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979.
It may often be necessary to cause a battalion to manoeuvre by the
rear rank; when the case presents itself, the following rules will
be observed.
980.
The battalion being by the front rank, when the colonel shall wish
to manoeuvre by the rear rank, he will command:
1.
Face by the rear rank. 2. Battalion. 8. About-FACE
981.
If the battalion be deployed, this movement will be executed as has
been indicated for the fire by the rear rank.
982.
If the battalion be in column by company, or by platoon, right or
left in front, the chiefs of subdivision, to take their new places
in column, will each pass by the left flank of his subdivision, and
the file closers by the right flank; the guides will place
themselves in the rear rank.
983.
If the column be formed by division, the chiefs of division will
each pass by the interval in the centre of his division, and the
file closers by the outer flanks of their respective companies; the
junior captain in each division will step into the rear rank, and be
covered in the front rank by the covering sergeant of the left
company.
984.
The lieutenant colonel will place himself abreast with the leading
subdivision, and the major abreast with the rearmost one.
985.
The battalion being faced by the rear rank, companies, divisions,
and wings, will preserve their prior denominations respectively.
986.
The manoeuvres by the rear rank will be executed by the same
commands and on the same principles as if the battalion faced by the
front rank; but in such manner that when the battalion shall be
brought to its proper front, all the subdivisions may find
themselves in their regular order from right to left.
987.
According to this principle, when a column faced by the rear rank is
deployed, the subdivisions which, in line of battle by the front
rank, ought to find themselves on the right of the subdivision on
which the deployment is made, will face to the left; and those which
ought to be placed on its left, will face to the right.
988.
When a battalion in line of battle, faced by the rear rank, is to be
ployed into column, the colonel will announce, in the commands, left
or right in front, according as it may be intended that the first or
last subdivision shall be at the head of the column, because the
first subdivision is on the left, and the last on the right of the
battalion faced by the rear rank. The column by the rear rank will
take the guide to the right, if the first subdivision be in front,
and to the left in the reverse case.
989.
A column, faced by the rear rank, will be brought to its proper
front by the means heretofore prescribed. If the column be formed by
company, or by platoon, the chiefs of subdivision, in order to take
their new places in column, will pass by the left subdivisions, now
right, and the file closers by the right, now left.
STREET
firing is the method of firing adapted to defend or clear a street,
lane, or narrow pass, in the execution of which the company or
platoon must be formed according to the width of the place, leaving
sufficient space on the flanks for the platoons to file successively
to the rear. When the column has arrived at the place where the
firing is to commence, the commanding officer will give the word,
Column, halt-Prepare for street firing. At this command, all the
captains will pass by the right flank to the rear of their
companies, covering the centre. The colonel next commands-Commence
firing. The captain of the first company will promptly command:
First company- ready- aim- fire-recover arms-outward face-quick
march. The first platoon face to the right, the second to the left;
the first platoon conducted by the captain, the second by the first
lieutenant, will file right and left around the flanks towards the
rear, halt on the flanks opposite the centre of the column, re-load,
and as soon as the rear of the column has passed the platoons, the
captain will command: Platoons-right and left face-march. At which
command, the first platoon faces to the left, and files left, and
the second to the right, and files right, and unite in rear of the
column. At the instant the men of the first company recover their
arms after firing, the captain of the second will order such
company: Ready-and wait in that position until the front is cleared
by the first company, when the captain will cause it to advance
twice its front (followed by all the companies in rear), and fire,
file down the ranks in the same order as prescribed for the first
company. Firing in retreat is conducted on the same principles as on
the advance, except that the companies fire without advancing, on
the front being cleared by the former company; and, instead of
halting on the flanks, the platoons will pass immediately to the
rear of the column, counter-march, form, and re-loads The same
principle will be observed in column of platoons as column of
company. If a column by company find itself in a narrow street or
pass, or in any position without cover for either flank or rear, and
is suddenly menaced at different points, the colonel will cause it
to form square, notwithstanding the general principle that a column
by company, with a view to the square, will first form divisions;
the colonel will close the column to half or platoon distance; the
file closers of the eighth company will conform themselves to what
is prescribed in paragraph 823, p. 357, for the file closers of the
fourth division. These dispositions ended, he will command: Right
and left, into line, wheel, quick-march! At this, briskly repeated,
the leading company will stand fast, the second, third, fourth,
fifth, sixth, and seventh companies will wheel by platoons, right
and left, into line of battle, the right platoons to the right and
the left to the left; the eighth company will close up to form the
square, and when it shall have closed up, its captain will halt it,
face it about, and align it by the rear rank; the right file of the
first company will face to the right, and its left file to the left,
and the outer files on each flank of the eighth company will face
outward. The square being formed, the colonel will command:
"Guides post;" at this, the field and staff, captains of
the first and eighth companies, will enter the square. In case it
becomes necessary to use artillery in the suppression of riots or
insurrection, the mounted howitzer can be used with much effect, and
without injury to property in the vicinity; the lightness and ready
manner in which they can be conveyed from place to place make this
arm peculiarly adapted for this purpose.
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