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INSTRUCTION ON FOOT.
SCHOOL OF THE TROOPER, DISMOUNTED.
1.—The object of this school being the individual and progressive instruction of the recruits, the instructor at first does not require a movement to be executed until he has given an exact explanation of it; and he executes himselfthe movement which he commands, so as to join example to precept. He accustoms the recruit to take by himself the position which Is explained, touches him to rectify it only when required by his want of intelligence, and sees that all the movements are performed without precipitation.
Each movement should be perfectly understood before passing to another. After they have been properly executed in the order laid down in each lesson, the instructor no longer confines himself to that order; on the contrary, he should change it, that he may judge of the intelligence of the men.
2. —The instructor allows the men to rest two or three times in the hour; for this purpose he commands REST.
At the command REST the trooper is no longer required to preserve immobility, but will keep his left heel in its place.
3.—When the Instructor wishes to commence the instruction, he commands, ATTENTION; at this command the trooper takes his position, remains motionless, and fixes his attention.
4.—The first principles of the position and those of the march are taught to each man individually, or, at most, to eight at a time. In the latter case they are placed on the mane line, one yard from each other, without being required to align themselves.
POSITION OF THE TROOPER DISMOUNTED.
5. —The heels on the same line as near each other as the conformation of the man will permit;
The feet turned out equally, and forming with each other something less than a right angle;
The knees straight without stiffness;
The body erect on the hips, Inclining a little forward;
The belly rather drawn In, and the breast advanced;
The shoulders square and falling equally;
The arms hanging near the side;
The palm of the hand turned a little to the front;
The head erect and square to the front, without constralnt;
The chin somewhat drawn In;
The eyes straight to the front.
When the trooper is armed the left hand hangs by the side over the sabre.
6.—The instructor commands:
1. Eyes—Right. 2. FRONT.
At the first command, turn the head gently to the right. so that the corner of the left eye, next to the nose, may be on a line with the buttons of the jacket.
At the command FRONT, turn the head gently to the front.
7.—The movement eyes left is executed after the same principles at the commands:
1. Eyes—Left. 2. FRONT.
8.—The instructor will take particular care that the movement of the head does not derange the squareness of the shoulders, which would happen if it were too sudden, or if the head were turned more than is necessary.
As the trooper should turn the head only to align himself, and in the wheelings, it is important that he should be accustomed to turn it but very little.
RIGHT FACE, LEFT FACE, ABOUT FACE, RIGHT OBLIQUE FACE, LEFT OBLIQUE FACE.
9.—The instructor commands:
1.Right (or left.) 2.FACE. 1 time.
At the second command, raise the right foot slightly, turn on the left heel, raising the toes a little, and then replace the right heel by the aide of the left, and on the same line.
1. —About—FACE. 2 times.
I. At the first part of the command, make a half face to the right, turning on the left heel, place the right foot square behind the left, the hollow of it opposite to, and three inches from, the left heel.
2. At the command FACE, turn on both heels to face to the rear, raising the toes a little, the knees straight, and bring the right foot by the aide of the left.
11.—1. Right oblique (or left oblique.) 2. FACE 1. time.
At the second command, raise the right foot a little, turn upon the left, raising the toes slightly, and then replace the right heel by the side of the left, on the same line, making face 30 degrees to the right or left, (one-third of a right or left face.)
12—The instructor pays particular attention that the position of the body shall not be deranged by these movements.
13.—The length of the common step is 2 feet 4 inches, measured from heel to heel its quickness is at the rate of 90 per minute.
14.—To explain the principles and mechanism of the step, the instructor places himself 8 or 10 paces in front, facing the squad he executes the step slowly himself.
He commands:
1. Forward. 2. MARCH.
At the command forward, throw the weight of the body on the right leg.
At the command MARCH, carry forward the left foot, smartly and without a jerk, 2 feet 4 inches from the right, the knee straight, the toe a little depressed, and slightly turned out, the upper part of the body inclined forward; plant the left foot, the whole weight of the body being thrown on it; carry forward the right leg, smartly and without jerk, the foot near the ground; plant it at the same distance, and in the same manner as has just been explained for the left foot, and continue to march without crossing the legs or turning the shoulders, and with the face always to the front.
15.—To halt, the instructor commands:
1. Squad. 2. HALT.
At the command, bring the foot which is in rear by the side of the other, without shock.
16.—The instructor marks the cadence of the step from time to time by the command one, at the moment when the left foot should be planted; this cadence being regulated at the rate of 90 steps per minute.
17.—The instructor teaches this to the squad one at a time; it is used to catch the step when lost.
The foot that is being advanced from the rear is planted by the side of the other, which is instantly advanced in its stead so as not to lose the cadence.
18—The men being in line at a halt, the instructor commands:
1. Right—FACE. 2. Forward. 3. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, the whole file step off with animation together, with the left foot.
19.—A well-instructed man should at first march by the side of the leading man.
The instructor will cause the men to cover each other accurately. He will see that they do not look downwards, and do not bend the knee.
TO FACE TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN MARCHING.
20.—The squad marching, the instructor commands:
1. By the right flank.
2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, turn the body to the right, and step off with the right foot in the new direction, without losing the cadence of the step.
The instructor gives the command MARCH at the moment when the left foot is coming to the ground.
When it is to the left, the command MARCH is given at the moment when the right foot is coming to the ground. By this means the new direction is always commenced with the leg on the side towards which the turn is made.
OBLIQUE FACE TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT WHEN MARCHING.
21.—The squad marching, the instructor commands:
1. Right oblique. 2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH the men make an oblique face to the right (or to the left,) and march in the new direction.
22. —To resume the primitive direction, the instructor commands:
FORWARD.
At this command the men make an oblique face to the left, if they have obliqued to the right, and an oblique face to the right, if they have obliqued to the left, and march straight to the front.
33.—The length of the quick step is the same as that of the common step, and its quickness is at the rate of 110 per minute.
The squad being at a halt, the Instructor commands.
1. Forward, quick time. 2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, step off smartly with the left foot.
24.—The squad Is exercised, when marching at the quick step, to halt, move on, face to the right and left, half face to the right and left, and move off again, as In common time.
25.—The squad marching in quick time, to change to common time, the instructor commands:
1. Common time. 2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, the squad takes the common step.
36.—To resume the quick step, the instructor commands:
1. Quick time. 2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, the squad resumes the quick step
27.—The squad marching in common or quick time, to change to double quick time, the instructor commands:
1. Double quick. 2. MARCH.
At the command MARCH, the men increase the length of step to 33 inches, and its rapidity to 166 steps in a minute.
In this march the carriage of the body is different, being nearer that of running The body is more advanced, the knees more bent, the arms with their natural motion.
From a halt, the command is:
1. Forward, double quick. 2. MARCH.
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