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ARTICLE
II.
Being
in column, to break files to the rear, and
to cause them to re-enter into line.
294. 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, be 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.
295. At the
command march, the
two files on the left (or right) of the company will face to the
right (or left) and double the others will continue to march
straight-forward. If the files are broken from the left the men will
immediately file to the left, so that the odd numbers will cover the
first and third, and the even numbers, the second and fourth files,
from that flank of company. If the files are broken from the right,
the men will immediately file to the right so that the even numbers
will cover the first and third, and the odd numbers, the second and
fourth files from that flank of the company. The men will be careful
not to lose their distances and to keep aligned.
View
Plate No. 24 - To Break Files to the Rear (294) and To Countermarch
(348)
296. 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.
297. 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, 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 his length of the step, in order to
prevent distances from being lost.
298. 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.
299. The instructor, wishing to cause files broken off to return
into line, will give the order to his captain, who will immediately
command:
1.
Two files into line. 2. MARCH.
300. 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 toward the flank to which
they belong.
301. The captain will turn to his company, to watch the observance
of the principles which have just been prescribed.
302. The instructor having caused groups of two files to break one
after another , and to re turn again into line, will afterward 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 face to the right (or left)
and double and will
then immediately file into their proper places as indicated No. 295,
taking care that the distances are preserved.
303. 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 file into line-MARCH.
304. 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.
305. 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 file
ordered into line.
306. 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.
307. 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.
308. If
the new files broken to the rear do not step well off when filing to
the left or right; 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.
309.The instructor will place himself on the flank from which the
files are broken, to assure himself of the exact observance of the
principles.
310. 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.
ARTICLE
III.
To
march the column in route and to execute
the movements incident thereto.
311.The swiftness of the route step will be one
hundred and ten steps in a minute; this swiftness will be habitually
maintained in columns in route, when the roads and ground may
permit.
312. 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:
1.
Column, forward. 2. Guide, left (or right.)
3. Route step. 4. MARCH.
313. 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 S.S. No. 228 or they may sling them on
their backs muzzle up. They will no longer be required to
march in the cadence 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.
314. 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 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.
315. The company marching in the route step, to cause it to pass to
the cadence step, the instructor will first order pieces to be
brought to the right shoulder, and then command:
1.
Quick time. 2. MARCH.
316.
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.
317. The company marching in the cadenced Pace, tile instructor, to
cause it to take the route step, will command:
1.
Route step. 2. MARCH.
318.
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.
319. If the company be marching in the route step, and the
instructor should suppose the necessity of marching by the flank in
the same direction he will command:
1.
Company by the right (or left) flank. 2. By
file left (or right.) 3. MARCH.
320. At the
command march, the
company will face to the right (or left) in marching, the captain
will place himself by the side of the guide who conducts the leading
flank: this guide will wheel immediately to the left or right; all
the files will come in succession to wheel on the same spot as the,
guide; if there be files broken off to the rear, they will, by
wheeling, regain their respective places, and follow the movement of
the Company.
321. The instructor having caused the company to be again formed
into line, will exercise it in increasing and diminishing front, by
platoon which will be executed by the same commands, 7 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.
322. The company being in column, by platoon, and supposed to march
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.
323. The movements of diminishing and increasing front, by section,
will be executed according to the principles indicated for the same
movements 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.
324. The instructor wishing to diminish by section, will give the
order to the captain, who will command:
1.
Break into sections. 2. MARCH.
325. 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 be thus displaced, will fall back into the rearrank: the
file closers will close up to within one pace of this rank.
326. Platoons will be broken into sections only in the column in
route, the movement will never be executed in the manoeuvres,
whatever may be the front of the company.
327. 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.
328.
At the first command, each chief of section will place himself
before its centre, and the aides will pass into the front rank. At
the command march, the movement will be executed its 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.
329. 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.
330. 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, Nos. 319 and 320. 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.
331. If the company be marching by the right flank, and the
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.
332. 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 retake the touch of elbows on the side of the front rank.
333. 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.
334. If it be found necessary, from the narrowness of the way or
other cause, to reduce the front still further, the captain 7
on an intimation from
the instructor, will command:
1.
In one rank, undouble files. 2. MARCH.
335. At the
command march, the
right or left guide, with the leading front-rank man, will continue
the march, the rear-rank man stepping in rear of his file-leader as
soon as he is able to pass; the other files marking time. The second
file, and successively all the other files, will step off as soon as
sufficient distance is gained, the front-rank man of each file
following immediately the rear-rank man of the file next in front of
him, and each rear-rank
man taking his place as above indicated.
336. If the instructor wishes to double files, he will so indicate
to the captain, who will command:
1.
In two ranks, double files. 2. MARCH.
337. At the
command march, the
rear-rank men will take a side step to the right (or left), and each
rank will close up on its leading file.
338. If the instructor should wish again to double the files, he
will give the order to the captain, who will command:
1.
In four ranks, double files. 2. MARCH.
339.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 afterward cause the route step to be resumed.
340. 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 eleven hundred yards in seven minutes.
341. 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.
342. 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.
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