92 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE, 



2. Bear the weight on the right stirrujj, bend well down to the right, extend the right arm 

 well downwards, and, with the hack of the sabre upwards, thrust forward as nearly horizon- 

 tally as possible ; at once resume the guard. 



In these cuts the recruit should sit firmly in the saddle, and make the half faces to the right 

 and left quickly, easily, and without constraint. 



B. The sabre exercise for the retreat. 



In retreat the cavalry soldier should cut his pursuer to the right rear. 



EIGHT REAR CUT. — 1 time, 1 motion. 



(PI. 2, fig. 13.) Half face to the right in the saddle, cast the eyes well to the right rear, 

 raise the right arm so as to bring the hand opposite to and at the height of the left shoulder, 

 edge to the front, point upwards, cut horizontally to the rear by a movement of the sabre from 

 left to right; at once resume the guard. 



RIGHT REAR — CUT TWICE. 



As the last blow, except that the cut is repeated before resuming the position of guard. 



TO FORM A SQUADRON FOR THE SABRE EXERCISE. 



Preparatory to the sabre exercise, the squadron, whether mounted or on foot, should first of 

 all be ordered to call off. For this purpose the instriictor commands: 



FOR SABRE EXERCISE — GALL OFF. 



At this command, each man of the right file turns his head to the left that his comrades may 

 hear him, and in a loud, distinct tone, calls out 20, (twenty;) the men of the 2d file call out 15 ; 

 those of the 3d file, 10; the 4th, 5; the 5th, ''standfast;" the 6th, 20; the Tth, 15; the 8th, 

 10; the 9th, 5; the 10th, ''stand fast;" and in the same manner through the squadron to its 

 left fiank. 



These numbers signify that at the command "sabre exercise — march," (which will be 

 explained hereafter,) each man is to march forward the number of paces he called out, i. e., 20, 

 15, 10, and 5 paces, respectively, for the first four men of every five, the fifth standing fast. 

 The non-commissioned officers in the front rank are to move forward 25 paces ; those in the rear 

 rank are to rein back into the line of file closers, and with them fall back 5 paces behind the 

 rear rank. Each man turns his head to the front as soon as he has called ofl'. If the sabre 

 exercise is to be performed in presence of an inspector, the calling ofi" is done before his arrival. 

 When the exercise is to be commenced, the front rank is marched forward 25 paces ; the instructor 

 then commands: 



SABRE EXERCISE — MARCH. 



At this command the men take their distances by moving forward, in each rank, the jiumber 

 of paces they respectively called off, as already explained. 

 When the exercise is finished, the instructor commands: 



TO YOUR POSTS — MARCH. 



At this command, the men who advanced 20 paces stand fast, the others move up, and dress 

 on them in each rank. 



The non-commissioned officers of the front rank rein back 5 paces into their places. The 

 instructor then closes ranks by the usual commands. 



During the exercise the officers place themselves 15 paces from the front rank, facing it. 



