ARTICLE THIRD.

DIRECT MARCH OF THE PLATOON IN LINE. 

243.—The most important point in the direct march .being to keep the horses straight in the ranks, it is indispensable that the troopers should preserve the head direct.

The troopers should yield to all pressure coming from the side of the guide, and resist that coming from the op­posite side.

The guide should always march at a free and steady gait, and change it with steadiness, in order to avoid irregularity in the ranks.

If the troopers are too near to or too far from the man on the side of the guide, they move from or approach him very gradually, and in gaining ground to the front, but not immediately; the irregularity generally results from errors which will correct themselves, and which precipitancy will only aggravate.

When the guide feels himself thrown out of his direction, he extends his arm to the front to indicate that there is too much pressure towards him. Then the troopers carry the bridle hand towards the opposite side, give a glance to the guide, and straighten their horses as soon as the guide is relieved; but the troopers must be taught to correct the intervals of files more by the leg than by the hand.

244.—The corporal of the flank opposite to the guide is not required to preserve the head direct. He aligns himself upon the guide and the general front of the platoon.

The guide is commanded alternately to the right and to the left, that the troopers may have the habit of dressing equally towards either direction.

When the instructor wishes to exercise the platoon at the direct march, it is conducted to the extremity of a ground of sufficient extent to admit of its marching some time without changing the direction.

245.— The platoon being in line, the instructor commands:

 

1.  Open files to the left (or to the right.)  2.  MARCH.   3.  Right (or Left)—DRESS.   4.  FRONT.

 

At the command, MARCH. all the troopers, except the right file, passage to the left, as prescribed, No. 134; the second trooper straightens his horse and halts as soon as he has gained an interval of I pace between himself and the trooper of the right.

Each of the other troopers executes the same movement, regulating the interval by the trooper on his right.

The troopers being aligned, the instructor indicates to the guide of the right, or of the left, a fixed point In a direction perpendicular to the front of the platoon he in­structs him to take an intermediate point, never to lose sight of these two points, in order to keep himself always In the proper direction, and to select a more distant point as he approaches the one nearest to him.

To give a point of direction, the instructor places himself exactly behind the right file, or the left file, and indicates to the trooper of the front rank an object on the ground which is immovable and can be distinctly seen, such as a tree, or a rock.

246.—To march the platoon forward the instructor commands:

1.       Forward.

2.       Guide right, (or left)

3.       MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, all the troopers move straight forward at the same gait with the men on the side of the guide.

The troopers should give a glance from time to time towards the guide.

During the march the Instructor is sometimes at the side of the guide, to assure himself that the troopers march on the same line; and sometimes behind the guide, to observe that he follows the direction indicated.

247.—To halt the platoon, the instructor commands:

1.       Platoon.

2.       HALT.

3.       Right (or left)—DRESS.

4.      FRONT.

At the command, HALT, the troopers stop.

At the command, FRONT, turn the head to the front.

248.—The troopers having been sufficiently exercised in marching with open files, the instructor halts the platoon, and commands: 

1.       Close files to the right, (or to the left.)

2.       MARCH.

3.       Right (or Left)—DRESS.

4.      FRONT. 

At the command, MARCH, all the troopers except the right file, passage to the right and resume their places

249.—When the troopers begin to manage their horses properly at the walk, they are required to open and close files, marching at the same gait, taking care not to repeat these movements too often, but to make them march some time after having opened the files, before closing them, and after having closed the files, before opening them; for this purpose the instructor commands: 

1.       Open files to the kit (or to the right.)  2.       MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, all the troopers except the right file make an oblique turn to the left, at the same time advanc­ing and preserving their alignment. When they are at one pace from the man on the right, they straighten their horses and move forward.

250.—To close files, the instructor commands:

1.       Close files to the right (or to the left.)  2.       MARCH. 

This movement is executed following the same principles, but by inverse means. Each trooper should close the leg in sufficient time to preserve his interval from the file to which he closes.

251. These movements having been executed to the right and to the left in marching at the walk, they are repeated at the trot.

The platoon is then exercised in commencing the trot from a halt, and in halting while marching at this gait.

252.—After the troopers have been exercised sufficiently in the direct march to confirm them in the principles, the instructor makes use of the following means, which consist in causing faults to be committed that the troopers may learn how to correct them.

The platoon being on the march, the instructor directs the guide to augment or slacken his gait by degrees, and from time to time without command. He gives notice to the troopers that they must employ the means prescribed to replace themselves upon the alignment.

The instructor next instructs the guide to take a direction which carries him a little out, repeating to the troopers that they should gain ground to the side only in advancing.

