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THIRD
LESSON.
With
muskets, bayonets fixed.
The
Middle Guard; The Thrust; The Lunge; The Lunge-out.
The Guard.—PLATE V.
Having
brought the men to the position of shoulder arms, the
instructor commands—
GUARD!
One
time and two motions.
13.
First motion.—Make a half face to the right on the left
heel, bring the left toes to the front; place, at the same time, the
right foot behind, and at right angles with the left, the hollow of
the right foot opposite to, and about three inches from the left
heel; turn the piece with the left hand, the lock
outwards, and seize the handle at the same time with the right hand,
the musket perpendicular and detached from the shoulder; leave the
left hand under the butt.—Fig. 15.
Second
motion.—Bring the feet and legs into the position of
the second motion of guard without arms; at the same time
bring down the piece with the hand into the left, the latter seizing
it just below the tail band; the lock plate to the right and half
turned up; the right hand on a level with and four inches from the
navel; the point of the bayonet opposite the chin; the arms
detached from the body.—Fig. 17.
Looking
at the soldier from the side, the right hand should be seen a little
in front of the body.
If
the instructor be drilling sergeants or riflemen, he will bring them
to the sergeant’s shoulder (Inf. Tact., page 180), and
command—
GUARD!
One
time and two motions.
13*.
First motion.—Raise the piece with the right
hand, in half facing to the right on the left heel, and bring the
hollow of the right foot opposite to, and three inches from the left
heel.—Fig. 16.
Second
motion—Same as that for private, under No. 13—Fig.
17.
Note—The
guard as described above, is called the " Middle
Guard," because in it the musket has the middle position
between the different directions it assumes in the movements of
attack and defense, as will be seen hereafter. Before
proceeding to the subsequent movements, the men must now be well
drilled in the first two lessons, taking care always to keep the
piece in the position of the middle guard.
________
The
Thrust - Plate VI
Before
executing this and all the subsequent movements, the instruction
will place his men in the position of middle guard.
THRUST!
One time and one motion.
14.
Thrust the piece quickly forward to the full length of the left
arm, and at the same time give it a rotary movement so as to bring
the guard underneath towards the ground. The hand maintain their
respective positions on the piece; the point of the bayonet at the
heigth of the breast. Neither the body nor the legs change position.
- Fig. 18.
GUARD!
One time and one motion.
15.
Bring back the piece to the position of middle
guard, as in No. 13.
NOTE.
- It is a general rule, which will not be repeated, that all, in the
thrusts and lunges (except the shortened thrusts, Nos. 44 to 49), at
the same time that the blow is made, a rotary motion is given to the
piece so as to bring the guard directly towards the ground and the
lock plate square to the right. This rotary motion is of great
importance, giving additional force and accuracy to the blow; and it
is to obtain it that the lock plate is half
turned up in the position of guard.
The
Lunge. - Plate VI.
LUNGE!
One time and one motion.
16.
Thrust the piece quickly forward to the full length of the right
arm; at the same time slide back the left hand along the sling until
it covers the guard; straighten the right knee, and throw forward
the right shoulder upon the same line with the left. The point of
the bayonet is at the heigth of the breast. - Fig. 19.
GUARD!
One time and one motion.
17.
Resume the position of middle
guard.
The
Lunge-out. Plate VII.
LUNGE-OUT!
One time and one motion.
18.
Thrust the piece quickly forward to the full length of the right
arm, momentarily abandoning it with the left hand; at the same time
straighten to the right knee, raise the right foot on the toes and
throw forward the right shoulder in advance of the left. - Fig. 20.
GUARD!
One time and one motion.
19.
Resume the position of middle
guard.
Repetition
and combinations of the movements.
The
Thrust with the Development.
Plate
VII.
1.
THRUST, as in No. 14.
2.
DEVELOP, as in No. 8.
3.
GUARD, as in No. 13.
The
Thrust with the Passade.
Plate
VIII.
1.
THRUST, as in No. 14.
2.
PASSADE, as in No. 10.
3.
GUARD, as in No. 13.
OBSERVATIONS.
- As it is important that the soldier should accustom himself to the
middle guard, to which he return after each movement, the instructor
should watch that this position is taken with accuracy; that the
arms are detached from the body and do not rest against it. It is in
consequence of this detached and isolated position, that the musket
can be easily and rapidly moved to defend any point threatened: but,
as it is rather fatiguing at first, frequent short rests, in
place, should be allowed the men until they become accustomed to
the weight of the weapon.
The
lunge being a difficult and fatiguing motion, should at first be
taught to the men seperately.
The
lunge-out being still more difficult, this precaution is more
particularly to be observed.
From
the lunge-out the men may, at first, be allowed to come back to the
middle guard, waiting for the command - Guard.
In this, and all
subsequent lessons, the intervals between the men must be a little
more than doubled, that the volts, etc. may be executed. Where the
squad is large, and the space limited, the men may be formed in two
ranks seven or eight foot apart, the rear rank men opposite the
intervals of the front rank.
FOURTH
LESSON
The
Four Directions of Attack
In
Prime.
In
prime - THRUST!
One
time and two motions.
20.
First motion. - Drop the point of the bayonet and move it
slightly to the right until it is opposite the right loin.
Second
motion. - Thrust, as in No. 14, except
that the bayonet, instead of being opposite the breast, is opposite
the right loin.
GUARD!
One
time and one motion.
21.
Resume the middle guard, as in No. 13.
In
Seconde.
In
seconde - THRUST!
One
time and two motions.
22.
First motion. - Drop the point of the bayonet and move it
slightly to the left until it is opposite the left loin.
Second
motion. - Thrust, as in No. 14, except
that the bayonet is opposite the left loin.
GUARD!
One
time and one motion.
23.
Resume the middle guard, as in No. 13.
In
Tierce.
In
Tierce - THRUST!
One
time and two motions.
24.
First motion. - Move the point of the bayonet opposite the
left shoulder.
Second
motion - Thrust, as in No. 14, except that
the bayonet is opposite the left shoulder.
GUARD!
One
time and one motion.
25.
Resume the middle guard, as in No. 13.
In
Quarte.
In
quarte - THRUST!
One
time and two motions.
26.
First motion. - Move the point of the bayonet opposite the
right shoulder.
Second
motion - Thrust, as in No. 14, except that
the bayonet is opposite the right shoulder.
GUARD!
One
time and one motion.
27.
Resume the middle guard, as in No. 13.
The
men being expert in these movements, the instructor will combine the
thrust with the development, or passade, by the
following commands:-
1.
In prime - THRUST! 2.
DEVELOP! 3. GUARD!
1.
In prime - THRUST! 2.
PASSADE! 3. GUARD!
Similar
combinations will be made with the directions in Seconde, Tierce and
Quarte.
The
lunge and lunge-out will also be combined with lunge,
and, occasionally, with lunge-out.
OBSERVATIONS
- The instructor will inform the men that the change of
direction represents a disengagement. (See Part II, page
80.) To enable them to understand this, he will engage his
weapon with each of them in succession, and execute the different
disengagements. He will require that the position of the
weapon, in the different directions of attack, shall vary, from that
of the middle guard, only in the direction of its point. |
