BAT 



tl,e hv-ils of ons rauli to thofe of the next. At open or- 

 der, they are two paces dillant from each other. 



II. Marihtngio the Front. In the drill of the phuoon, 

 the peifon inflriicliiig nnill always confider it as a company 

 ill battalion, and regulate all its movements upon that prin- 

 ciple. He will therefore, before he puts it in motion to 

 front or rear, indicate which flank is to direft, by giving 

 the word Eyes Right, or Eyes Left, and then March. 

 Should the right be the dircfting flank, the commander of 

 the platoon himfelf will fix on objefts to march upon, in a 

 line truly perpendicular to the front of liis corps. When 

 the left flank is ordered to direft, he and his coveting fer- 

 jcant will (liift to the left of the front rank, and take fuch 

 objefts to march upon. To march on one objeft only, and 

 to preferve a ftraight line, is an opcretion not to be de- 

 pended upon. The conduftor of the platoon therefore, be- 

 fore the word to march is given, will endeavour to remark 

 fome diftinft objtft on the ground in his own front, and 

 perpendicular to the direfting flank. He will tlien obferve 

 I'ome nearer and intermediate point in the fame line, fuch as 

 a fl;one, tuft of grafs, &c. Tliefe he will move upon with 

 accuracy ; and as he approaches the neared of thofe points, 

 he niul\ from time to time chufe frefli ones, in the original 

 direSion, which he will by this means preferve, never hav- 

 ing fewer than two fuch points to move upon. If no objeft 

 in the true line can be afcertained, his own fquarenefs of 

 perfon muft determine the diredtion of the march. A per- 

 fon placed in the rear of a body can, more readily than 

 if polled in its front, determine the line which is perpendi- 

 cular to that front ; and, could we fuppofe ranks and files 

 perfeftly correft, the prolongation of each file would be a 

 perpendicular to the front of the body. As the march of 

 every corps, except in the cafe of inchning, is made on 

 lines perpendicular to its then front, each individual com- 

 pofing that corps mufl; in his perfon be placed and remain 

 perfeftly fquare to the given line ; otherwife he will natu- 

 rally and ir.fenfibly move in a direftion perpendicular to his 

 own perfon, and thereby open out or clofe in according to 

 the manner in which he is turned from the true point of his 

 march. If the dillortion of a Tingle man (and all turnings 

 of the head do fo diftort him) operates in this manner, it 

 may eafily be imagined what that of feveral will occafion, 

 each of whom is marching on a different front, and whofe 

 lines of direftion are croffing each other. Accuracy and 

 fquarenefs ®f pofition, the equality of cadence and ftep, the 

 light touch of the hies which is never to be relinquifhed, 

 juft diftances, and true lines of m.ovement, will give, with- 

 out apparent conftraint, the head being turned, or the leaft 

 trouble taken in drefling, the nioft decifive exactnefs in the 

 inarches and operations of the largeft bodies. 



The platoon, during its march in hne, will occafionally 

 be ordered i-ojlep out, mark time, open and clofe ranks, and 

 oblique, as already defcribed. 



HI. Side Step, The fide or clofing ftep mufl alfo be fre- 

 quently practifed. It is very necefTary and ufeful on many 

 occafions, when halted, and when a very fmall diftance is 

 to be moved to either flank : for inftance, to open or clofe 

 files ; to join one divifion to, or open it from, another ; to 

 regain an interval in line ; to move a whole battahon or pa- 

 rade twenty or thirty paces to a flank ; to regulate dillances 

 between clofe columns, before deploying, &c. Alterations 

 made in this manner are imperceptible from the front, and 

 better made than by facing and file-marching. The words 

 of command mufl be decided and ftrong. When the whole 

 platoon is to clofe ; at the word, to the Right — Clofe, the 

 platoon officer takes one ftep to the front, and inftantly faces 

 about, the covering ferjeant replacing hira. On the word 



B A T 



Mtvch, the whole move together. On the Hah, the pla- 

 toon officer refumes his place, having' ftepped in the fame 

 manner as the men, but fronting thcin, and thereby afiilled 

 in preferving the direction. 



IV. Back Step. The platoon muft be accullomed, at the 

 halt on the words Back Step — March, to ftep back any- 

 ordered number of paces in the ordinary time and length, 

 as it is an operation that may be fometiraes required from 

 a battalion. 



V. File Marching. In marching by files, the commander 

 of the platoon will lead the front rank. If therefore the 

 movement is by the left, on the word to the Left — Face, he 

 and his covering ferjeant will inftantly fliift to the left flank 

 of the divifion. At the word S!s"'^ — March, the whole 

 fteps off together ; and on the Hah, Front, the leader and 

 his ferjeant will return to their ports on the right. 



VI. IVheeling from a Halt. In wheeling, whether for- 

 ward or backward, from a halt, the commander of the pla- 

 toon, on tlie word Right or Left Wheel, moves out, and 

 places himfelf one pace in front of the centre of his platoon. 

 During the wheel, he turns towards his men, and ineUnes 

 towards that flank which has been named as the direfting 

 or pivot one ; giving the word Halt — Drcfs, when his 

 wheeling man has jnil completed the required degree of 

 wheel. He then fquares his platoon, but without moving 

 what was the ftanding flank, and takes his poft on the nov» 

 direfling flank. 



VII. Wheeling for-ward by Suldi-vifions from Line. On the 

 word By Subdivifions, to the Right, IVheel, the commander 

 of the platoon places himfelf one pace in front of the centre 

 of the right fubdivifion ; at the fame time, the men on the 

 right of the front rank of each fubdivifion face to the right. 

 At the word March, each fubdivifion fteps off in v.'heeling 

 time, obfcrving the dircftions above given for wheeling for- 

 ward. The commander of the platoon, turning towards 

 the men of the leading fubdivifion, and inclining to its left 

 (the proper pivot flank), gives the word Halt — Drefs, for 

 both fulxlivifions, as his wheeling man is taking the laft ftep 

 that fim'hes the wheel Iquare ; and inftantly ports himfelf ' 

 on the left, the pivot flank. The covering ferjeant, during 

 the wheel, goes round by the rear, and takes poft on the 

 pivot flank of the fecond fubdivifion. It is to be obferved, 

 that the commander of the platoon invariably takes poft; 

 with the leading fubdivifion ; therefore, when the platoon 

 wheels by fubdivifions to the left, the commander of the 

 platoon moves out to the centre of the left fubdivifion, and 

 during the wheel, inclines towards the right, now become 

 the proper pivot flanks of the fubdivifions. The proper 

 pivot flank in column, is that which, when wheeled up to, 

 preferves the divifions of the line in the natural order, and 

 to their proper front ; the otlur is denominated the reverfe 

 flank. In column, divifions cover and drefs to the proper 

 pivot flank ; to the left when the right is in front, and to 

 the right when the left is in front. 



VIII. Wheeling bacLivard by Suldii'ificns from Line. The 

 platoon will alfo break into open column of fubdivifions by 

 wheehng backwards. When the right is intended to be ia 

 front ; at the word, By Subdivi/ions, on your left backwards 

 Wheel, the commander of the platoon moves out briflily, 

 and places himfelf in front of the centre of the right fub- 

 divifion ; the man on the left of the front rank of each 

 fubdivifion at the fame tin^e faces to the right. On the 

 word March, each fubdivifion wheels backward in quickeft 

 time. During the wheel, the commander of the platoon 

 turns towards his men, inchning at the fame time to the 

 left, or pivot flank ; and on completing the wheel, gives 

 the word Hall — Drefs, to both divifions. He and his 



covering 



