the greatest precision, the length and
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
cadence of the step,
marching on the
two points he has chosen; he will take in succession, and always a
little before arriving at the point nearest to him, new points in
advance, exactly in the same line with the first two, and at the
distance of some fifteen or twenty paces from each other. The
captain will march steadily in the trace of the directing sergeant,
keeping always six paces from him; the men will each maintain the head
direct to the front, feel lightly the elbow of his neighbor on the side
of direction, and conform himself to the
principles prescribed, school of the soldier, for the march by the
front.
The man next to
the captain will take special care not to pass him; to this end, he
will keep the line of his shoulders a little in rear but in the same
direction with those of the captain.
The file-closers will march at the habitual distance of two paces
behind the rear rank.
If the men lose the step, the instructor will command:
To the - STEP.
At this command,
the men will glance towards the directing sergeant, retake the step
from him, and again direct their eyes to the front.
The instructor
will cause the captain and covering sergeant to be posted sometimes on
the right, and sometimes on the left of the company.
The directing
sergeant, in advance, having the greatest influence on the march of the
company, he will be selected for the precision of his step, hishabit of
maintaining his shoulders in a square with a given line of direction,
and of prolonging that line without variation.
To halt the
company, marching in line of battle, and to align it.
The instructor, wishing to halt the company, will command:
1. Company. 2. HALT.
At the second command,
the company
will halt; the directing sergeant will remain in advance, unless
ordered to return to the line of file-closers.
The company being at a halt, the instructor may
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
advance the first three
or four
files on the side of direction, and align the company on that basis, or
he may confine himself to causing the alignment to be
rectified.
In this last case, he will command: Captain, rectify the alignment. The
captain will direct the covering sergeant to attend to the rear rank,
when each, glancing his eyes along his rank, will promptly rectify it,
conforming to what is prescribed in the school of the soldier.
Oblique march
in line of battle.
232. The
company being in the direct march, when the instructor shall wish to
cause it to march obliquely, he will command:
1. Right (or left) oblique.
2. MARCH.
At the command
march, the company will take the oblique step. The men will
accurately observe the principles prescribed in the school of the
soldier. The rear rank menwill preserve their distances, and
march in rear of the man next on the right (or left) of their habitual
file leaders.
When the instructor wishes the direct march to be resumed. he will
command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH.
At the
command march, the
company will resume the direct march. The instructor will
move
briskly twenty paces in front of the captain, and facing the company,
will place himself exactly in the prolongation of the captain and
covering sergeant; and then, by a sign, will move the directing
sergeant on the same line if he be not already on it; the latter will
immediately take two points on the ground between himself and the
instructor, and as he advances, will take new points of direction.
In the oblique
march, the men not having the touch of elbows, the guide will always be
on the side towards which the oblique is made, without any indication
to that effect being given; and when the direct march is resumed, the
guide will be, equally without indication, on the side where it was
previous to the oblique.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
To mark time,
to march in double quick time, and the back step.
233. The company being in the direct march and in quick time,
the instructor, to cause it
to mark time, will command:
1. Mark time. 2.
MARCH.
To resume
the march, he will command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH.
To
cause the march in double quick time, the instructor will command:
1. Double quick. 2.
MARCH.
The command march will be pronounced at the instant either foot is
coming to the ground.
To resume quick time, the instructor will command:
1. Quick time. 2.
MARCH.
The command march will be pronounced at the instant either foot is
coming to the ground.
The company being
at a halt, the instructor may cause it to march a the back step; to
this effect, he will command:
1. Company backward. 2.
MARCH.
The back step
will be executed according to the principles prescribed in the school
of the soldier, but the use of it being rare, the instructor will not
cause more than fifteen or twenty steps to be taken succession, and to
that extent but seldom.
The instructor
ought not to exercise the company in marching in double quick time till
the men are well established in the length and swiftness of the pace in
quick time; he will then endeavor to render the march of 165 steps in
the minute equally easy and familiar, and also cause them to observe
the same erectness of body and composure of mind, as if marching in
quick time.
To march in
retreat.
234. The company being
halted and correctly aligned, when the instructor shall wish to cause
it to march in retreat, he will command:
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
1. Company. 2. About -
FACE. The company
having faced to the rear, the instructor will place himself in front of
the directing file.
The instructor, being correctly established on the prolongation of the directing file, will
command:
3. Company, forward. At this, the
directing
sergeant will conform himself to what is prescribed No. 231, with this
difference - he will place himself six paces in front of the line of
file-closers, now leading.
The covering
sergeant will step into the line of file-closers, opposite to his
interval, and the captain will place himself in the rear rank, now
become the front.
This disposition being promptly made, the instructor will command:
4.
MARCH.
At this, the
directing sergeant, the captain, and the men will conform themselves to
what is prescribed No. 231.
The instructor
will cause to be executed, marching in retreat, all that is prescribed
for marching in advance; the commands and the means of execution will
be the same.
The instructor
having halted the company, will, when he may wish, cause it to face to
the front. The captain, the covering sergeant, and the
directing
sergeant, will resume their habitual places in line, the moment they
shall have faced about.
235. The
company being in march by the front rank, if the instructor should wish
it to march in retreat, he will cause the right about to be executed
while marching, and to this effect will command:
1. Company. 2. Right about.
3. MARCH.
At
the third command, the company will promptly face about, and recommence
the arch by the rear rank.
The directing
sergeant will face about with the company, and will move rapidly six
paces in front of the file-closers, and upon the prolongation of the
guide. The instructor will place him in the proper direction
by
the means prescribed. The captain, the covering ser-
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
geant, and the men,
will conform to the principles prescribed for the march in retreat.
When the
instructor wishes the company to march by the front rank, he will give
the same commands, and will regulate the direction of the march by the
same means.
236. The
instructor will cause all the above marches, except the backward march,
to be executed in the double quick time; the latter will be executed
only in quick time. He will give the same commands, observing
to add double quick
before the
command march.
When the pieces
are carried on the right shoulder, in quick time, the distance between
the ranks will be sixteen inches. Whenever, therefore, the
instructor brings the company from a shoulder to this position, the
rear rank must shorten a little the first steps in order to gain the
prescribed distance, and will lengthen the steps, on the contrary, in
order to close up when the pieces are again brought to a
shoulder. In marching in double quick time, the distance
between
the ranks will be twenty-six inches, and the pieces will be carried
habitually on the right shoulder.
Whenever a
company is halted, the men will bring their pieces at once to a
shoulder at the command halt. The rear rank will close to its
proper distance. These
rules are General.
To march by
the flank.
237. The
company being in line of battle, and at a halt, when the instructor
shall wish to cause it to march by the right flank, he will command:
1. Company, right -
FACE. 2. Forward. 3. MARCH.
(Fig. 45.) At the
first command, the company will face to the right, the covering
sergeant will place himself at the head of the front rank, the captain
having stepped out for the purpose, so far as to find himself by the
side of the sergeant, and on his left; the two ranks will form to the
right at the word, the rear rank will step off one pace to the right,
then the even numbers of both ranks will step up the right of the odd,
as directed in the school of the soldier; so that when the movement is
completed, the files will be formed of
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
four men aligned, and
elbow to elbow. The intervals will be preserved.
The file closers
will also move by side step to the right, so that when the ranks are
formed, they will be two paces from the rearmost rank.
At the command
march, the company will move off briskly in quick time; the covering
sergeant at the head of the front rank, and the captain on his left,
will march straight forward. The men of each file will march
abreast of their respective front rank men, heads direct to the front;
the file-closers will march opposite their places in line of battle.
The instructor
will cause the march by the left flank to be executed by the same
commands, substituting left for right; the rear rank steps one pace to
the left, then the odd files of both ranks take their places to the
left of the even numbered.
At the instant
the company faces to the left, the left guide will place himself at the
head of the front rank; the captain will pass rapidly to the left, and
place himself by the right side of this guide; the covering sergeant
will replace the captain in the front rank, the moment the latter quits
it to go to the left.
The instructor
will sometimes exercise the company in facing without doubling, for
this purpose he will command:
1. Company, in two ranks, right
- 2. FACE.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The double
quick, however, will never be executed without the ranks being doubled.
To change direction by
file.
238. The
company being faced by the flank, and either in march, or at a halt,
when the instructor shall wish to cause it to wheel by file, he will
command:
1. By file, left, (or
right.) 2. MARCH.
(Fig. 46.) At the
command march, the first file will wheel; if to the side of the front
rank man, the latter will take care not to turn at once, but to
describe a short arc of a circle, shortening a little the first five or
six steps in order to give time to the fourth man of this file to
conform himself to the movement. If the wheel be to the side
of
the rear rank, the front rank man will wheel in the step it
twenty-eight inches, and the fourth man will conform himself to the
movement by describing a short arc of a circle as has been
explained. Each file will come to wheel on the same ground
where that which preceded it wheeled.
The instructor
will see that the wheel be executed according to these principles, in
order that the distance between the files may always be preserved, and
that there be no check or hindrance at the wheeling point.
To halt the
company marching by the flank, and to face it to the front.
239. To effect these objects, the instructor will command:
1. Company. 2. HALT.
3. FRONT.
The second and
third commands will be executed as prescribed :n the school of the
soldier. As soon as the files have undoubled the rear rank
will
close to its proper distance. The captain and covering
sergeant,
as well as the left guide, if the march be by the left flank, will
return to their habitual places in line at the instant the company
faces to the front.
The instructor may then align the company by one of the means
prescribed.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The company
being in march by the flank, to form it on the right (or left) by file
into line of battle.
240. If the company be marching by the right flank, the
instructor will command:
1. On the right, by file into line.
2. MARCH.
(Fig. 47.) At the
command march, the rear rank men doubled will mark time; the captain
and the covering sergeant will turn to the right, march straight
forward, and be
halted by the instructor when they
shall have passed at least six paces beyond the rank of file- closers;
the captain will place himself correctly on the line of battle, and
will direct the alignment as the men of the front rank successively
arrive; the covering sergeant will place himself behind the captain at
the distance of the rear rank; the two men on the right of the front
rank doubled, will continue to march, and passing beyond the
covering sergeant and the captain, will turn to the right; after
turning, they will continue to march elbow to elbow, and direct
themselves towards the line of battle, but when they shall arrive at
two paces from this line, the even number will shorten the step so that
the odd number may precede him on the line, the odd number placing
himself by the side and on the left of the captain; the even number
will afterwards oblique to the left, and place himself on the
left of the odd
number; the next two men of the front rank doubled, will pass in the
same manner behind the two first, turn then to the right, and place
themselves, according to the means just explained, to the left, and by
the side of, the two men already established on
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
the line; the remaining
files of
this rank will follow in succession, and be formed to the left in the
same manner. The rear rank doubled will execute the movement
in
the manner already explained for the front rank, taking care not to
commence the movement until four men of the front rank are established
on the line of battle; the rear rank men, as they arrive on the line,
will cover accurately their file leaders.