When the troopers learn to reclose with steadiness, the Instructor directs the guide to take a direction that will cause crowding in the ranks; then the troopers yield to the pressure, and gain insensibly ground towards the opposite direction.

The instructor reminds them that to repair irregularities too rapidly would create new ones.

When the troopers have acquired, in the execution of these movements at the walk, the necessary skill to avoid confusion, they are repeated at the trot.

253.—As one of the most necessary instructions for pre­paring the soldier to act In squadron, Is the method of marching perfectly straight, by keeping in line two objects, for this purpose each man will be successively placed on the directing flank.

254.—To exercise the troopers in the direct march at the gallop, the progression established for the exercise at the walk and at the trot is followed, except that the ranks are neither opened nor closed, nor arc faults committed to be again repaired.

When marching at a gallop, the platoon should habitually pass to the trot and the walk before being halted; but when the troopers are masters of their horses, it may be halted sometimes without changing the gait.

 

COUNTERMARCH. 

255 —The platoon having arrived at the extremity of the ground, in order to change its direction to face to the rear, the instructor commands: 

1.       Countermarch by the right flank.  2.       MARCH.  3.       FRONT. 

At the command, MARCH, the non-commissioned officer on the right turns to the right about, No. 93, moves to the rear, and turns to the right, and moves forward, so as to pass one pace in rear of’ the croups of the horses of the pla­toon; arriving near the flank he turns to the left, and halts behind the left file, with two paces between the croups of their horses. The other troopers move, each when the one on his right has gone five paces, (nearly com­pleted his about turn,) performs his right about and right turn from his own ground independently, and will thus find himself one pace behind the trooper who had been on his right; and each turns to the left so as to come into his place in line as before, halts, and dresses to the right. But the troopers who are at the left of the centre of the platoon, make at first a right turn, moving so as to follow each other with distances of one pace, and turn again to the right opposite their places, and move up into line, dressing by the right.

At the command, FRONT, all turn their eyes to the front.

256.—The countermarch is executed by the left flank on the same principles

The countermarch should generally be executed at the trot; the instructor adding that word to the first command. 

WHEELINGS. 

257.—There are two kinds of wheels: the wheel on fixed pivot, and the wheel on a movable pivot.

The wheel is always on a fixed pivot, except when the command is right (or Left)—TURN.

The troopers should execute this movement without dis­uniting, and without ceasing to observe the alignment.

In every kind of wheel, the conductor of the marching flank should measure with his eye the arc of the circle he is to pass over, so that it may not be necessary for the files either to open or close he turns his head occasionally towards the pivot; if he perceives that the troopers are too much crowded, or too open, he increases or diminishes gradually the extent of his circle in gaining more or less ground to the front than to the side.

Each trooper should describe his circle in the ratio of the distance at which lie may be from the pivot. As these different arcs are all passed over in the same time, it is necessary that each trooper should slacken his pace in pro­portion to the distance from the marching flank.

During the wheel, the troopers should turn the head slightly towards the marching flank, to regulate the rapidity of their march, and to keep themselves aligned; they must also preserve the intervals of files on the side of the pivot, in order to remain closed to that side. They should nevertheless yield to pressure coming from the pivot, and resist that from the opposite direction. The horses are slightly turned towards the pivot, in order to keep them upon the circular line they have to pass over.

When the troopers have opened, they should approach the pivot insensibly, diminishing their circle by degrees, in gaining more ground to the front than to the side. In this case, they give alternately a glance to the pivot and to the marching flank, taking care not to force the pivot.

When the troopers have closed too much, they should endeavor to correct the fault gradually In Increasing their circle by degrees, and gaining more ground to the front than to the side. For this purpose, they give alternately a glance to the marching flank and to the pivot.

In every kind of wheel, the troopers should cease wheel­ing and retake the direct march at the command FORWARD at whatever point of the wheel they may be. It is neces­sary to observe, also, that the flanks which become pivots, or marching flanks, do not slacken or augment the pace before the command of execution, a very common fault, arising chiefly from want of care in giving the commands with exactness as to time.

 

TO WHEEL ON A FIXED PIVOT. 

258.—The use of a wheel on a fixed pivot is, when the platoon forms a part of the squadron, to pass from the order of battle to the order of column, and from the order of column to the order of battle.

The trooper who forms the pivot of the wheel turns his horse upon his forefeet, keeps his ground, and comes gradually round with the rank.

When the platoon is marching, the pivot halts, and the marching flank executes its movement at the same gait as before the wheel.

