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PART
THIRD.
319.
When the recruits are well established in the principles and
mechanism of the step, the position of the body, and the
manual of arms, the instructor will unite eight men, at least,
and twelve men at most, in order to teach them the principles of
alignment, the principles of the touch of elbows in marching to the
front, the principles of the march by the flank, wheeling from a
halt, wheeling in marching, and the change of direction to the side
of the guide. He will place the squad in one rank, elbow to elbow,
and number the men from right to left.
LESSON
I.
ALIGNMENTS.
320.
The instructor will at first teach the recruits to align themselves,
man by man, in order the better to make them comprehend the
principles of alignment; to this end, he will command the two men on
the right flank to march two paces to the front, and having aligned
them, be will caution the remainder of the squad to move up, as they
may be successively called, each by his number, and align themselves
successively or the line of the first two men.
321. Each recruit, as designated by his number will turn the
head and eyes to the right, as prescribed in the first lesson of the
first part, and will march in quick time two paces forward, shortening
the last, so as to find himself about six inches behind the new
alignment, which he ought never to pass: he will next move up
steadily by steps of two or three inches, the hams extended, to the
side of the man next to him on the alignment, so that, without
deranging the head, the line of the eyes, or that of the shoulders,
he may find himself in the exact line of his neighbor, whose elbow
he will lightly touch without opening his own.
322. The instructor seeing the rank well aligned, will
command:
FRONT.
323.
At this, the recruits will turn eyes to the front, and remain firm.
324. Alignments to the left will be executed on the same
principles.
325. When the recruits shall have thus learned to align
themselves, mail by man, correctly, and without groping or jostling,
the instructor will cause the entire rank to align itself at once by
the command:
Right
(or left) - DRESS.
326.
At this the rank, except the two men placed in advance as a basis of
alignment will move up in quick time and place themselves on the new
line, according to the Principles prescribed No. 321.
327. The instructor, placed five or six paces in front, and
facing the rank , will carefully observe that the principles are
followed, and then pass to the flank that has served as a basis to
verify the alignment.
328. The instructor, seeing the greater number of the rank
aligned, will command
FRONT.
329.
The instructor may afterward order this or that file forward or back,
designating each by its number. The file or files designated,
only, will slightly turn the head toward the basis, to' judge how
much they ought to move up or back, steadily place themselves on the
line, and then turn eyes to the front, without a particular command
to that effect.
330. Alignments to the rear will be executed on the same
principles, the recruits stepping back a little beyond the line, and
then dressing up according to the principles prescribed No. 321 the
instructor commanding:
Right
(or left) backward-DRESS.
331.
After each alignment, the instructor will examine the position of
the men, and cause the rank to come to ordered arms, to prevent too
much fatigue, and also the danger of negligence at shouldered arms.
LESSON
II.
332.
The men having learned, in the first and second parts to march with
steadiness in common time, and to take steps equal in length and
swiftness, will be exercised in the third part only in quick time,
double quick time, and the run; the instructor will cause them to
execute successively, at these different gaits, the march to the
front, the facing about in marching, the march by the flank, the
wheels at a halt and in marching, and the changes of direction to
the side of the guide.
333. The instructor will inform the recruits that at the
command march, they will always move off in quick time,
unless this command should be preceded by that of double quick.
TO
MARCH TO THE FRONT.
334.
The rank being correctly aligned, when the instructor shall wish
to cause it to march by the front, he will place a well
instructed man on the right or the left, according to the side on
which he may wish the guide to be, and command:
I.
Squad, forward. 2. Guide right (or left).
3. MARCH.
335.
At the command march, the rank will step off smartly with the
left foot; the guide will take care to march straight to the front,
keeping his shoulders always in a square with that line.
336. The instructor will observe, in marching to the front,
that the men touch lightly the elbow toward the side of the guide;
that they do not open out the left elbow, nor the right arm; that
they yield to pressure coming from the side of the guide, and resist
that coining from the opposite side; that they recover by insensible
degrees, the slight touch of the elbow, if lost; that they maintain
the head direct to the front, no matter on which side the guide may
be; and if found before or behind the alignment, that the man in
fault corrects himself by shortening or lengthening the step, by
degrees, almost insensible.
337.
The instructor will labor to cause recruits to comprehend that the
alignment can only be preserved, in marching, by the regularity of
the step, the touch of the elbow, and the maintenance of the
shoulders in a square with the line of direction: that if, for
example, the step of some be longer than that of others, or if some
march faster than others, a separation of elbows, and a loss of the
alignment, would be inevitable; that if (it being required that the
head should be direct to the front) they do not strictly observe the
touch of elbows, it would be impossible for an individual to judge
whether he marches abreast with his neighbor, or not, and whether
there be not an interval between them.
338.