If the company be
marching by the left flank, the instructor will cause it to form by
file on the left into line of battle, according to the same principles
and by the same commands, substituting the indication left for
right. In this case, the odd numbers will shorten the step,
so
that the even numbers may precede them on the line. The
captain,placed on the left of the front rank, and the left guide, will
return to their places in line of battle, by order of the instructor,
after the company shall be formed and aligned.
To enable the men
the better to comprehend the mechanism of this movement, the instructor
will at first cause it to be executed separately by each rank doubled,
and afterwards by the two ranks united and doubled.
The
company being in march by the flank, to form it by company, or by
platoon, into line, and to cause it to face to the right and left in
marching.
241. The
company being in march by the right flank, the instructor will order
the captain to form it into line; the captain will immediately command:
1. By company into line.
2. MARCH.
(Fig. 48.) At the
command march, the covering sergeant will continue to march straight
forward; the men will advance the right shoulder, take the double quick
step, and move into line by the shortest route, taking care to undouble
the files, and to come on the line one after the other.
As the front rank
men successively arrive in line with the covering sergeant, they will
take from him the step, and then turn their eyes the front.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The men of the rear
rank will
conform to the movements of their respective file leaders, but without
endeavoring to arrive in line at the same time with the latter.
At the instant
the movement begins, the captain will face to his company in order to
follow up the execution; and, as soon as the company is
formed,
he will command, guide left, place himself two paces before the centre,
face to the front, and take the step of the company.
At the command
guide left, the second sergeant will promptly place himself in the
front rank, on the left, to serve as guide, and the covering sergeant
who is on the opposite flank will remain there.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
When the company
marches by the left flank, this movement will be executed by the same
commands, and according to the same principles; the company being
formed, the captain will command guide right, and place himself in
front of his company as above; the covering sergeant who is on the
right of the front rank will serve as guide, and the second sergeant
placed on the left flank will remain there.
Thus, supposing
the company to constitute a part of a column by company, right or left
in front, the covering sergeant and the second sergeant of each company
will always be placed on the right and left, respectively, of the front
rank; they will be denominated right guide and left guide,
and
the one or the other charged with the direction.
The company being
in march by the flank, if it be the wish of the instructor to cause it
to form platoons, he will give an order to that effect to the captain,
who will command:
1. By platoon, into line.
2. MARCH.
The movement will
be executed by each platoon according to the above
principles.
The captain will place himself before the centre of the first platoon,
and the first lieutenant before the centre of the second, passing
through the opening made in the centre of the company, if the march be
by the right flank, and around the left of his platoon, if the march be
by the left: in this last case, the captain will also pass around the
left of the second platoon in order to place himself in front of the
first. Both the captain and lieutenant, without waiting for
each
other, will command guide left (or right)at the instant their
respective platoons are formed.
At the command
guide left (or right), the guide of each platoon will pass rapidly to
the indicated flank of the platoon, if not already there.
The right guide
of the company will always serve as the guide of the right or left of
the first platoon, and the left guide of the company will serve, in
like manner, as the guide of the second platoon.
Thus in a column, by platoon, there will be but one guide to
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
each platoon; he will
always be
placed on its left flank, if the right be in front, and on the right
flank, if the left be in front.
In these movements, the file-closers will follow the platoons to which
hey are attached.
The instructor
may cause the company, marching by the flank to form by company, or by
platoon, into line, by his own direct commands, using those prescribed
for the captain.
The instructor
will exercise the company in passing, without halt from the march by
the front, to the march by the flank, and reciprocally. In
either
ease, he will employ the commands prescribed in the school of the
soldier, substituting company for squad. The company will
face to
the right or left, in marching, and the captain, the guides, and
file-closers will conform themselves to what is prescribed for each in
the march by the flank, or in the march by the front of a company
supposed to be a subdivision of a column.
If, after facing
to the right or left, in marching, the company find itself faced by the
rear rank, the captain will place himself two paces behind the centre
of the front rank, now in the rear, the guides will pass to the rear
rank, now leading and the file-closers will march in front of
this rank.
The instructor,
in order to avoid fatiguing the men, and to prevent them from being
negligent in the position of shoulder arms, will sometimes order
support arms in marching by the flank, and arms on the right shoulder,
when marching in line.
To break into
column by platoon, either at a halt or in march.
242. The
company being at a halt, in line of battle, the instructor, wishing to
break it into column, by platoon to the right, will command:
1. By platoon,
right wheel. 2. MARCH.
(Fig. 49.) At the
first command, the chiefs of platoons will rapidly place themselves two
paces before the centres of their respective platoons, the lieutenant
passing around the left of the company. They need not occupy
themselves with dressing, one upon the other. The covering
sergeant will replace the captain in the front rank.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
At the command
march, the
right front rank man of each platoon face to the right, the
covering sergeant standing fast the chief of each platoon will move
quickly by the shortest line, a little beyond the point at which the
marching flank will rest when the wheel shall be completed, face to the
late rear, and place himself so that the line which he forms with the
man on right (who had faced), shall be
perpendicular
to that occupied by the company in line of battle; each platoon will
wheel according to the principles prescribed for the
wheel on a fixed
pivot, and when the man who conducts the marching flank shall approach
near to the perpendicular, its chief will command:
1. Platoon. 2. HALT.
At the command
halt, which will be given at the instant the man who conducts the
marching flank shall have arrived at three paces from the
perpendicular, the platoon will halt; the covering sergeant will move
to the point where the left of the first platoon is to rest, passing by
the front rank; the second sergeant will
place
himself in like manner, in respect to the second platoon.
Each
will take care to leave between himself and the man on the right of his
platoon, a space equal to its front; the captain and first lieutenant
will look to this, and each take care to align the sergeant between
himself and the man of the platoon who had faced to the right.
The guide of each
platoon, being thus established on the perpendicular, each chief will
place himself two paces outside of his guide, and facing towards him,
will command:
3. Left - DRESS.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The alignment being
ended, each chief of platoon will command, FRONT, and place himself two
paces before its centre.
The file-closers
will conform themselves to the movement of their respective platoons,
preserving always the distance of two paces from the rear rank.
The company will
break by platoon to the left, according to the same
principles.
The instructor will command:
1. By platoon, left wheel.
2. MARCH.
The first command will
be executed in the same manner as breaking by platoon to the right.
At the command
march, the left front rank man of each platoon will face to the left,
and the platoons will wheel to the left, according to the principles
prescribed for the wheel on a fixed pivot; the chiefs of platoon will
conform to the principles indicated.
At the command
halt, given by the chief of each platoon, the covering sergeant on the
right of the front rank of the first platoon and the second sergeant
near the left of the second platoon, will each move to the points where
the right of his platoon is to rest. The chief of each
platoon
should be careful to align the sergeant between himself and the man of
the platoon who had faced to the left, and will then command:
Right - DRESS.
The platoons being aligned, each chief of platoon will command FRONT,
and place himself opposite its centre.
243. The
instructor wishing to break the company by platoon to the right, and to
move the column forward after the wheel is completed, will caution the
company to that effect, and command:
1. By platoon, right wheel.
2. MARCH.
At the first command,
the chiefs of
platoon will move rapidly in front of their respective platoons,
conforming to what has been prescribed, and will remain in this
position during the continuance the wheel. The covering
sergeant
will replace the chief of the first platoon in the front rank.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
At the command
march, the platoons will wheel to the right, conforming to the
principles herein prescribed; the man on the pivot will not face to the
right, but will mark time, conforming himself the movement of the
marching flank; and when the man who is the left of this flank shall
arrive near the perpendicular, the instructor will command:
3. Forward. 4. MARCH.
5. Guide left.
At the fourth
command, which will be given at the instant the wheel is completed, the
platoons will move straight to the front, all the men taking the step
of twenty-eight inches. The covering sergeant and the second
sergeant will move rapidly to the left of their respective platoons,
the former passing before the front rank. The leading guide
will
immediately take points on the ground in the direction which may be
indicated to him by the instructor.
At the fifth command, the men will take the touch of elbows lightly to
the left.
If the guide of
the second platoon should lose his distance, or the line of direction,
he will conform to the principles herein prescribed.
If the company be
marching in line to the front, the instructor will cause it to break by
platoon to the right by the same commands. At the command
march,
the platoons will wheel in the manner already explained; the man on the
pivot will take care to mark time in his place, without advancing or
receding; the instructor, the chiefs of platoon, and the guides, will
conform to what has been prescribed.
The company may
be broken by platoons to the left, according to same principles, and by
inverse means, the instructor giving the commands prescribed,
substituting left for right, and reciprocally.
To march in
column.
244. The
company having broken by platoon, right (or left) in front, the
instructor, wishing to cause the column to march, will throw himself
twenty-five or thirty paces in front, face to the
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
guides, place himself
correctly, on their direction, and caution the leading guide to take
points on the ground.
The instructor
being thus placed, the guide of the leading platoon will take two
points on the ground in the straight line passing between his own and
the heels of the instructor.
These dispositions being made, the instructor will step aside, and
command:
1. Column forward. 2. Guide left
(or right). 3. MARCH.
At
the command march,
promptly repeated by the chiefs of platoon, they, as well as the
guides, will lead off, by a decided step, their respective platoons, in
order that the whole may move smartly, and at the same moment.
The men will each
feel lightly the elbow of his neighbor toward the guide, and conform
himself, in marching, to the principles prescribed in the school of the
soldier. The man next to the guide, in each platoon, will
take
care never to pass him, and also to march always about six inches to
the right (or left) from him, in order not to push him out of the
direction.
The leading guide
will observe, with the greatest precision, the length and cadence of
the step, and maintain the direction of his march by the means
prescribed.
The following
guide will march exactly in the trace of the leading one, preserving
between the latter and himself a distance precisely equal to the front
of his platoon, and marching in the same step with the leading guide.
To change
direction.
The changes of
direction of a column while marching, will be executed according to the
principles prescribed for wheeling on the march. Whenever,
therefore, a column is to change direction, the instructor will change
the guide, if not already there, to the flank opposite the side to
which the change is to be made.