If the instructor indicates a new gait, In order to wheel, the marching flank wheels at this gait; all the other troopers regulate the rapidity of their march in accordance with their distance from the marching flank, and take freely the new gait at the command FORWARD.

When the platoon is halted after a wheel on a fixed pivot, the alignment is always ordered towards the side of the marching flank. 

259. – The platoon being formed in line, the instructor commands:

1.       In circle right (or left) wheel  2.       MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, the troopers put themselves in motion; the non-commissioned officer who conducts the moving flank marches at a walk, measuring with the eye the extent of the circle he is to pass over, that neither opening nor closing may be caused in the rank, and that the troopers may keep aligned. The pivot man turns upon his own ground, regulating himself upon the marching flank. 

260 —When the platoon has executed several wheels, to halt it, the instructor commands: 

1.       Platoon.

2.       HALT.

3.      Left (or right) DRESS.

4.      FRONT. 

At the command, HALT, the troopers straighten their horses and halt with steadiness.

At the command, Left (or right)—DRESS, they align them­selves towards the side indicated.

At the command, FRONT, turn the head to the front. 

26l.—The platoon Is then marched forward, and made to recommence the wheel. When the instructor wishes the platoon to take the direct march, he commands: 

1.      FORWARD  2.       Guide left (or right.) 

At the command, FORWARD, the pivot resumes the gait at which it was previously marching.

All the other troopers straighten their horses, and the two flanks move forward at the same gait, conforming to the principles of the direct march.

At the command guide left (or right,) the troopers regulate their movement towards the side indicated.

262.—When the troopers have executed several wheels to the right and to the left, interrupted occasionally by direct marches, and when the horses become calm, the in­structor causes them to pass to the trot; after several wheels at the trot, they resume the walk.

263.—If the platoon is wheeling to the right, and the Instructor wishes it to change the wheel to the left without halting, he commands: 

1.       In circle left wheel.

2.       MARCH.

At the command, MARCH, the left flank halts, and becomes the pivot. The right flank assuming the gait at which the left flank was marching, describes a circle pro­portionate to the extent of the front. All the other troop­ers first straightening their horses, guide them so as to pass over the new circles.

264.—The platoon being halted, to place it in a direc­tion perpendicular to the original front, the instructor commands: 

I.       Right (or Left) wheel.

2.       MARCH.

3.       HALT.

4.      Left (or right)—DRESS.

5.       FRONT.

Which is executed on the same principles of the wheel on a fixed pivot.

The instructor gives the command, HALT, when the marching flank has nearly terminated its wheel.

265.—The platoon being halted, to wheel it about, or to place In an oblique direction to the right or left, the in­structor gives the command:

1.   Right about (or left about) wheel; or, right half (or left half) wheel; 2. MARCH; 3. HALT; 4. Left (or right) DRESS; 5.FRONT.

Which is executed on the principles of the wheel on a fixed pivot, No. 258.

Before dressing the platoon, the trooper on the marching flank is made to come up, if necessary, abreast of the pivot man, so that the other troopers will not have to rein back in order to align themselves.

266.—The platoon being on the march, the same move­ments are executed at the commands: 1. Right (or left) wheel, right about (or left about) wheel, right half (or left half) wheel; 2. MARCH 3. FORWARD

At the command, MARCH, the wheeling flank wheels at the gait at which the platoon was marching the pivot flank halts.

At the command, FORWARD, the pivot resumes its original pace, and the two flanks move forward at the same gait, with the guide as before.

These movements being properly executed from a halt and at the walk, are repeated at tile trot.

 

TO WHEEL ON A MOVABLE PIVOT. 

267. -—The wheel on a movable pivot is employed in the successive changes of direction in column.

In this wheel, the object of the movable pivot is to leave by degrees the ground on which the movement com­mences it allows each platoon to wheel on the same ground, without altering distances, or retarding the column.

The conductor (of the marching flank should increase his gait and describe his arc of circle so as to cause the files neither to open nor close. The pivot describes an arc of a circle, the radius being about 10 feet; and consequently, in a right, or left turn, the trooper on the flank gains about 10 feet to the front, and as much to a flank, his quarter circle being 5 paces. The troopers from the centre to the marching flank increase the gait progressively; the centre man preserves the gait at which the platoon was marching. The troopers from the centre to the pivot slacken the gait progressively; the pivot trooper slackens his gait, so as to pass over his 5 paces in the same time that the centre man takes to pass round his arc without changing his gait. At 

the end of the wheel on a movable pivot, the portion of the rank which had augmented its gait should slacken it, and that which had slackened its gait should augment it. All the troopers straighten their horses the marching flank and the pivot resume the gait at which they originally marched.

