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Drill Guidelines

of

 

The Liberty Greys


A compendium of guidelines and common commands regarding evolutions of the battalion in which all company officers and NCOs should be well versed.


FOR THE USE OF MEMBER UNITS AND VOLUNTEERS



Company Prerequisites

1. The primary drill manual for the Southern legion will be Hardee's Rifle & Infantry Tactics, 1862 North Carolina revision. Officers and NCOs are encouraged to have and study this manual.

2. Companies are expected to be able to maneuver by company and by platoon (when numbers permit).

3. Officers and NCOs should be familiar with their proper position in all evolutions. NCOs should understand their duties as guides when appropriate.

4. All elements of the School of the Company should be regularly drilled. 

5. The following maneuvers are considered to be essential drill elements and should be second nature to a company:

·        Facing right, left, front, and about (including doubling and un-doubling)

·        Marching quick, double-quick, and common time, backward and right (and left) oblique

·        Marching by the right and left flanks; right about march

·        By company into line

·        On the right (and left) by file into line

·        Right (and left) wheels, and half wheels; Right (and left) into line, wheel

·        Right and left turns into line

 

6. The following should be drilled to forward and to the right and left

obliques:

 

·        Firing by company

·        Firing by platoon

·        Firing by file (from the right)

·        Firing by rank

 

7. The company should be capable of deploying as skirmishers, firing as such, and reforming.


Battalion Evolutions From a Line of Battle

 

To march by the right or left flank when halted:

BCO:          Right (or left) - FACE

          The men will double into fours as they face

            Forward -  MARCH

 

To march by the right or left flank when marching in a battalion front:

BCO:          By the right (or left) flank - MARCH

          The men will double into fours as they face and continue marching

 

To form a column of companies faced to the right (or left) advanced of the current line of battle:

BCO:          By company, right (or left) wheel - MARCH

When his company has wheeled ninety degrees:

CCO:          HALT

 The left (or right) company guide will post aligned between the battalion

guides.

BCO:          Guide Left

          The company will dress left (or right) to the company guide. Note this will not happen until the column is moving.

 

To form a column of companies faced to the right(or left) to the rear of the current line of battle:

BCO:          By the right of companies to the rear into column

          Battalion, right - FACE

The men will double into fours as they face.  The captain will cause the first two files to break to the  right (or left).

          MARCH

The far right (or left) file of each company will move by file right. The captain will stand fast at the right of the company as each file passes. As the last file passes, he will command:

CCO:          HALT

          FRONT

At which the men will face left (or right) and un-double files

          Guide left

 

To march by company in a four man front to avoid obstacles:

BCO:          By the right of companies to the front (or rear)

          Battalion, right (or left) - FACE

The men will double into fours as they face.  The captain will cause the first two files to break to the  right (or left).

          MARCH

The far right (or left) file of each company will move by files right


To change the battalion front to one perpendicular facing right:

BCO:          Change front forward on the first company

          The first company will immediately wheel ninety degrees to the right

BCO:          By company, right half wheel - MARCH

          As each company wheels forty-five degrees:

BCO:          Forward - MARCH

          Guide right

          As each company unmasks from the previous company:

CCO:          Right turn - MARCH - HALT

 

To change the battalion front to one perpendicular facing left:

BCO:          Change front forward on the last company

          The last company will immediately wheel ninety degrees to the left

BCO:          By company, left half wheel - MARCH

          As each company wheels forty-five degrees:

CCO:          HALT

BCO:          Forward - MARCH

          Guide left

          As each company unmasks from the previous company:

CCO:          Left turn into line - MARCH



Battalion Evolutions From a Column of Companies

 

To form a line of battle straight ahead extending to the left of the first company:

BCO:          Forward into line

          By company, left half wheel - MARCH

          The first company will halt when the other companies receive the order to MARCH. As each other company  achieves a 45 degree wheel:

BCO:          Forward - MARCH

          As each company unmasks behind the company ahead of it

CCO:          Right  Turn - MARCH - HALT

 

To form a line of battle straight ahead centered on the column (assuming five companies):

BCO:          Head of the column to the right

          After the first two companies have wheeled to the right by company

          HALT

          Left into line, wheel

          Three rear companies, forward into line

          MARCH

The first two companies will left wheel into line, where their captain will HALT them. The third company will advance to the line of battle at which its captain will HALT it. The rear two company captains will order:

CCO:          Company, left half wheel - MARCH

As the company  achieves a 45 degree wheel:

          Forward - MARCH

And as the company unmasks on line:

          Right turn – MARCH - HALT

CCO:          HALT

BCO:          Forward - MARCH

          As each company unmasks behind the company ahead of it

CCO:          Right turn – MARCH – HALT

 

To form a line of battle on the left:

BCO:          Left into line, wheel - MARCH

The company right guide will post himself on the new line of battle. As each company wheels ninety degrees into line:

CCO:          Company - HALT

          Right dress

 


To form a line of battle on the right by inversion:

BCO:          By inversion, right into line, wheel

          Battalion, guide right

          MARCH

The company left guide will post himself on the new line of battle. As each company wheels ninety degrees into line:

CCO:          Company - HALT

          Left dress

 

To form a line of battle on the right in proper company order:

BCO:          On the right, into line

          Battalion, guide right

          MARCH

The captain of the first company will immediately order RIGHT turn - MARCH. The rest of the column will continue to march forward until unmasked by the previous company at which time each company captain will order:

CCO:          RIGHT turn - MARCH

The company left guide will post himself on the new line of battle. As each company reaches the line:

CCO:          Company - HALT

          Right dress

 


Battalion Evolutions From a Column Marching by the Right Flank

Note: Marching by the left flank is a simple inversion of these instructions

 

To form a column of companies:

BCO:          Form column of companies

          By company into line - MARCH

As the company comes into line, the left guide posts between the battalion guides

          Guide left

 

To form a line of battle on the right of the column:

BCO:          Battalion. On the right, by file into line - MARCH

The column continues forward deploying one company after another. As the company begins to deploy, the left general guide runs ahead to post

 

To form a battle line on the left of the column:

BCO:          Battalion- FRONT

The ranks should automatically un-double from four to two

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