245. The
column being in march right in front, if it be the wish of the
instructor to change direction to the right, he will give the order to
the chief of the first platoon, and immediately go himself,
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
or send a marker to the
point at
which the change of direction is to be made; the instructor, or marker,
will place himself on the direction of the guides, so as to present the
breast to that flank of the column.
The leading guide
will direct his march on that person, so that, in passing, his left arm
may just graze his breast. When the leading guide shall have
approached near to the marker, the chief of the platoon will command:
1. Right wheel. 2.
MARCH.
(Fig. 50.) The
first command will be given when the platoon is at the distance of four
paces from the marker.
At the command
march, which will be pronounced at the instant the guide shall have
arrived opposite the marker, the platoon will wheel to the right,
conforming to what is prescribed in the school of the soldier.
The wheel being finished, the chief of each platoon will command:
3. Forward. 4. MARCH.
These
commands will be
pronounced and executed as is prescribed in the school of the
soldier. The guide of the first platoon will take points on
the
ground in the new direction, in order the better to regulate the march.
The second
platoon will continue to march straight forward till up with the
marker, when it will wheel to the right, and re-take the direct march
by the same commands and the same means which governed the first
platoon.
The column being
in march right in front, if the instructor should wish to change
direction to the left, he will command, guide
right. At
this command, the two guides will move rapidly to the right of their
respective platoons, each passing in front of his subdivision; the men
will take the touch of elbows to the right; the instructor will
afterwards conform to what is prescribed.
The change of
direction to the left will then be executed according to the same
principles as the change of direction to the right, but by inverse
means.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
When the
change of direction is completed, the instructor will command, guide
left.
The changes of direction in a column, left in front will be executed
according to the same principles.
In changes of
direction in double quick time, the platoons will wheel according to
the principles prescribed in the school of the soldier.
In order to
prepare the men for those formations in line, which can be executed
only by turning to the right or the left, the instructor will sometimes
cause the column to change direction to the side of the guide.
In
this case, the chief of the leading platoon
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
will command: Left (or
right) turn,
instead of left (or right)wheel. The subdivisions
will each
turn, in succession, conforming to what is
prescribed in
the school of the soldier. The leading guide, as soon as he
has
turned, will take points on the ground, the better to regulate the
direction of the march.
To halt the
column.
The column being in march, when the instructor shall wish to halt it,
he will command:
1. Column. 2 HALT.
At the
second command,
promptly repeated by the chiefs of platoon, the column will halt; the
guides also will stand fast, although they may have lost both distance
and direction.
If the command
halt be not repeated with the greatest vivacity, and executed at the
same instant, distances will be lost.
If a guide,
having lost his distance, seek to recover it after that command, he
will only throw his fault on the following guide, who, if he have
marched well, will no longer be at his proper distance; and if the
latter regain what he has thus lost, the movement will be propagated to
the rear of the column.
Being in
column by platoon, to form to the right or left into line of battle,
either at a halt or on the march.
246. The
instructor having
halted the column, right in front, and wishing to form it into line of
battle, will place himself at platoon distance in front of the leading
guide, face to him, and rectify, if necessary, the position of the
guide beyond; which being executed, he will command:
Left - DRESS.
At this command,
which will not be repeated by the chiefs of platoon, each of them will
place himself briskly two paces outside of his guide, and direct the
alignment of theplatoon perpendicularly to the direction of the column.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
Each chief having aligned his platoon, will command FRONT, and return
quickly to his place in column.
This disposition being made, the instructor will command:
1. Left into line, wheel.
2. MARCH.
(Fig. 51.) At the
command march, briskly repeated by the chiefs of platoon, the front
rank man on the left of each platoon will face to the left, and place
his breast lightly against the arm of the guide by his side, who stands
fast; the platoons will wheel to the left on the principle of wheels
from a halt, and in conformity to what is prescribed. Each
chief
will turn to his platoon to observe its movement, and when the marching
flank has approached near the line of battle, he will command:
1. Platoon. 2. HALT.
The command halt
will be given when the marching flank of the platoon is three paces
from the line of battle.
The chief of the
second platoon having halted it, will return to his place as a
file-closer, passing around the left of his subdivision.
The captain
having halted the first platoon, will move rapidly to the point at
which the right of the company will rest in line of battle, and
command:
Right - DRESS.
At
this command, the
two platoons will dress up on the alignment; the front rank man on the
right of the leading platoon, who finds himself opposite the instructor
established on the direction of the guides, will place his breast
lightly against the left arm of this officer. The captain
will
direct the alignment from the right on the man on the opposite flank of
the company.
The company being aligned, the captain will command:
FRONT.
The instructor seeing the company in line of battle, will command:
Guides - POSTS.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
At this command, the
covering sergeant will cover the captain, and the left guide will
return to his place as a file-closer.
If the column be
left in front, and the instructor should wish to form it to the right
into line of battle, he will place himself at platoon distance in front
of the leading guide, face to him, and rectify, if necessary, the
position of the guide beyond; which being executed, he will command:
1. Right into line, wheel.
2. MARCH.
At the command
march, the front rank man on the right of each platoon will face to the
right and place his breast lightly against the left arm of the guide by
his side, who stands fast; each platoon will wheel to the right, and
will be halted by its chief, when the marching flank has approached
near the line of battle; for this purpose, the chief of each platoon
will command:
1. Platoon. 2. HALT.
The command halt
will be given when the marching flank of the platoon is three paces
from the line of battle. The chief of the second platoon
having
halted his platoon, will resume his place in the rank of file-closers.
The captain
having halted the first platoon, will move briskly to the point at
which the left of the company will rest, and command:
Left - DRESS.
At
this command, the
two platoons will dress up on the alignment; the man on the left of the
second platoon, opposite the instructor, will place his breast lightly
against the right arm of this officer, and the captain will direct the
alignment from the left on the man on the opposite flank of the
company.
The company being aligned, the captain will command:
FRONT.
The instructor will afterwards command:
Guides - POSTS.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
At
this command, the
captain will move to the right of his company, the covering sergeant
will cover him, and the left guide will return to his place as a
file-closer.
247. If the
column be marching right in front and the instructor should wish to
form it into line without halting the column, he will give the command:
1. Left into line, wheel.
2. MARCH.
and will himself move
rapidly to platoon distance in front of the leading guide.
At the command
march, briskly repeated by the chiefs of platoons, the front rank man
on the left of each platoon will face to the left, and place his breast
lightly against the arm of the guide by his side, who stands fast; the
platoons will wheel to the left on the principle of wheels from a
halt. Each chief will turn to his platoon to observe its
movement, and conform to what is prescribed
for
wheeling into line from a halt.
If the column be
in march left in front, this formation will be made according to the
same principles, and by inverse means.
248. If the
column be marching right in front, and the instructor should wish to
form it into line without halting the column, and to march the company
in line to the front, he will command:
1. By platoons left wheel.
2. MARCH.
At the
command march, briskly
repeated by the chiefs of platoon, the left guides will halt; the man
next to the left guide in each platoon will mark time: the platoons
will wheel to the left, conforming to the principles of the wheel on a
fixed pivot. When the right of the platoons shall arrive near
the
line of battle, the instructor will command:
3. Forward. 4. MARCH.
5. Guide right (or
left.)
At
the fourth command,
given at the instant the wheel is completed, all the men of the company
will move off together with the step of twenty-eight inches; the
captain, the chief of the second
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
platoon, the covering
sergeant, and the left guide, will take their positions as in line of
battle.
At the fifth
command, which will be given immediately after the fourth, the captain
and covering sergeant, if not already there, will move briskly to the
side on which the guide is designated. The non-commissioned
officer charged with the direction will move rapidly in front of the
guide, and will be assured in his line of march by the
instructor. That non-commissioned officer will immediately
take
points on the ground. The men will take the touch of elbows
to
the side of the guide, conforming themselves to the principles of the
march in line.
The same principles are applicable to a column left in front.
A company
marching to the front to break it into platoons, and to re-form the
company.
249. The
company marching in the cadenced step, and supposed to make part of a
column, right in front, in which case the guide is left, when the
instructor shall wish to cause it to break by platoon, he will give the
order to the captain, who will command:
1. Break into platoons,
and immediately place
himself before the centre of the first platoon.
At the command
break into platoons, the first lieutenant will pass quickly around the
left to the centre of his platoon, and give the caution: Mark time.
The captain will then command:
2.
March.
(Fig. 52). The
first platoon will continue to march straight forward; the covering
sergeant will move rapidly to the left flank of this platoon (passing
by the front rank) as soon as the flank shall be disengaged.
At the command
march, given by the captain, the second platoon will begin to
mark
time; its chief will immediately add:
1. Right oblique. 2.
MARCH.
The last command will he given so that this platoon may com-
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
mence obliquing the
instant the rear
rank of the first platoon shall have passed. The men
will
shorten the step in obliquing, so that when the
command
forward
march is given, the platoon may
have its exact distance.
The guide of the
second platoon being near the direction
of the guide
of the first, the chief of the second will command
Forward,
and add MARCH, the instant that the guide of his platoon shall cover
the guide of the first.
In a column, left
in front the company will break into platoons by inverse means applying
to the first platoon all that has been prescribed for the second, and
reciprocally.
In this case, the
left guide of the company will shift to the right flank of the second
platoon, and the covering sergeant will remain on the right of
the first.
250. The
column, by platoon, being in march, right in front, when the instructor
shall wish to cause it to form company, he will give the order to the
captain, who will command:
Form company.
Having given this command, the captain will immediately add:
1. First platoon. 2. Right oblique.
The chief of the second platoon will caution it to continue to march
straight forward.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The captain will then command:
3. MARCH.
At this
command, repeated by the chief of the second, the first platoon will oblique to the right, in
order to unmask the second; the covering sergeant, on the left of the
first platoon, will return to the right of the company, passing by the front
rank.
When the first platoon shall have nearly unmasked the second, the captain will command:
1. Mark time,
and at the instant the
unmasking shall be complete, he will add:
2. MARCH.
The first
platoon will then cease to oblique, and mark time.
In the mean time the second platoon will have continued to march straight forward, and when it
shall be nearly up with the first, the captain will command Forward, and at
the instant the two platoons shall unite, add MARCH; the first platoon will
then cease to mark time.
In a column, left in front, the same movement will be executed by
inverse means,
the chief of the second platoon giving the command Forward, and the captain adding the command
MARCH, when the platoons are united.
The guide of the second platoon, on its right, will pass to its left
flank the moment
the platoon begins to oblique; the guide of the first, on its right, remaining on that flank of the
platoon.
