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223.
The men being at support arms, the instructor will sometimes cause
pieces to be brought to the right shoulder. To this effect he will
command:
Right
shoulder shift-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
224.
(First motion.) Seize
the piece with the right hand, below and near the left fore-arm,
place the left hand under the butt, the heel of the butt between the
first two fingers.
225. (Second motion.) Turn
the piece with the left hand, the lock plate upward, carry it to the
right shoulder, the left hand still holding the butt, the muzzle
elevated; hold the piece in this position and place the right hand
upon the butt, as is prescribed No. 219, and let fall the left hand
by the side.
Support-ARMS.
One time
and two motions.
226.
(First motion.) The
same as the first motion of shoulder
arms, No. 221.
227.
(Second motion) Turn
the piece with both hands, the barrel to the front, carry it
opposite the left shoulder, slip the right hand to the small of the
stock-, place the left fore-arm extended on the breast, as is
prescribed No. 141, and let fall the right hand by the side.
Arms-AT
WILL.
One time and one motion.
228.
At this command, carry the piece at pleasure on either shoulder,
with one or both hands, the muzzle elevated.
Shoulder-ARMS.
One time and one motion.
229.
At this command, retake quickly the position of shoulder arms.
230.
The recruits being at ordered arms, when the instructor shall wish
to cause the pieces to be placed on the ground, he will command:
Ground-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
231.
(First motion.) Turn
the piece with the right hand, the barrel to the left, at the same
time seize the cartridge box with the left hand, bend the body,
advance the left foot, the heel opposite the lower band; lay the
piece on the ground with the right hand, the toe of the butt on a
line with the right toe, the knees slightly bent, the right heel
raised.
232.
(Second motion.) Rise
up, bring the left foot by the side of the right, quit the cartridge
box with the left hand, and drop the hands by the side.
Raise-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
233.
(First motion.) Seize
the cartridge box with the left hand, bend the body, advance the
left foot opposite the lower band, and seize the piece with the
right hand.
234.
(Second motion.) Raise
the piece, bringing the left foot by the side of the right; turn the
piece with the right hand, the rammer to the front; at the same time
quit the cartridge box with the left hand, and drop this hand by the
side.
INSPECTION
OF ARMS.
235.
The recruits being at ordered
arms, and having
the bayonet in the scabbard, if the instructor wishes to cause an
inspection of arms, he will command:
Inspection-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
236.
(First motion.) Seize
the piece with the left
hand below and near
the upper band, carry it with both bands opposite the middle of the
body, the butt between the feet, the rammer to the rear, the barrel
vertical, the muzzle about three inches from
the body; (should
the rifle musket be used, the muzzle will be about eight inches from
the body); carry the left hand reversed to the bayonet, draw it from
the scabbard and fix it on the barrel; grasp the piece with the left
band below and near the upper band, seize the rammer with the thumb
and fore-finger of the right hand bent, the other fingers closed.
237.
(Second motion.) Draw
the rammer as has been explained in loading,
and let it glide to
the bottom of the bore, replace the piece with the left
hand opposite the
right shoulder, and retake the position of ordered
arms.
238.
The instructor will then inspect in succession the piece of each
recruit, in passing along the front of the rank. Each, as the
instructor reaches him, will raise smartly his piece with his right
hand, seize it with the left between the lower band and guide sight,
the lock to the front, the, left hand at the height of the chin, the
piece Opposite to the left eye; the instructor will take it with the
right hand at the handle and, after inspecting it, will return it to
the recruit, who will receive it back with the right hand, and
replace it in the position of ordered
arms.
239.
When the instructor shall have passed him, each recruit will retake
the position prescribed at the command inspection,
return the rammer, unfix
the bayonet, and
resume the position
of ordered arms.
240.
If, instead of inspection
of arms, the
instructor should merely wish to cause bayonets to be fixed, lie
will command:
Fix-BAYONET.
241.
Take the position indicated No. 236, fix bayonets as has been
explained, and immediately resume the position of ordered
arms.
242.
If it be the wish of the instructor, after firing, to ascertain
whether the pieces have been discharged, he will command:
Spring-RAMMERS.
243.
Put the rammer in the barrel, as has been explained above, and
immediately retake the position of
ordered arms.
244.
The instructor, for the purpose stated, can take the rammer by the
small end, and spring it in the barrel, or cause each recruit to
make it ring in the barrel.
245. Each recruit,
after the instructor passes him, will return rammer, and resume the
position of ordered
arms.
REMARKS
ON THE MANUAL OF ARMS.
246.
The manual of arms frequently distorts the persons of recruits
before they acquire ease and confidence in the several positions.
The instructor will therefore frequently recur to elementary
principles in the course of the lessons.
247.
Recruits are also extremely liable to curve the sides and back, and
to derange the shoulders, especially in loading. Consequently, the
instructor will not cause them to dwell too long at a time in one
position.
248.
When, after some days of exercise in the manual of arms, the four
men shall be well established in their use, the instructor will
always terminate the lesson by marching the men for some time in one
rank, and at one pace apart, in common and quick time, in order to
confirm them more and more in the mechanism of the step; lie will
also teach them to mark time, and to (change step, which will be
executed in the following manner:
TO
MARK TIME.