The impulsion of the quick step having a tendency to make men too
easy and free in their movements, the instructor will be careful to
regulate the cadence of this step, and to habituate them to preserve
always the erectness of the body, and the due length of the pace.
339.
The men being well established in the principles of the direct
march, the instructor will exercise them in marching obliquely. The
rank being in march, the instructor will command:
1.
-Right (or left) oblique. 2. MARCH.
340.
At the second command, each man will make a half face to the right
(or left), and will then march straight-forward in the new
direction. As the men no longer touch elbows, they will glance along
the shoulders of the nearest files, toward the side to which they
are obliquing, and will regulate their steps so that the shoulder
shall always be behind that of their next neighbor on that side, and
that his head shall conceal the heads of the other men in the rank.
Besides this, the. men should preserve the same length of pace, and
the same degree of obliquity.
341. The
instructor wishing to resume the primitive direction, will command:
1.
Forward. 2. MARCH
342.
At the second command, each man will make a half face to the left
(or right), and all will then march straight to the front,
conforming to the principles of the direct march.
TO
MARCH TO THE FRONT IN DOUBLE QUICK TIME.
343.
When the several principles, heretofore explained, have become
familiar to the recruits, and they shall be well established in the
position of the body, the bearing of arms, and the mechanism
length, and
swiftness of the step, the instructor will pass them from quick
to double
quick time, and the
reverse, observing not to make them march obliquely in double quick
time, till they are well established in the cadence of this step.
344.
The squad being at a march in quick time, the instructor will
command:
1.
Double quick. 2. MARCH.
345.
At the command march,
which will be given
when either foot is coming to the ground, the squad will step off in
double quick time. The men will endeavor to follow the principles I
down in the first part of this book, and to preserve the alignment.
346.
When the instructor wishes the squad to resume the step in quick
time, lie will command:
1.
Quick time. 2. MARCH.
347.
At the command march,
which will be given
when either foot is coming to the ground, the squad will retake the
step in quick time.
348.
The squad being in march, the instructor will halt it by the
commands and means prescribed Nos. 105 and 106. The command halt
will be
given an instant before the foot is ready to
be placed on the
ground.
349.
The squad being in march in double quick time, the instructor will
occasionally cause it to mark time by the commands prescribed No.
249. The men will then mark double quick time, without altering the
cadence of the step. He will also cause them to pass from the direct
to the oblique step, and reciprocally, conforming to what has been
prescribed No. 339, and following.
350.
The squad being at a halt, the instructor will cause it to march in
double quick time, by preceding the command march,
by double quick.
351.
The instructor will endeavor to regulate well the cadence of the
step.
TO
FACE ABOUT IN MARCHING.
352.
If the squad be marching in quick, or double quick time, and the
instructor should wish to
march it in
retreat, he will command:
1.
Squad right about. 2. MARCH.
353.
At the command march,
which will be given
at the instant the left foot is coming to the ground, the recruit
will bring this foot to the ground, and turning on it, will face to
the rear; lie will then place the right foot in the new direction,
and step off with the left foot.
354.
If the instructor should wish merely to face the squad about,
without marching it in retreat, he will command:
1.
Squad right about. 2. HALT.
355.
At the command halt,
which will be given
the instant the left foot is coining to the ground, the recruit will
face about as prescribed No. 353; he will then place the right foot
by the side of the left.
TO
MARCH BACKWARD.
356.
The squad being at a halt, if the instructor should wish to march it
in the back step, he will command:
1.
Squad backward. 2. Guide left (or right.) 3. MARCH.
357.
The back step will be executed by the means prescribed No. 256.
358.
The instructor in this step will be watchful that the men do not
lean on each other.
359.
As the march to the front in quick time should only be executed at
shouldered arms, the instructor, in order not to fatigue the men too
much, and also to prevent negligence in gait and position, will halt
the squad from time to time, and cause arms to be ordered.
360.
In marching at double
quick time, the men
will always carry their pieces on the right
shoulder or at a trail.
This rule is general.
361.
If the instructor shall wish the pieces carried at a trail he will
give the command trail
arms, before the
command double
quick. If, on the
contrary, this command be not given, the men will shift their pieces
to the right shoulder at the command double
quick. In either
case, at the command halt,
the men will bring
their pieces to the position of shoulder
arms. This rule is general.
LESSON
III.
THE
MARCH BY THE FLANK.
362.
The rank being at a halt, and correctly aligned, the instructor will
command:
1.
Squad, right-FACE.
2. Forward. 3. MARCH.
363.
At the last part of the first command, the rank will face to the
right; the even numbered men, after facing to the right, will step
quickly to the right side of the odd numbered men, the latter
standing fast, so that when the movement is executed, the men will
be formed into files of two men abreast.
364.
At the third command, the squad will step off smartly with the left
foot; the files keeping aligned, and preserving their intervals.