The instructor will also sometimes cause the company to break and re- form, by platoon, by his own
direct commands. In this case, he will give the general commands prescribed
for the captain above:
1. Break into platoons.
2. MARCH.
and,
1. Form company. 2.
MARCH.
If, in breaking the company into platoons, the subdivision that breaks
off should
mark time too long, it might, in a column of many
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
subdivisions, arrest
the march of the following one, which would cause a lengthening of the column, and
a loss of distances.
Being
in column, to break files to the rear, and to cause them to re-enter into line.
251. The company being in march, and supposed to constitute a
subdivision
of a column, right (or left) in front, when the instructor shall wish to cause files to break
off he will give the order to the captain, who will immediately turn to his
company, and command:
1. Two files from left (or right)
to rear. 2. MARCH.
(Fig. 53.) At the command march, the two files on the left (or right)
of the company
will mark time, the others will continue to march straight forward; the two rear rank men of these
files will, as soon as the rear rank of the company shall clear them, move
to the right by advancing the outer shoulder; the odd number will
place himself behind the third file from that flank, the even number behind
the fourth, passing for this purpose behind the odd number; the two front
rank men will, in like manner, move to the right when the rear rank of the
company shall clear them, the odd number will place himself behind the
first file, the even number behind the second file, passing for this purpose
behind the odd number. If the files are broken from the right, the men will
move to the left advancing the outer shoulder, the even number of the rear
rank will place himself behind the third file, the odd number of the same rank
behind the fourth; the even number of the front rank behind the first
file, the odd number of the same rank behind the second the odd numbers
for this purpose passing behind the even numbers. The men will
be careful not to lose their distances, and to keep aligned.
If the instructor should still wish to break two files from the same
side, he
will give the order to the captain, who will proceed as above directed.
At the command march, given by the captain, the files already broken, advancing a little the outer
shoulder, will gain the space of two files to the right, if the files are broken
from the left,
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
and to the left, if the
files are broken from the right, shortening, at the same time, the step, in order to
make room between themselves and the rear rank of the company
for the files
last ordered to the rear; the latter will break by the same commands
and in the same manner as the first. The men who double should increase
the length of the step in order to prevent distances from being lost.
The instructor may thus diminish the front of a company by breaking off
successive
groups of two files, but the new files must always be broken from the same side.
The instructor, wishing to cause files broken off to return into line,
will give
the order to the captain, who will immediately command:
1. Two files into line.
2. MARCH.
At
the command march, the first two files of those marching by the flank will return briskly into line,
and the others will gain the space of two files by advancing the inner shoulder
towards the flank to which they belong.
The captain will turn to his company, to watch the observance of the principles which have just been
prescribed.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The
instructor having caused groups of two files to break one after another, and to return again
into line, will afterwards cause two or three groups to break together, and
for this purpose, will command: Four or six files from left (or right) to
rear; MARCH. The files designated will mark time; each rank will advance a little
the outer shoulder as soon as the rear rank of the company shall clear it,
will oblique at once, and each group will place itself behind the four
neighboring files, and in the same manner, as if the movement had been
executed group by group, taking care that the distances are preserved.
The instructor will next order the captain to cause two or three groups
to be
brought into line at once, who turning to the company, will command:
Four or six flies into line
- MARCH.
At the command march, the files designated will advance the inner shoulder, move up and form on
the flank of the company by the shortest lines.
As often as files shall break off to the rear, the guide on that flank
will gradually
close on the nearest front rank man remaining in line, and he will also open out to make room for
files ordered into line.
The files which march in the rear are disposed in the following order:
the left
files as if the company was marching by the right flank, and the right files as if the company was
marching by the left flank. Consequently, whenever there is on the right
or left of a subdivision, a file which does not belong to
a group, it will be
broken singly.
It is necessary to the preservation of distances in column that the men
should be
habituated in the schools of detail to execute the movements of this article with precision.
If new files broken off do not step well to the left or right in
obliquing; if, when
files are ordered into line, they do not move up with promptitude and precision, in either case the
following files will be arrested in their march, and thereby cause the column to
be lengthened out.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The instructor will place himself on the flank from which the files are
broken, to
assure himself of the exact observance of the principles.
Files will only be broken off from the side of direction, in order that
the whole
company may easily pass from the front to the flank march.
To
march the column in route, and to execute the movements incident thereto.
252. The swiftness of the route step will be 110 steps in a minute;
this swiftness
will be habitually maintained in column in route, when the roads and ground may permit.
The company being at a halt, and supposed to constitute a subdivision
of a column,
when the instructor shall wish to cause it to march in the route step, he will command:
At the
command march, repeated by the captain, the two ranks will step off together; the rear rank will
take, in marching, by shortening a few steps, a distance of one pace
(twenty-eight inches) from the rank preceding, which distance will be computed from
the breasts of the men in the rear rank, to the knapsacks of the men in the
front rank. The men, without further command, will immediately carry
their arms at will, as indicated in the school of the
soldier. They will no longer be required to march in the cadenced pace, or with
the same foot, or to remain silent. The files will march at ease; but care will be
taken to prevent the ranks from intermixing, the front rank from getting in
advance of the guide, and the rear rank from opening to too great a
distance.
The company marching in the route step, the instructor will cause it to
change
direction, which will be executed without formal commands, on a simple caution from the
captain; the rear rank will come up to change direction in the same manner as
the front rank. Each rank will conform itself although in the route
step, to the principles which have been prescribed for the change in
closed
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
ranks, with this
difference only; that the pivot man, instead of taking steps of nine, will take steps of
fourteen inches, in order to clear the wheeling point
The company marching in the route step, to cause it to pass to the cadenced step, the instructor
will first order pieces to be brought to the shoulder, and then command:
1. Quick time. 2.
MARCH.
At the
command march, the men will resume the cadenced step, and will close so as to leave a distance
of sixteen inches between each rank.
253. The company marching in the cadenced pace, the
instructor, to cause
it to take the route step will command:
1. Route step. 2.
MARCH.
At the
command march, the front rank will continue the step of twenty- eight inches, the rear rank
will take, by gradually shortening the step, the distance of twenty-eight inches
from the front rank: the men will carry their arms at will.
The instructor will exercise the company in increasing and diminishing front, by platoon, which will
be executed by the same commands, and the same means, as if the company
were marching in the cadenced step. When the company breaks into
platoons, the chief of each will move to the flank of his platoon, and will
take the place of the guide, who will step back into the rear rank.
254. The company being in column, by platoon, and marching in
the route
step, the instructor can cause the front to be diminished and increased, by section, if the
platoons have a front of twelve files or more.
The movements of diminishing and increasing front, by section, will be executed according to the
principles indicated for the same movement by platoon. The right
sections of platoons will be commanded by the captain and first lieutenant,
respectively; the left sections, by the two next subalterns in rank, or, in
their absence, by sergeants.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
The
instructor wishing to diminish by section, will give the order to the captain, who will command:
1. Break into sections.
2. MARCH.
As soon as
the platoons shall be broken, each chief of section will place himself on its directing flank
in the front rank, the guides who will he thus displaced, will fall back into
the rear rank: the file-closers will close up to within one pace of this rank.
Platoons will be broken into sections only in the column in route, the movement will never he executed
in the manoeuvres, whatever may be the front of the company.
When the instructor shall wish to re-form platoons, he will give the
order to
the captain, who will command:
1. Form platoons. 2.
MARCH.
At the first
command, each chief of section will place himself before its centre, and the guides will
pass into the front rank. At the command march, the movement will be
executed as has been prescribed for forming company. The moment
the platoons are formed, the chiefs of the left sections will return to their
places as file-closers.
The instructor will also cause to be executed the diminishing and increasing front by files, as
prescribed in the preceding article, and in the same manner, as if marching in
the cadenced step. When the company is broken into sections, the
subdivisions must not be reduced to a front of less than six files, not
counting the chief of the section.
The company being broken by platoon, or by section, the instructor will
cause it,
marching in the route step, to march by the flank in the same direction, by the commands and
the means indicated. The moment the subdivisions shall face to the
right (or left), the first file of each will wheel to the left (or right), in
marching, to prolong the direction, and to unite with the rear file of the
subdivision immediately preceding. The file-closers will take their habitual places in
the march by the flank, before the union of the subdivisions.
255. If the company be marching by the right flank, and the
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
instructor should wish
to undouble the files, which might sometimes be found necessary, he will inform
the captain, who, after causing the cadenced step to be resumed,
and arms to be shouldered or supported, will command:
1. In two ranks, undouble files.
2. MARCH.
At the second command, the odd numbers
will continue to march straight forward, the even numbers will
shorten the step, and obliquing to the left will place themselves promptly
behind the odd numbers; the rear rank will gain a step to the left so as
to re-take the touch of elbows on the side of the front rank.
If the company be marching by the left flank, it will be the even
numbers who
will continue to march forward, and the odd numbers who will undouble.
If the instructor should wish to double the files, he will give the
order to the
captain, who will command:
1. In four ranks, double files.
2. MARCH.
At the
command march, the files will double in the manner as explained, when the company faces by the
right or the left flank. The instructor will afterwards cause the route step
to be resumed.
The various movements prescribed in this lesson may be executed in double quick time.
The men will be brought, by degrees, to pass over at this gait about 1100 yards in
seven minutes.
When the company marching in the route step shall halt, the rear rank will close up at the command
halt, and the whole will shoulder arms.
Marching in the route step, the men will be permitted to carry their
pieces in
the manner they shall find most convenient, paying attention only to holding the muzzles up, so as
to avoid accidents.
Countermarch.
256. The company being at a halt, and supposed to constitute
a part of a column,
right in front, when the instructor shall wish it cause it to countermarch, he will command:
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
l. Countermarch. 2. Company, right
- FACE. 3. By file left.
4. MARCH.
(Fig. 54.) At the second command, the company will face to the right,
the two
guides to the right about; the captain will go to the right of his company and cause two files to
break to the rear, and
then place himself by the side
of the front rank man, to conduct him.
At the command march, both guides will stand fast; the company will step off smartly; the first
file, conducted by the captain, will wheel around the right guide, and direct its
march along the front rank so as to arrive behind, and two paces from the
left guide; each file will come in succession to wheel on the same
ground around the right guide; the leading file having arrived at
a point opposite to the left guide, the captain will command:
1. Company. 2. HALT.
3. FRONT. 4. Right
- DRESS.
The first command will be given at four paces from the point where the leading file is to rest.
At the second command, the company will halt.
At the third, it will face to the front.
At the fourth, the company will dress by the right; the captain will
step two
paces outside of the left guide, now on the right, and direct the alignment, so that the front
rank may be enclosed between the two guides: the company being aligned, he
will command FRONT, and place himself before the centre of the
company as if in
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
column; the guides, passing
along the front rank, will shift to their proper places, on the right and left
of that rank.
