94 MILITARY COMMISSION TO EUROPE. 



Commands for sabre exercise in close order. 



Charge sabre. Left front cut, parry, and thrust. 



Right front tlirust, parry, and cut. Eight and left front thrust. 



MISCELLANEOUS, FROM THE SCHOOL OF THE RECRUIT. 



(PL 2, fig. 15.) When loading and firing the carbine, the snafile reins are knotted around 

 the curb reins, and allowed to hang loosely ; the curb reins are passed around the middle finger 

 of the left hand, thus leaving the others free to manage the carbine. 



When the carbine is cast about, the butt is thrown on the right side of the horse, the left hand 

 seizing it just above the tail band. 



Skirmishers armed with lances, when using the carbine, carry lances at a rest and sabres in 

 the scabbards ; skirmishers who have no lances have the sabre drawn and suspended from the 

 right wrist by the sabre knot when using their carbines. 



THE CHARGE. 



At the command, charge, the rider, without changing his seat, presses a little harder on the 

 stirrups, throws the weight of his body backwards, and prepares the horse, as explained, for the 

 gallop ; then, giving him a free rein, he urges him to his greatest speed by the pressure of his 

 legs and spurs. 



SCHOOL OF THE PLATOON. 



In the tactics, the platoon is supposed to consist of 12 or more files, always in two ranks. The 

 rear rank is one pace (3 feet) from the front rank, and the file-closers at the same distance behind 

 the rear rank. 



In addition to the 12 files, there are supposed to be with the platoon 1 oflicer as instructor, 1 

 non-commissioned officer on each flank of the front rank, 2 nou-commissioned officers as file- 

 closers, and 1 trumpeter. 



Preparatory to mounting, the platoon being formed with closed ranks, the men call off in each 



rank by twos. 



At the command, prepare to mount, Nos. 1 of the front rank lead forward 4 paces, (of 3' each,) 

 Nos. 2 of the rear rank, and the file-closers, fall back the same distance, the non-commissioned 

 officers on the fianks of the front rank lead forward 8 paces. After mounting, upon the command, 

 form ranks, the Nos. 2 of .each rank move up alongside of Nos. 1, the non-commissioned officers 

 resume their proper places, and the rear rank is closed up on the front rank. 



The dismounting is efl'ected in a similar manner. 



The men, being mounted, call ofl' in each rank from right to left, and then in each rank by 

 threes. 



Column may be formed : by file, by twos, by threes, and by sixes. 



In the column by twos, each rank consists of the men of the same file, each rear rank man 

 riding alongside of his front rank man. 



In the column by sixes, each rank consists of the men of the same set of threes, the three rear 

 rank men riding abreast of their three front rank men. 



(PI. 3, fig. 1.) To break the platoon by file, from a halt : at the preparatory command, the 

 right guide places himself in front of the 1st file, the trumpeter in front of the right guide ; at 

 the command, march, the trumpeter, guide, and first file move straight forward ; the men of the 