365.
The march by the left flank will be executed by the same commands,
substituting the word left
for right,
and by inverse
means; in this case, the even numbered men, after facing to the left
will stand fast, and the odd numbered will place themselves on their
left.
366.
The instructor will place a well instructed soldier by the side of
the recruit who is at the head of the rank, to regulate the step,
and to conduct him; and it will be enjoined on this recruit to march
always elbow to elbow with the soldier.
367. The
instructor will cause to be observed in the march, by the flank, the
following rules:
That
the step be executed according to the principles pre-
scribed for the direct step;
Because
these principles, without which men placed elbow to elbow, in the
same rank, cannot preserve unity and harmony of movement, are of a
more necessary observance in marching in file.
That
the head of the man who immediately precedes,
covers the heads of all who are in front.
Because
it is the most certain rule by which each man may maintain himself
in the exact line of the file.
368.
The instructor will place himself habitually five or six paces on
the flank of the rank marching in file, to watch over the execution
of the principles prescribed above. He will also place himself
sometimes in its rear, halt, and suffer it to pass fifteen or twenty
paces, the better to see whether the men cover each other
accurately.
369. When
he shall wish to halt the rank, marching by the flank, and to cause
it to face to the front, he will command:
1.
Squad. 2. HALT.
3. FRONT.
370.
At the second command, the rank will halt, and afterward no man will
stir, although he may have lost his distance. This prohibition is
necessary, to habituate the men to a constant preservation of their
distances.
371.
At the third command, each man will front by facing to the left, if
marching by the right flank and by a face to the right, if marching
by the left flank. The rear-rank men will at the same time move
quickly into their places, so as to form the squad again into one
rank.
372.
When the men have become accustomed to marching by the flank, the
instructor will cause them to change direction by file; for this
purpose, he will command:
1.
By file left (or right). 2.
MARCH.
373.
At the command march,
the first file will
change direction to the left (or right) in describing a small are of
a circle, and will then march straight-forward; the two men of this
file, in wheeling, will keep up the touch of the elbows, and the man
on the side to which the wheel is made, will shorten the first three
or four steps. Each file will come successively to wheel on the game
spot where that which preceded it wheeled.
374. The
instructor will also cause the squad to face by the right or left
flank in marching, and for this purpose will command:
1.
Squad by the right (or left) flank. 2. MARCH.
375.
At the second command, which will be given a little before either
foot comes to the ground, the recruits will turn the body, plants
the foot that is raised in the new direction, and step off with the
other foot without altering the cadence of the step; the men will
double or undouble rapidly.
376.
If, in facing by the right or the left flank, the squad should face
to the rear, the men will come into one rank, agreeably to the
principles indicated No. 371. It is to be remarked, that it is the
men who are in the rear who always move up to form into single rank,
and in such manner as never to invert the order of the numbers in
the rank.
377.
If, when the squad has been faced to the rear, the instructor should
cause it to face by the left flank, it is the even numbers who will
double by moving to the left of the odd numbers; but if by the right
flank, it is the odd numbers. who will double to the right of the
even numbers.
378.
This lesson, like the preceding one, will be practised with pieces
at a shoulder; but the instructor may, to give relief by change,
occasionally order support
arms, and be will
require of the recruits marching in this position as much regularity
as in the former.
379.
If the instructor should wish merely to face the squad by the flank,
without marching forward, he will command:
1.
Squad by the right (or left) flank. 2. HALT.
380.
At the command halt,
the recruit will
face as prescribed, No. 375; he will then place the foot that is
raised by the side of the other.
THE
MARCH BY THE FLANK IN DOUBLE QUICK TIME.
381.
The principles of the march by the flank hi
double quick time, are
the same as in quick time. The instructor will give the commands
prescribed No. 362, taking care always to give the command double
quick before that
of march.
382.
He will pay the greatest attention to the cadence of the step.
383.
The instructor will cause the change of direction, and the march by
the flank, to be executed in double quick time, by the same
commands, and according to the same principles, as in. quick time.
384.
The instructor will cause the, pieces to be carried either on the right
shoulder or at a trail.
385.
The instructor will sometimes march the squad by the flank, without
doubling the files.
386.
The principles of this march are the same as in two ranks, and it
will always be executed in quick time.
387.
The instructor will give, the commands prescribed, No. 362, but he
will be careful to caution the squad not to double files.
388.
The instructor will be watchful that the men do not bend their knees
unequally, which would cause them to tread on the heels of the men
in front, and also to lose the cadence of the step and their
distances.
389.
The various movements in this lesson will be executed in single
rank. In the changes of direction, the leading man will change
direction without altering the length or the cadence of the step.
The instructor will recall to the attention of the men, that in
facing by the right or left flank in marching, they will not double,
but march in one rank.
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