In a column, by platoon, the countermarch will be executed by the same commands, and according to the
same principles; the guide of each platoon will face about, and
its chief will place himself by the side of the file on the right, to conduct it.
In a column, left in front, the countermarch will be executed by
inverse commands
and means, but according to the same principles. Thus, the movement will be made by the
right flank of subdivisions if the right be in front, and by the left flank,
if the left be in front; in both cases the subdivisions will wheel by file
to the side of the front rank.
Being in
column by platoon, to form on the right (or left) into line of battle.
257. The column by platoon, right in front, being in march,
the instructor wishing to form it on
the right into line of battle, will command:
1. On the right into line.
2. Guide right.
(Fig. 55.) At the second command, the guide of each platoon will shift quickly to its right flank, and
the men will touch elbows to the right; the column will continue to march
straight forward.
The instructor having given the second command, will move briskly to the point at which the right of
the company ought to rest in line, and place himself facing the point of
direction to the left which he will choose.
The line of battle ought to be so chosen that the guide of each
platoon, after
having turned to the right, may have at least ten paces to take before arriving upon that line.
The head of the column being nearly opposite to the instructor, the
chief of
the first platoon will command; 1. Right turn; and when exactly
opposite to
that point, he will add:
2. MARCH.
At the command march, the first platoon will turn to the right, in conformity with the principles
prescribed in the school of the soldier. Its guide will so direct his march
as to bring the front
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
rank man next on his
left, opposite to the instructor the chief of the platoon will march before its centre;
and when its guide shall be near the line of battle, he will command:
1. Platoon. 2. HALT.
At the command halt, which will be given at the instant the right of
the platoon
shall arrive at the distance of three paces from the line of battle, the platoon will halt; the
files not yet
in line
will come up promptly. The guide will throw himself on the
line of battle, opposite to one of the three
left files of his platoon;
he will face to the instructor, who will align him on the point of
direction to the
left. The chief of platoon having, at the same time, gone to the point
where the right
of the company is to rest, will, a soon as he sees all the
files of the platoon in line, command:
Right - DRESS.
At this, the first platoon will align itself; the front rank man, who finds
himself opposite
to the guide, will rest his breast lightly against the right arm
of this guide, and
the chief of the platoon, from the right, will direct the
alignment on this man.
The second platoon will continue to march straight forward, until
its guide shall
arrive opposite to the left file of the first; it will then turn to the
right at the
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
command of its chief;
and march towards the line of battle, its guide directing himself on the left
file of the first platoon.
The guide having arrived at the distance of three paces from the line
of battle,
this platoon will be halted, as prescribed for the first; at the
instant it halts,
its guide will spring on the line of battle, opposite to one of the
three left
files of his platoon, and will be assured in his position by the
instructor.
The chief of the second platoon, seeing all its files in line, arid its
guide established
on the direction, will command:
Right - DRESS.
Having given this command, he will return to his place as a
file-closer, passing
around the left; the second platoon will dress up on the alignment of the first, and, when
established, the captain will command:
FRONT.
The movement ended, the instructor will command:
Guides - POSTS.
At this command, the two guides will return to their places in line of battle.
A column by platoon, left in front, will form on the left into line of
battle, according
to the same principles, and, by inverse means, applying to the second platoon what is
prescribed for the first, and reciprocally. The chief of the second platoon having
aligned it, from the point of appui (the left), will retire to his place as a
file-closer. The captain having halted the first platoon three paces behind the
line of battle, will go to the same point to align the platoon, and then
command: FRONT. At the command, guides - posts, given by the instructor,
the captain will shift to his proper flank, and the
guides take their places in the line of battle.
Formation
of a company from two ranks into four, and reciprocally, at a halt, and in
march.
258. The company being formed in two ranks, at a halt, and
supposed to form
part of a column right in front when the instructor shall wish to form
it into
four ranks, he will command:
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
1. In four ranks, form company.
2. Company left - FACE. 3. MARCH (ordouble quick -
MARCH).
At the second command, the left guide will remain faced to the front,
the company
will face to the left: the rear rank will gain the distance of one pace from the front rank by a
side step to the left and rear, and the men will form into four ranks as
prescribed in the school of the soldier.
At the command march, the first file of four men will reface to the
front without
undoubling. All the other files of four will step if, and
closing successively
to about five inches of the preceding file, will halt, and immediately face to the front,
the men remaining doubled.
The file-closers will take their new places in line of battle, at two
paces in rear
of the fourth rank.
The captain will superintend the movement.
259. The company being in four ranks, when the instructor
shall wish to form
it into two ranks, he will command:
1. In two ranks, form company. 2.
Company right - FACE. 3. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH).
At the second command the left guide will stand fast, the company will face to the right.
At the command march, the right guide will step off and march in the prolongation of the front
rank. The leading file of four men will step off at the same time, the other files
standing fast; the second file will step off when there shall be between it
and the first space sufficient to form it into two ranks. The
following files will execute successively what has been prescribed for the
second. As soon as the last file shall have its distance, the instructor will command:
1. Company. 2. HALT.
3. FRONT.
At the command front, the company will face to the front, and the files
will undouble.
260. The company being formed in two ranks, and marching to
the front, when
the instructor shall wish to form it into four ranks, he will command:
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
1. In four ranks, form
company. 2. By the left, double files. 3. MARCH (or double quick - MARCH).
At the command march, the left guide and the left file of the company
will continue
to march straight to the front: the company will make a half face to the left, the odd numbers
placing themselves behind the even numbers. The even numbers of the rear
rank will shorten their steps a little, to permit the odd numbers of the front
rank to get between them and the even numbers of that rank.
The files thus formed of fours, except the left file, will continue to march
obliquely, lengthening their steps slightly, so as to keep constantly abreast
of the guide; each file will close successively on the file next on its left, and
when at the proper distance from that file, will face to the front by a half
face to the right, and take the touch of elbows to the left.
261. The company being in march to the front in four rank,
when the instructor
shall wish to form it into two ranks, he will command:
1. In two ranks, form company. 2.
By the right, undouble files. 3. MARCH (ordouble quick -
MARCH).
At the
command march, the left guide and the left file of the company will continue to march straight
to the front; the company will make a half face to the right and march
obliquely, lengthening the step a little, in order to keep, as near as possible,
abreast of the guide. As soon as the second file from the left shall have
gained to the right the interval necessary for the left file to form into two
ranks, the second file will face to the front by a half face to the left and march
straight forward; the left file will immediately form into two ranks,
and take the touch of elbows to the left. Each file will execute successively what has
just been prescribed for the file next to the left, and each will form into
two ranks when the file next on its right has obliqued the required distance
and faced to the front.
If the company be supposed to make part of a column, left in front,
these different
movements will be executed according to the same principles and by inverse means, substituting
the indication left for right.
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
INSTRUCTION FOR
SKIRMISHERS.
General
principles and division of the instruction.
262. The movements of skirmishers should be subjected to such
as will give
to the commander the means of moving them in any direction with the greatest promptitude.
It is not expected that these movements should be executed with the same precision as in closed
ranks, nor is it desirable, as such exactness would materially interfere with
their prompt execution.
When skirmishers are thrown out to clear the way for, and to protect
the advance
of, the main corps, their movements should be so regulated by this corps, as to keep it
constantly covered.
Every body of skirmishers should have a reserve, the strength and composition of which will vary
according to circumstances.
If the body thrown out be within sustaining distance of the main corps,
a very
small reserve will be sufficient for each company, whose duty it shall be to fill vacant places,
furnish the line with cartridges, relieve the fatigued, and serve as a rallying point
for the skirmishers.
If the main corps be at a considerable distance, besides the company reserves, another reserve will
be required, composed of entire companies, which will be employed to
sustain and reinforce such parts of the line as may be warmly attacked; this
reserve should be strong enough to relieve at least half the companies
deployed as skirmishers.
The movements of skirmishers will be executed in quick, or double quick
time.
The run will be resorted to only in cases of urgent necessity.
Skirmishers will be permitted to carry their pieces in the manner convenient to them.
The movements will be habitually indicated by the sounds of the bugle.
The officers, and, if necessary, the non-commissioned officers, will repeat, and cause the commands
to be executed, as soon as they are given; but to avoid mistakes,
when the signals are employed, they
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
will wait until the
last bugle note is sounded before commencing the movement.
Deployments.
263. A company may be deployed as skirmishers in two ways:
forward, and
by the flank.
The deployment forward will be adopted when the company is behind the line on which it is to be
established as skirmishers: will be deployed by the flank, when it finds itself
already on that line.
Whenever a company is to be deployed as skirmishers, it will be divided
into two
platoons, and each platoon will be subdivided into two sections; the comrades in battle, forming
groups of four men, will be careful to know and to sustain each
other. The captain will assure himself that the files in the centre of each
platoon and section are designated.
The interval between skirmishers depends on the extent of ground to be covered; but in general, it is
not proper that the groups of four men should be removed more than forty
paces from each other. The habitual distance between men of the same group
in open grounds will be five paces; in no case will they lose sight of
each other.
To deploy
forward.
264. A company being at a halt or in march, when the captain
shall wish to
deploy it forward on the left file of the first platoon, holding the
second platoon
in reserve, he will command:
1. First platoon - as skirmishers.
2. On the left file - take intervals. 3. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH).
(Fig. 56.) At the first command, the second and third lieutenants will place themselves rapidly two
paces behind the centres of the right and left sections of the first platoon;
the fifth sergeant will move one pace in front of the centre of the first
platoon, and will place himself between the two sections in the front rank as
soon as the movement begins; the fourth sergeant will place himself on
the
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
left of the front of
the same platoon, as soon as he can pass. The captain will indicate to the sergeant
the point on which he wishes
him to direct his
march. The first lieutenant, placing himself before the centre of the second platoon,
will command:
Second platoon backward -
MARCH.
At this command, the second platoon will step three paces to the rear
so as to
unmask the flank of the first platoon. It will then be
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
halted by its chief and
the second sergeant will place himself on the left, and the third sergeant on the
right flank of the platoon.
At the command march, the left group of four men, conducted by the fourth sergeant, will direct
itself on the point indicated; all the other groups of fours throwing forward
briskly the left shoulder, will move diagonally to the front in double quick time,
so as to gain to the right the space of twenty paces, which shall be
the distance between each group and that immediately on its
left. When the second group from the left shall arrive on a line with, and twenty paces
from the first, it will march straight to the front, conforming to the gait
and direction of the first, keeping constantly on the same alignment and at
twenty paces from it. The third group, and all the others, will conform to
what has just been prescribed for the second; they will arrive successively
on the line. The right guilt will arrive with the last group.
