CHAPTER IV. 



ON THE RUSSIAN INFANTRY. 



EXTRACTS FROM THE INFANTRY TACTICS. 



The habitual formation of the infantry is in three ranks ; from eight to three men are formed 

 in two ranks ; three or two men in one rank. 



A regiment may he composed of two, three, four, or five battalions, which are numbered as 

 the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, &c. 



When the regiment is deployed in one line, the battalions are posted from right to left in the 

 order of their numbers. 



Every battalion consists of four companies. 



In the grenadier regiments, of one grenadier and three fusileer companies ; in the infantry 

 regiments, of one grenadier and three musketeer companies ; in the carbineer regiments and 

 rifle battalions, of one carbineer and three rifle companies. Sapper battalions are composed of 

 four companies, called 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sapper companies. In the interior garrison 

 regiments, &c., the companies are known only by their numbers. 



In all the regiments the grenadier or carbineer companies bear the numbers of their respective 

 battalions ; the other companies are numbered in a regular series through the whole regiment ; 

 e. g., in the first battalion the fusileer, musketeer, or rifle companies are numbered as 1st, 2nd, 

 and 3rd ; in the second battalion they are the 4th, 5th, and 6th, and in a similar manner for 

 the remaining battalions. 



Battalions may, exceptionally, consist of three companies. 



G-renadier and carbineer companies consist of men distinguished by their courage in battle, 

 good conduct, zeal for their duties, and clear understanding of the drill. 



The men are arranged in each company according to height, the tallest third part being in 

 the front rank, the next tallest in the rear rank, the remainder in the centre rank. 



In sizing the battalion the companies are so arranged that the men in the right wing are sized 

 from right to left, and those in the left wing from left to right, excejjt the eighth platoon, which 

 is also sized from right to left. 



Incomplete files are placed on the left flanks of the platoons ; if only one man is wantijig in 

 a file, tlie centre rank is left vacant. 



_ The files are numbered from right to left in each platoon ; the men in each rank have the 

 number of their file. 



Each platoon is divided into two half platoons ; that on the right is the first, the other is the 

 second. 



Each platoon is also divided into sections of not less than four, nor more than six files each. 



The sections are numbered from right to left. 



To equalize the platoons of a battalion, men may be transferred from one company to another; 

 but the elite companies are kept distinct from the others. 



Platoons should not contain less than fourteen files ; thence, when a battalion consists of from 