268.—The platoon being on the march, to cause it to change direction, the instructor commands: 

1.       Left (or righl)—TURN.   2.       FORWARD.

At the first command, the platoon turns to the left or to the right, the pivot slackening its gait, in describing on arc of five paces; the marching flank augments its gait, and regu­lates itself by the pivot during the whole of the wheel.

At the command, FORWARD, all the troopers straighten their horses, the pivot and marching flank moving forward In the gait at which the platoon was originally marching

The troopers not having been exercised to wheel at the gallop on a fixed pivot, they are made to wheel on a mova­ble pivot only in marching at the walk, that the marching flank, which should increase its gait, will have to take only the trot.

269 —To exercise the troopers in wheeling at the gallop on a fixed pivot, the progression established for the exercise at the walk and at the trot is followed : but the platoon is always halted before changing the direction of the wheel.

The instructor changes the gait frequently, and avoids galloping too long to the same hand

The platoon is exercised also to wheel at the trot and at the gallop, in setting out from a halt, and to halt while wheel­ing at these gaits. 

 

INDIVIDUAL OBLIQUE MARCH. 

270 —The platoon marching in line, to cause it to gain ground towards one of its flanks, without changing the front, the instructor commands:

 1.       Right (or left) oblique.    2.       MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, the troopers execute, all at the same time, a turn of 30 degrees to the right, so that the head of each horse may be opposite the shoulder of the horse on his right, and that the right knee of each trooper may be in rear of the left knee of the trooper on his right. This first movement being executed, the troopers move forward in the new direction, regulating themselves upon the guide.

When the platoon has obliqued sufficiently, the instruc­tor commands: 

FORWARD. 

At this command, the troopers straighten their horses and move forward, regulating themselves upon the guide.

In the oblique march, the guide is always on the obliquing side, without being indicated; and after the command, FORWARD, the guide returns, without indication, to the side on which it was originally.

When the troopers are not closed they should Increase progressively the gait, in order to approach the side towards which they march; they should insensibly slacken the gait if they are too much closed, or more advanced than the flank towards which they oblique.

27 1.—The platoon marching at the walk, to execute the oblique at the trot the instructor commands: 1. Right (or feft) oblique—trot; 2. MARCH.

When the platoon has obliqued sufficiently, the instructor commands: FORWARD.

The guide observes particularly to commence the trot without precipitation.

The same course Is observed If the platoon Is marching at the trot, and the object Is to oblique at the gallop.

 

THE PLATOON MARCHING IN LINE, TO BREAK IT BY FOURS OR BY TWOS AT THE SAME GAIT.

 272.—The instructor commands:

 1.       By fours (or by twos.)    2.       MARCH. 

At the command, MARCH, the first four (or two) files to the right continue to march forward at the same gait; the other files halt and break successively by fours, (or by twos.) as prescribed, No. 209.

The platoon marching in line, to break it by file the movement is executed on the same principles, the first file only continuing to march forward.

273.—The platoon marching at the trot, it is broken on the same principles, the first files continuing to march at the same gait, all the other files assume the walk at the command MARCH, and resume the trot as they break from the platoon.

The same course is observed when the platoon marches at the gallop; the first files continue to march at that gait, the others assume the trot at. the command MARCH, and resume the gallop as they commence to oblique.

274.—To break the platoon by the left, the movement Is executed, following the same principles, but by inverse means, at the commands 

1. By the left—by fours. (or by twos.) 2. MARCH.

 

THE PLATOON MARCHING IN COLUMN BY TWOS OR BY FOURS, TO FORM IT AT THE SAME GAIT. 

275 —The platoon marching in column, right or left In front, the instructor commands:

 1       Form platoon.   2.       MARCH.             3.       HALT.

 The movement is executed as prescribed for front into line, No. 214.

276—The platoon marching in column at the trot, right or left in front, the instructor commands:

1.       Form platoon.   2.       MARCH.    3.       Guide right (or left.)

At the command, MARCH, the first two (or four) files pass to the walk; the other files continue to march at the same gait, oblique immediately to the left, march straight in this direction, make an oblique turn to the right on coming opposite the place they are to occupy in the platoon, and pass to the walk on arriving upon the alignment of the first.

At the command, guide right, they correct their alignment towards the right.

277. —When the command is at the gallop, the platoon is formed on the same principles. The first two or four) files take the trot at the command MARCH; the other files con­tinue to march at the gallop, and take the trot on arriving upon the alignment of the first.

When the column is marching by file, the platoon is formed on the same principles.