The left guide having reached the point where the left of the line
should rest,
the captain will command the skirmishers to halt; the men composing each group of fours will then
immediately deploy at five paces from each other, and to the right and
left of the front rank men of the even file in each group, the rear rank men
placing themselves on the left of their file leaders. If any
groups be not in line at the command halt, they will move up rapidly, conforming to what has
just been prescribed.
If, during the deployment, the line should be fired upon by the enemy,
the captain
may cause the groups of fours to deploy, as they gain their proper distances.
The line being formed, the non-commissioned officers on the right, left
and centre
of the platoon, will place themselves ten paces in rear of the line, and opposite the
positions they respectively occupied. The chiefs of sections will promptly rectify
any irregularities, and then place themselves twenty-five or thirty paces in
rear of the centre of their sections, each having with him four men taken
from the reserve, and also a bugler, who will repeat, if necessary, the
signals sounded by the captain.
Skirmishers should be particularly instructed to take advantage of any cover which the ground may
offer, and should lie flat on the
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
ground whenever such a
movement is necessary to protect them from the fire of the enemy.
Regularity in the alignment should yield to this important advantage.
When the movement begins, the first lieutenant will face the second platoon about, and march it
promptly, and by the shortest line, to about 150 paces in rear of the centre of
the line. He will hold it always at this distance, unless ordered to the
contrary.
The reserve will conform itself to all the movements of the line. This rule is general.
Light troops will carry their bayonets habitually in the scabbard, this
rule applies
equally to the skirmishers and the reserve; whenever bayonets are required to be fixed, a
particular signal will be given. The captain will give a general superintendence to
the deployment, and then promptly place himself about eighty paces in
rear of the centre of the line. He will have with him a bugler and four men
taken from the reserve.
The deployment may be made on the right or the centre of the platoon by
same
commands, substituting the indication right or centre, for that of left
file.
The deployment on the right or the centre will be made according to the
principles
prescribed above; in this latter case, the centre of the platoon will be marked by the right
group of fours in the second section; the fifth sergeant will place himself on
the right of this group, and serve as the guide of the platoon during the
deployment.
In whatever manner the deployment be made, on the right, left, or
centre, the
men in each group of fours will always deploy at five paces from each other, and upon the front rank
man of the even numbered file. The deployments will habitually be
made at twenty paces interval; but if a greater interval be required,
it will be indicated in the command.
If a company be thrown out as skirmishers, so near the main body as to render a reserve unnecessary,
the entire company will be extended in the same manner, and according to
the same principles, as for the deployment of a platoon. In this
case, the third lieutenant will command the fourth section, and a non-commissioned
officer designated for that purpose, the second section; the fifth
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
sergeant will act as
centre guide; the file-closers will place themselves ten paces in rear of the line, and
opposite their places in line of battle. The first and second lieutenant will each
have a bugler near him.
To deploy by
the flank.
265. The company being at a halt, when the captain shall wish
to deploy it
by the flank, holding the first platoon in reserve, he will command:
1. Second platoon - as
skirmishers. 2. By the right flank - take intervals. 3. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH).
(Fig. 57.) At the first command, the first and third lieutenants will
place themselves,
respectively, two paces behind the centres of the first and second sections of the second
platoon; the fifth sergeant will place himself one pace in front of the centre
of the second platoon; the third sergeant, as soon as he can pass, will place
himself on the right of the front rank of the same platoon. The
captain will indicate to him the point on which he wishes him to direct his
march. The chief of the first platoon will execute what has been prescribed for
the chief of the second platoon, No. 264. The fourth sergeant will place
himself on the left flank of the reserve, the firstsergeant will remain on the
right flank.
At the second command, the first and third lieutenants will place themselves two paces behind the
left group of their respective sections.
At the command march, the second platoon will face to the right and commence the movement; the left
group of fours will stand fast, but will deploy as soon as there is room
on its right, conforming to what has been prescribed, No. 264; the third
sergeant will place himself on the left of the right group, to conduct it; the
second group will halt at twenty paces from the one on its left, the third
group at twenty paces from the second, and so on to the right. As
the groups halt, they will face to the enemy, and deploy as has been explained for the
left group.
The chiefs of sections will pay particular attention to the success-
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
sive deployments of the
groups, keeping near the group about to halt, so as to rectify any errors which
may be committed. When the deployment is completed, they will place
themselves thirty paces in rear of the centre of their
sections, as has been heretofore prescribed.
The non-commissioned officers will also place themselves as previously indicated.
As soon as the movement commences, the chief of the first platoon, causing it to face
about, will move it as indicated No. 264.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The deployment may be made by the left flank according to the same principles, substituting left
flank for right flank.
266. If the captain should wish to deploy the company upon
the centre of
one of the platoons, be will command:
1. Second platoon - as skirmishers.
2. By the right and left flanks - take intervals. 3. MARCH
(or double quick
- MARCH).
At the first command, the officers and non-commissioned officers will conform to what has been
prescribed No. 265.
At the second command, the first lieutenant will place himself behind
the left
group of the right section of the second platoon, the third lieutenant behind the right group of the
left section the same platoon.
At the command march, the right section will face to the right, the
left section
will face to the left, the group on the right of this latter section
will stand
fast. The two sections will move off in opposite directions;
the third sergeant
will place himself on the left of the right file to conduct it, the second sergeant on the right
the left file. The two groups nearest that which stands fast, will each
halt at twenty paces from this group, and each of the other groups will halt
at twenty paces from the group which is in rear of it. Each group
will deploy as heretofore prescribed No. 264.
The first and third lieutenants will direct the movement, holding themselves always abreast of
the group which is about to halt.
The captain can cause the deployment to be made on any named group whatsoever; in this case the
fifth sergeant will place himself before the group indicated, and the
deployment will be made according to the principles heretofore
prescribed.
The entire company may be also deployed, according to the same principles.
To extend
intervals.
267. This movement, which is employed to extend a line of
skirmishers, will
be executed according to the principles prescribed for deployments.
If
it be supposed that the line of skirmishers is at a halt, and that the captain wishes to extend it to
the left, he will command:
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
1. By the left flank (so many
paces) extend intervals. 2. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH).
(Fig. 58.) At the command march, the group on the right will stand
fast, all the
other groups will face to the left, and each group will extend its
interval to
the prescribed distance by the means indicated No. 265.
The men of the same group will continue to preserve between each other the distance of five paces,
unless the nature of the ground
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
should render it
necessary that they should close nearer, in order to keep in sight of each
other. The intervals refer to the spaces between the groups, and not to the
distances between the men in each group. The intervals will be taken from
the right or left man of the neighboring group.
If the line of skirmishers be marching to the front, and the captain
should wish
to extend it to the right, he will command:
1. On the left group (so many
paces) extend intervals. 2. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH).
The left group, conducted by the guide, will continue to march on the point of direction; the other
groups throwing forward the left shoulder, and taking the double quick step,
will open their intervals to the prescribed distance.
Intervals may be extended on the centre of this line, according to the same principles.
If, in extending intervals, it be intended that one company or platoon should occupy a line which had
been previously occupied by two, the men of the company or platoon which
is to retire, will fall successively to the rear as they are relieved by
the extension of the intervals.
To
close intervals.
268. This movement, like that of opening intervals, will be
executed according
to the principles prescribed for the deployments.
If the line of skirmishers be halted, and the captain should wish to
close intervals
to the left, he will command:
1. By the left flank (so many
paces) close intervals. 2. MARCH ( ordouble quick -
MARCH).
(Fig. 59.) At the command march, the left group will stand fast, the
other groups
will face to the left and close to the prescribed distance, each group facing to the enemy as it
attains its proper distance.
If the line be marching to the front, the captain will command:
1. On the left group (so many
paces) close intervals. 2. MARCH (ordouble quick -
MARCH).
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
The left group, conducted by the guide, will continue to move on in the
direction
previously indicated; the other groups, advancing the right shoulder, will close to the
left, until the intervals are reduced to the prescribed distance.
Intervals may be closed on the right, or on the centre, according to
the same
principles.
When intervals are to be closed up, in order to reinforce a line of skirmishers, so as to cause two
companies to cover the ground which had been previously occupied by
one, the new company will deploy so as to finish its movement at twenty
paces in rear of the line it is to occupy, and the men will successively move
upon that line, as they shall be unmasked by the men of the old
company. The reserves of the two companies will unite behind the centre of the
line.
To relieve a
company deployed as skirmishers.
269. When a company of skirmishers is to be relieved, the
captain will be advised
of the intention, which he will immediately communicate to the first and second lieutenants.
The new company will execute its deployment forward, so as to finish the movement at about twenty
paces in rear of the line.
Arrived at this distance, the men of the new company, by command of their captain, will advance
rapidly a few paces beyond the old line and halt; the new line being established,
the old company will assemble on its reserve, taking care not to get
into groups of fours until they are beyond the fire of the enemy.
If the skirmishers to be relieved are marching in retreat, the company thrown out to relieve them will
deploy by the flank, as prescribed No. 265 and following. The
old skirmishers will continue to retire with order, and having passed the new line,
they will form upon the reserve.
To
advance.
To advance in
line, and to retreat in line.
270. When a platoon or a company deployed as skirmishers is
marching by
the front, the guide will be habitually in the centre. No
particular indication
to this effect need be given in the com-
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
mands, but if on the
contrary it be intended that the directing guide should be on the right, or left, the
command guide right, or guide left, will be given immediately after that of
forward.
The captain, wishing the line of skirmishers to advance, will command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH
(or double quick
- MARCH).
This command will be repeated with the greatest rapidity by the chiefs
of sections,
and in case of need, by the sergeants. This rule is general,
whether
the skirmishers march by the front or by the flank.
At the first command, three sergeants will move briskly on the line,
the first
on the right, the second on the left, and the third in the centre.
At the command march, the line will move to the front, the guide
charged with
the direction will move on the point indicated to him, the skirmishers will hold themselves aligned on
this guide, and preserve their intervals towards him.
The chiefs of sections will march
immediately behind their sections, so as to direct their movements.
The captain will give a general superintendence to the movement.
When he shall wish to halt the skirmishers, he will command:
HALT.
At this command, briskly repeated, the line will halt. The
chiefs of sections
will promptly rectify any irregularity in the alignment and intervals, and after taking every possible
advantage which the ground may offer for protecting the men, they, with
the three sergeants in the line, will retire to their proper places in rear.