249.
The four men marching in the direct step, the instructor will
command:
1.
Mark time. 2.
MARCH.
250.
At the second command, which will be given at the instant a foot is
coming to the ground, the recruits will make a semblance of
marching, by bringing the heels by the side of each other, and
observing the cadence of the step, by raising each foot alternately
without advancing.
251. The
instructor wishing the direct step to be resumed, will command:
1.
Forward. 2.
MARCH.
252.
At the second command, which will be given as prescribed above, the
recruits will retake the step of twenty-eight inches.
TO
CHANGE STEP.
253.
The squad being in march, the instructor will command:
1.
Change step. 2.
MARCH.
254.
At the second command, which will be given at the instant either
foot is coming to the ground, bring the foot which is in rear by the
side of that which is in front, and step off again with the foot
which was in front.
TO
MARCH BACKWARD.
255.
The instructor. wishing the squad to march backward, will command:
1.
Squad backward. 2.
MARCH.
256.
At the second command, the recruits will step off smartly with the
left foot fourteen inches to the rear, reckoning from heel to heel,
and so with the feet in succession till the command halt, which will
always be preceded by the caution
squad. The men will
halt at this command, and bring back the foot in front by the side
of the other.
257.
This step will always be executed in quick time.
258.
The instructor will be watchful that the recruits march straight to
the rear, and that the erect position of the body and the piece be
not deranged.
LESSON
III.
TO LOAD IN FOUR TIMES.
259.
The object of this lesson is to prepare the recruits to load at
will, and to cause them to distinguish the times which require the
greatest regularity and attention, such as charge
cartridge, ram cartridge, and
prime. It will be divided as follows:
260.
The first time will be executed at the end of the command; the three
others at the commands, two,
three and
four. The instructor will command:
1.
Load in four times. 2. LOAD.
261.
Execute the times to include charge cartridge.
TWO.
262.
Execute the times to include ram cartridge.
THREE.
263.
Execute the times to include prime.
FOUR.
264.
Execute the time of shoulder
arms.
TO
LOAD AT WILL.
265.
The instructor will
next teach loading at will, which will be executed as loading in
four times, but continued, and without resting on either of the
times. He will command:
1.
Load at will. 2.
LOAD.
266.
The instructor will habituate the recruits, by degrees, to load with
the greatest possible promptitude, each without regulating himself
by his neighbor, and above all without waiting for him.
267.
The cadence prescribed No. 136, is not applicable to loading in four
times, or at will.
LESSON
IV. FIRINGS.
268.
The firings are direct or oblique, and will be executed as follows:
THE
DIRECT FIRE.
269.
The instructor will give the following commands:
1.
Fire by Squad. 2. Squad.
3. READY. 4.
Aim. 5.
FIRE. 6. LOAD.
270.
These several commands will be executed as bas been prescribed in
the Manual of Arms. At
the third command, the men will come to the position of Ready,
as heretofore
explained. At the fourth they will aim according to the rank in
which each may find himself placed, the rearwards men inclining
forward a little the upper part of the body, in order that their
pieces may reach as much
beyond the front rank as possible.
271.
At the sixth command, they will load their pieces and return
immediately to the position
of ready.
272.
The instructor will recommence the firing by the commands:
1.
Squad. 2. Aim.
3. FIRE.
4. LOAD.
273.
When the instructor wishes the firing to cease he will command:
Cease-FIRING.
At
this command the men will cease firing, but will load their pieces
it unloaded, and afterward bring them to a shoulder.
OBLIQUE
FIRINGS.
275.
The oblique firings will be executed to the right and left, and by
the same commands as the direct fire, with this single
difference-the command aim will always be preceded by the caution,
right or left
oblique.
POSITION
OF THE TWO RANKS IN THE OBLIQUE FIRE TO THE RIGHT.
276.
At the command ready,
the two ranks will
execute what has been prescribed for the direct fire.
277.
At the cautionary command, right oblique,
the two ranks will
throw back the right shoulder, and look steadily at the object to be
hit.
278.
At the command aim, each front-rank man will aim to the right
without deranging the feet; each rear-rank man will advance the left
foot about eight inches toward the right heel of the man next on the
right of his file leader, and aim to the right, inclining the upper
part of the body forward, and bending a little the left knee.
POSITION
OF THE TWO RANKS IN THE OBLIQUE FIRE TO THE LEFT.
279.
At the cautionary command left
oblique, the two
ranks will throw back the left shoulder, and look steadily at the
object to be hit.
280.
At the command aim, the front rank will take aim to the left without
deranging the feet; each man in the rear rank will advance the right
foot, about eight inches toward the right heel of the
man next on the
right of his file leader, and aim to the left, inclining the upper
part of the body forward, and bending a little the right knee.
281. In
both cases, at the command load, the men of each rank will come to
the position of load
as prescribed in
the direct fire; the rear-rank
men bringing back
the foot which is to the right and front by the side of the other.
Each man will continue to load as if isolated.
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