 

THE PLATOON MARCHING IN LINE, TO BREAK IT BY FOURS OR BY TWOS, IN DOUBLING THE GAIT.

278. —The instructor commands 

1.                 By fours  (or by twos)—trot.  2.                 MARCH 

At the command, MARCH, the first four (or two) files of the right take the trot; the others continue to march at the walk, and take successively the trot when they oblique to the right. in order to enter the column.

279—The platoon marching at the trot, the instructor

commands: 

1.       By fours (or by twos)—gallop.    2.       MARCH.

 

Which is executed as prescribed, No. 278.

The platoon marching in line, to break it by file, the movement is executed on the same principles.

When the platoon marches at the gallop, it is always broken without doubling the gait.

280.—To break the platoon by the left, the movement is executed on the same principles, but by inverse means, at the commands: 1. By the left, by fours (or by twos)—trot (or gallop:) 2. MARCH. 

 

THE PLATOON MARCHING IN COLUMN BY TWOS OR BY FOURS, TO FORM IT IN DOUBLING THE GAIT. 

281.—The platoon marching in column, right or left in front, the instructor commands: 

1.    Form platoon—trot.   2.   MARCH.   3.   Guide right (or left.) 

At the command. MARCH, the first two (or four) files con­tinue to march forward at the same gait; the other files take the trot, oblique immediately to the left, march in this direction, make an oblique turn to the right on coming opposite to the place they are to occupy in the platoon, and pass to the walk, on arriving upon the alignment of the first.

282.—The platoon marching in column, at the trot, right or left in front, the instructor commands:

1.       Form platoon—gallop.   2.      MARCH.   3.       Guide right (or left.)

Which is executed as prescribed, No. 281.

When the column is at the gallop, the platoon is always formed at the same gait.

When the column is marching by file, the platoon is formed on the same principles.

 

MOVEMENTS BY FOURS, THE PLATOON BEING IN COLUMN OR IN LINE.

 283 —The platoon being in line, to form it in a column of fours, the instructor commands:

1.       Fours, right, (or left

2.       MARCH.

3.       HALT.

At the command, MARCH, each set of fours executes its wheel of a quarter of a circle, on the principles prescribed for the wheel on the fixed pivot; Nos 1 or Nos. 4 turn upon the fore feet of their horses gradually, keeping square with the other flank: the others preserve their intervals from the pivot, and also regulate their alignment by the marching flank. At the command, HALT, the troopers straighten their horses and halt. If the command, HALT, is omitted, they move off straight in the new direction at the gait of the marching flank.

284 —The platoon, marching in column of fours, to march it in line to a flank, the instructor commands:

 1.       Fours—RIGHT, (or Fours—left.)   2.       Guide left (or right)

At the first command, the pivots halt, and the wheels are executed on the same principle, (No. 283,) and at the mo­ment of their completion all move forward in line.

285.—The platoon, marching in line, to cause it to march to either flank, the instructor commands:

Fours—RIGHT, (or Fours—LEFT.)

This command is executed on the same principles as in the preceding, No 284.

286.—The platoon being in line, or column of tours to face it to the rear, the instructor commands

1.       Fours left (or right) about.

2.       MARCH.

3.       HALT. 

At the command, MARCH, each set of fours wheels to the left about, on the principles prescribed for the wheel to the right or left, No. 283.

At the command, HALT, the troopers straighten their horses, and halt in line or column, faced to the rear.

If the command HALT be omitted, they move straight off, in the new direction, at the gait of the wheeling flank of the fours. If they are in line, the instructor then adds, guide right.

287 —The platoon marching in line, or column of fours, to cause it to face and march in the opposite direction, the instructor commands: 

1.       Fours—LEFT ABOUT, (or RIGHT ABOUT.)

And if in line:

2.       Guide right (or left.)

At the command, LEFT ABOUT, or RIGHT ABOUT, each set of fours, its pivots halting, executes the wheel of a half circle, on the principles prescribed No. 283, and having completed it, moves off in the new direction. The wheel being nearly completed, the instructor may command: 2. HALT.

288.—The wheels by fours must be executed with care and steadiness, regulating, in wheels from line, by the left when wheeling to the left, by the right when wheeling to the right; in the about wheels from column, the first half of the wheel by the fours in front, arid the last half by those that are becoming the front. Thus all the wheels, commenced gently, must be completed by the fours at the same moment.

It is absolutely necessary that the pivots should not move, except to turn their horses on the fore feet. When previously in motion, it is the more important that the instructor should observe and insist upon this point.

289 —These movements being correctly executed at the walk, they are taught at the trot.  Not at the gallop.