271. The captain, wishing to march the skirmishers in
retreat, will command:
1. In retreat. 2.
MARCH (or double quick
- MARCH).
At the first
command, the three sergeants will move on the line as prescribed No. 270.
At the command march, the skirmishers will face about indi-
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
vidually, and march to
the rear, conforming to the principles prescribed No. 270.
The officers and sergeants will use every exertion to preserve order.
To halt the skirmishers, marching in retreat, the captain will command:
HALT.
At this command, the skirmishers will halt, and immediately face to the
front.
The chiefs of sections and the three guides will each conform himself
to what
is prescribed No. 270.
To change
direction.
272. If the commander of a line of skirmishers shall wish to
cause it to change
direction to the right, he will command:
1. Right wheel. 2.
MARCH (or double quick
- MARCH).
At
the command march, the right guide will mark time in his place; the
left guide
will move in a circle to the right, and that he may properly regulate his movements, will
occasionally cast his eyes to the right, so as to observe the direction of the
line, and the nature of the ground to be passed over. The centre
guide will also march in a circle to the right, and in order to conform his movements to the
general direction, will take care that his steps are only half the length
of the steps of the guide on the left.
The skirmishers will regulate the length of their steps by their
distance from
the marching flank, being less as they approach the pivot, and greater as they are removed from it;
they will often look to the marching flank, so as to preserve the direction
and their intervals.
When the commander of the line shall wish to resume the direct march, he will command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH.
At the command march, the line will cease to wheel, and the skirmishers
will move
direct to the front; the centre guide will march on the point which will be indicated to him.
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
If the captain should wish to halt the line, in place of moving it to
the front,
he will command:
HALT.
At this command, the line will halt.
A change of direction to the left will be made according to the same principles, and by inverse
means.
A line of skirmishers marching in retreat will change direction by the same means, and by the same
commands, as a line marching in advance; for example, if the captain
should wish to refuse his left, now become the right, he will command:
1. Left wheel. 2.
MARCH.
At the command halt, the skirmishers will face to the enemy.
But if; instead of halting the line, the captain should wish to
continue to march
it in retreat, he will, when he judges the line has wheeled
sufficiently, command:
1. In retreat. 2. MARCH.
To
march by the flank.
273. The captain, wishing the skirmishers to march by the
right flank, will command:
1. By the right flank.
2. MARCH (or double quick - MARCH).
At the first command, the three sergeants will place themselves on the line.
At the command march, the skirmishers will face to the right and move off; the right guide will place
himself by the side of the leading man on the right to conduct him, and will
march on the point indicated; each skirmisher will take care to
follow exactly in the direction of the one immediately preceding him, and
to preserve his distance.
The skirmishers may be marched by the left flank, according to the same
principles,
and by the same commands, substituting left for right; the left guide will place himself by the
side of the leading man to conduct him.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
If the skirmishers be marching by the flank, and the captain should
wish to
halt them, he will command:
HALT.
At this command, the skirmishers will halt and face to the
enemy. The officers
and sergeants will conform to what has been prescribed No. 270.
The reserve should execute all the movements of the line, and be held always about 150 paces from it,
so as to be in position to second its operations.
When the chief of the reserve shall wish to march it in advance, he
will command:
1. Platoon forward. 2. Guide
left. 3. MARCH.
If he should wish to march it in retreat, he will command:
1. In retreat. 2.
MARCH. 3. Guide right.
At the
command halt, it will re-face to the enemy.
The men should be made to understand that the signals or commands, such as forward, mean that the
skirmishers shall march on the enemy; in retreat, that they shall
retire, and to the right or left flank, that the men must face to the right
or left, whatever may be their
position.
If the skirmishers be marching by the flank, and the captain should
wish to
change direction to the right (or left), he will command:
1. By file right (or left). 2.
MARCH.
These movements will also be executed by the signals No. 262.
THE FIRINGS.
274. Skirmishers will fire either at a halt or marching.
To fire at a
halt.
To cause this fire to be executed, the captain will command:
Commence - FIRING.
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
At this command, briskly repeated, the men of the front rank will commence firing; they will
reload rapidly, and hold themselves in readiness to fire again. During
this time the men of the rear rank will come to a ready, and as soon as their respective
file leaders have loaded, they will also fire and reload. The men
of each file will thus continue the firing, conforming to this principle, that the one
or the other shall always have his piece loaded.
Light troops should be always calm, so as to aim with accuracy; they should, moreover, endeavor to
estimate correctly the distances between themselves and the enemy to be
hit, and thus be enabled to deliver their fire with the greater certainty
of success.
Skirmishers will not remain in the same place whilst reloading, unless protected by accidents in the
ground.
To fire
marching.
275. This fire will be executed by the same commands as the
fire at a halt.
At the command commence firing, if the line be advancing, the front
rank man
of every file will halt, fire, and reload before throwing himself
forward. The
rear rank man of the same file will continue to march, and after
passing ten
or twelve paces beyond his front rank man will halt, come to a ready, select his object, and fire
then his front rank man has loaded; the fire will thus continue to be executed by
each file; the skirmishers will keep united, and endeavor, as much as
possible, to preserve the general direction of the alignment.
If the line be marching in retreat at the command commence firing, the front rank man of every file
will halt, face to the enemy, fire, and then reload whilst moving to the rear; the
rear rank man of the same file will continue to march, and halt ten or twelve
paces beyond his front rank man, face about, come to a ready, and fire, when
his front rank man has passed him in retreat and loaded; after
which, he will move to the rear and reload; the front rank man in his turn
after marching briskly to the rear, will halt at ten or twelve paces from
the rear rank, face to the enemy; load his piece and fire,
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
conforming to what has
just been prescribed; the firing will thus be continued.
If the company be marching by the right flank, at the command, commence firing, the front rank
man of every file will face to the enemy, step one pace forward, halt,
and fire; the rear rank man will continue to move forward. As soon
as the front rank man has fired, he will place himself briskly behind his rear
rank man and reload whilst marching. When he has loaded, the rear rank
man will in his turn, step one pace forward, halt, and fire, and returning
to the ranks, will place himself behind his front rank man; the latter, in his
turn, will act in the same manner, observing the same principles. At
the command, cease firing, the men of the rear rank will retake
their original positions, if
not already there.
If the company be marching by the left flank, the fire will be executed
according
to the same principles, but in this case it will be the rear rank men who will be first.
The following rules will be observed in the cases to which they apply:
If the line be firing at a halt, or whilst marching by the flank at the
command,
Forward - MARCH, it will be the men whose pieces are loaded, without regard to the
particular rank to which they belong, who will move to the front. Those men
whose pieces have been discharged, will remain in their places to load them
before moving forward, and the firing will be continued agreeably to the
principles prescribed above.
If the line be firing either at a halt, advancing, or whilst marching
by the flank,
at the command, In retreat - MARCH, the men whose pieces are loaded will remain faced to the
enemy, and will fire in this position; the men whose pieces are discharged
will retreat loading them, and the fire will be continued agreeably to
principles prescribed for the fire in marching in retreat.
If the line of skirmishers be firing either at a halt, advancing, or in
retreat, at
the command, By the right (or left) flank - MARCH, the men whose pieces
are loaded
will step one pace out of the general alignment, face to the enemy, and fire in this
position; the men whose pieces are unloaded will face to the right (or left) and
march
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
in the direction
indicated. The men who stepped out of the ranks will place themselves, immediately after
firing, upon the general direction, and in rear of their front or rear rank
men, as the case may be. The fire will be continued according to the
principles prescribed for firing when marching by a flank.
Skirmishers will be habituated to load their pieces whilst marching;
but they
will be enjoined to halt always an instant, when in the act of charging
cartridge,
and priming.
They should be practised to fire and load kneeling, lying down, and sitting, and much liberty
should be allowed in these exercises, in order that they may be executed in the
manner found to he most convenient. Skirmishers should he cautioned
not to forget that, in whatever position they may load, it is important
that the piece should be placed upright before ramming, in order that
the entire charge of powder may reach the bottom of the bore.
In commencing the fire, the men of the same rank should not all fire at
once, and
the men of the same file should be particular that one or the other of them be always loaded.
In retreating, the officer commanding the skirmishers should seize on every advantage which the
ground may present, for arresting the enemy aslong as possible.
At the signal to cease firing, the captain will see that the order is promptly obeyed; but the men
who may not be loaded, will load. If the line be marching, it will continue
the movement; but the man of each file who happens to be in front, will
wait until the man in rear shall be abreast with him.
If a line of skirmishers be firing advancing, at the command halt, the
line will
re-form upon the skirmishers who are in front; when the line is retreating, upon the
skirmishers who are in rear.
276. Officers should watch with the greatest possible
vigilance over a line
of skirmishers; in battle, they should neither carry a rifle or fowling
piece.
In all the firings, they, as well as the sergeants, should see that order and silence are
preserved, and that the skirmishers do not wander imprudently; they should
especially caution them to be calm and collected; not to fire until they
distinctly perceive the objects at which they aim, and are sure that
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
those objects are
within proper range. Skirmishers should take advantage promptly, and with
intelligence, of all shelter, and of a accidents of the ground, to conceal themselves
from the view of the enemy, and to protect themselves from his
fire. It may often happen that intervals are momentarily lost when several
men near each other find a common shelter; but when they quit this
position, they should immediately resume their intervals and their places in
line, so that they may not, by crowding, needlessly expose themselves
the fire of the enemy.
THE
RALLY.
To form
column.
277. A company deployed as skirmishers, is rallied in order
oppose the enemy
with better success; the rallies are made at a run, and with bayonets fixed; when ordered to
rally, the skirmishers fix bayonets without command.
There are several ways of rallying, which the chief of the line will
adopt according
to circumstances.
If the line, marching or at a halt, be merely disturbed by scattered horsemen, it will not be
necessary to fall back on the reserve, but the captain will cause bayonets to
be fixed. If the horsemen should, however, advance to charge the
skirmishers, the captain will command, rally by fours. The line will
halt if marching, and the four men of each group will execute this rally in the
following manner: the front rank man of the even numbered file will take the
position of guard against cavalry; the rear rank man of the odd numbered file
will also take the position of guard against cavalry, turning his back to
him, his right foot thirteen inches from the right foot of the former, and
parallel to it; the front rank man of the odd file, and the rear rank man of the even
file, will also place themselves back to back, taking a like position, and
between the two men already established, facing to the right and left; the
right feet of the four men will be brought together, forming a squares and serving
for mutual support. The four men in each group will come to a ready,
fire as occasion may offer, and load without moving their feet. (Fig. 60.)
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
The captain and chiefs
of sections will each cause the four men who constitute his guard to form
square, the men separating so as to enable him and the bugler to place
themselves in the centre.
The three sergeants
will each promptly place himself in the group nearest him in the line of
skirmishers. Whenever the
captain shall judge these squares too weak, but should
wish to hold his position by strengthening his line, he will command:
Rally by
sections.
278. At this command, the chiefs of sections will move
rapidly on the centre
group of their respective sections, or on any other interior group whose position might offer a
shelter, or other particular advantage; the skirmishers will collect
rapidly at a run on this group, and without distinction of
numbers. The men composing the group on which the formation is made, will
immediately form square,
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
as heretofore
explained, and elevate their pieces, the bayonets uppermost, in order to indicate the point
on which the rally is to be made. The other skirmishers, as they arrive,
will occupy and fill the open angular spaces between these four men, and
successively rally around this first nucleus, and in such manner as to form
rapidly a company circle. The skirmishers will take as they arrive, the
position of charge bayonet, the point of the bayonet more elevated, and will
cock their pieces in this position. The movement concluded, the two
exterior ranks will fire as occasion may offer, and load without moving the
feet. (Fig. 61.)
The captain will move rapidly with his guard, wherever he may judge his
presence
most necessary.
The officers and sergeants will be particular to observe that the rally
is made
in silence, and with promptitude and order; that some pieces in each of their subdivisions be at all
times loaded, and that the fire is directed on those
points only where it
will be most effective.
If the reserve should be threatened, it will form into a circle around
its chief.
If the captain, or commander of a line of skirmishers formed of many platoons, should judge that the
rally by section does not offer sufficient resistance, he will cause the
rally by platoons to be executed, and for this purpose, will command:
Rally by platoons.
279. This movement will be executed according to the same
principles, and
by the same means, as the rally by sections. The chiefs of
platoon will conform
to what has been prescribed for the chiefs of section.
The captain wishing to rally the skirmishers on the reserve, will command:
Rally on the reserve.
280. At this command, the captain will move briskly on the
reserve; the officer
who commands it will take immediate steps to form square; for this purpose, he will cause the half
sections on the flanks to be thrown perpendicularly to the rear; he
will order the men to come to a ready.
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
The skirmishers of each section, taking the run, will form rapidly into
groups,
and upon that man of each group who is nearest the centre of the section. These groups
will direct themselves diagonally towards each other, and in such manner as to
form into sections with the greatest possible rapidity while moving
to the rear; the officers and sergeants will see that this formation is made
in proper order, and the chiefs will direct their sections upon the
reserve, taking care to unmask it to the right and left. As the
skirmishers arrive, they will continue and complete the formation of the square begun
by the reserve, closing in rapidly upon the latter, without regard to their
places in line; they will come to a ready without command, and fire upon
the enemy; which will also be done by the reserve as soon as it is
unmasked by the skirmishers. (Fig. 62.)
If a section should be closely pressed by cavalry while retreating its chief will command halt; at
this command, the men will form rapidly into a compact circle around the
officer, who will re-form his section and resumethe march, the moment he can do
so with safety.
The formation of the square in a prompt and efficient manner, requires coolness and activity on the
part of both officers and sergeants.
The captain will also profit by every moment of respite which the enemy's cavalry may leave him;
as soon as he can, he will endeavor to place himself beyond the reach
of their charges, either by gaining a position where he may defend
himself with advantage, or by returning to the corps to which he
belongs. For this purpose, being in square, he will cause the company to break into
column by platoons at half distance; to this effect, he will command:
1. Form column. 2.
MARCH.
At
the command march, each platoon will dress on its centre, and the platoon which was facing to the
rear will face about without command. The guides will place themselves on
the right and left of their respective platoons, those of the second
platoon will place themselves at half distance from those of the
first, counting from
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
the rear
rank. These dispositions being made, the captain can move the
column in
whatever direction he may judge proper.
If he wishes to march it in retreat, he will command:
l. In retreat. 2.
MARCH (or double quick
- MARCH).
At the
command march, the column will immediately face by the rear rank, and move off in the opposite
direction. As soon as the column is in motion, the captain will
command:
3. Guide right (or left).
He will indicate the
direction to the leading guide; the guides will march at their proper distances, and the
men will keep aligned.
If again threatened by cavalry, the captain will command:
1. Form square. 2.
MARCH
At the
command march, the column will halt; the first platoon will face about briskly, and the outer
half sections of each platoon will be thrown perpendicularly to the rear, so
as to form the second and third fronts of the square. The officers
and sergeants will promptly rectify any irregularities which may be committed.
If he should wish to march the column in advance, the captain will command:
1. Form column. 2.
MARCH.
Which will be executed as prescribed above.
The column being formed, the captain will command:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH
(or double quick
- MARCH). 3. Guide left (or right).
At the second command, the column will move forward, and at the third command, the men will take the
touch of elbows to the side of the guide.
If the captain should wish the column to gain ground to the right or
left, he
will do so by rapid wheels to the side opposite the guide, and for this
purpose,
will change the guide whenever it may be necessary.
281. If a company be in column by platoon, at half distance,
right in front,
the captain can deploy the first platoon as skirmishers
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
by the means already
explained; but if it should be his wish to deploy the second platoon forward on the
centre file, leaving the first platoon in reserve, he will command:
1. Second platoon - as skirmishers.
2. On the centre file take intervals. 3. MARCH (or double quick -
MARCH.)
At the first
command, the chief of the first platoon will caution his platoon to stand fast; the chiefs of
sections of the second platoon will place themselves before the centre of
their sections; the fifth sergeant will place himself one pace in front of
the centre of the second platoon.
At the second command, the chief of the right section, second platoon, will command: Section right
face; the chief of the left section: Section left face.
At the command march, these sections will move off briskly in opposite directions, and having unmasked
the first platoon, the chiefs of sections will respectively command: By the left flank -
MARCH, and By the right
flank - MARCH; and
as soon as these sections arrive on the alignment of the first platoon, they will
command: As skirmishers
- MARCH. The groups will then deploy according to
prescribed principles, on the right group of the left section, which will be
directed by the fifth sergeant on the point indicated.
If the captain should wish the deployment made by the flank, the second
platoon
will be moved to the front by the means above stated, and halted after passing some steps beyond
the alignment of the first platoon; the deployment will then be made by
the flank according to the principles prescribed.
When one or more platoons are deployed as skirmishers, and the captain should wish to rally them on
the battalion, he will command:
Rally on the
battalion.
282. At this command, the skirmishers and the reserve, no
matter what position
the company to which they belong may occupy in order of battle, will rapidly unmask the front
of the battalion, directing themselves in a run towards its nearest flank, and
then form in its rear.
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
As soon as the skirmishers have passed beyond the line of file-closers,
the men
will take the quick step, and the chief of each platoon or section will re-form his subdivision,
and place it in column behind the wing on which it is rallied, and at ten
paces from the rank of file-closers. These subdivisions will not be moved
except by order of the commander of the battalion, who may, if he
thinks proper, throw them into line of battle at the extremities of the line, or in
the intervals between the battalions.
If many platoons should be united behind the same wing of s battalion, or behind any shelter
whatsoever, they should be formed always into close column, or into column at half
distance.
When the battalion, covered by a company of skirmishers, shall be formed into square, the
platoons and sections of the covering company will be directed by their chiefs to
the rear of the square which will be opened at the angles to receive the
skirmishers, who will be then formed into close column by platoons in rear
of the first front of the
square.
If circumstances should prevent the angles of the square from being opened, the skirmishers will
throw themselves at the feet of the front rank men, the right knee on the
ground, the butt of the piece resting on the thigh, the bayonet in a
threatening position. A part may also place themselves about the angles,
where they render good service by defending the sectors without fire.
If the battalion on which the skirmishers are rallied be in column
ready to form
square, the skirmishers will be formed into close column by platoon, in rear of the centre of the
third division, and at the command, Form square- MARCH, they will move forward
and close on the buglers.
When skirmishers have been rallied by platoon or section behind the wings of a battalion, and it be
wished to deploy them again to the front, they will be marched by the
flank towards the intervals on the wings, and be then deployed so as to cover
the front of the battalion.
When platoons or sections, placed in the interior of squares or
columns, are
to be deployed, they will be marched out by the flank and then thrown forward, as is prescribed, No.
281; as soon as they
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
shall have unmasked the
column or square, they will be deployed, the one on the right, the other on the
left file.
The
assembly.
283. A company deployed as skirmishers will be assembled when
there is
no longer danger of its being disturbed; the assembly will be made habitually in quick time.
The captain wishing to assemble the skirmishers on the reserve, will command:
Assemble on the reserve.
At this command, the skirmishers will assemble by groups of fours; the front rank men will place
themselves behind their rear rank men; and each group of fours will direct
itself on the reserve, where each will take its proper place in the
ranks. When the company is re-formed, it will rejoin the battalion to which it belongs.
It may be also proper to assemble the skirmishers on the center, or on the right or left of the line,
either marching or at a halt.
If the captain should wish to assemble them on the centre while marching, he will command:
Assemble on the centre.
At this command, the centre guide will continue to march directly to
the front
on the point indicated; the front rank man of the directing file will follow the guide, and be
covered by his rear rank man; the other two comrades of this group, and
likewise those on their left will march diagonally, advancing the left
shoulder and accelerating the gait, so as to re-form the groups while
drawing nearer and nearer the directing file; the men of the right section will
unite in the same manner into groups, and then upon the directing file,
throwing forward the right shoulder. As they successively unite on the
centre, the men will bring their pieces to the right shoulder.
To assemble on the right or left file will be executed according to the
same
principles.
The assembly of a line marching in retreat will also be executed
MANUAL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND MILITIA.
according to the same
principles, the front rank men marching behind their rear rank men.
To assemble the line of skirmishers at a halt, and on the line they
occupy, the
captain will give the same commands; the skirmishers will face to the right or left, according as
they should march by the right or left flank, re- form the groups while marching,
and to arrive on the file which served as the point of
formation. As they successively arrive, the skirmishers will support arms.
the
right front rank man of each platoon face to the right, the
covering sergeant standing fast the chief of each platoon will move
quickly by the shortest line, a little beyond the point at which the
marching flank will rest when the wheel shall be completed, face to the
late rear, and place himself so that the line which he forms with the
man on right (who had faced), shall be
perpendicular
to that occupied by the company in line of battle; each platoon will
wheel according to the principles 
forward
march is 
