BAT 



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XVII I. Tht Platoon in open Column of Sui'livi/ioni lo 

 pafi a Jhort Defile by breah'mg off' Filet. We fuppofe the pla- 

 toon in open column of fubdivifions, with the right in front, 

 marching in ordinary time. When the leading divifion is 

 arrived within a few paces of the defile, it receives from 

 the inilruftor of the drill an order to break off a certain 

 number of the files (fuppofe three) ; the commander of the 

 leading divifion inftanlly gives the words, Three Files en 

 the Left, Right turn. The named files immediately turn to 

 their right, and wheel out in rear of the three adjoining 

 files. The commander of the fubdivifion himfelf clofes 

 into the flank of the part formed. When the fecond fub- 

 divifion comes to the fpot where the firlt divifion contrac- 

 ted its front, it will receive the fame words of command 

 from its own leader, and will proceed in like manner. 

 Should it be required to diminifli the front of the column 

 one or two files more, the commander of the ieading di- 

 vilion will, as before, order the defired number of files to 

 turn ; on which thofe already in the rear will incline fo 

 their right, fo as to cover the files now ordered to break 

 off^, and which arc wlieeling out in the manner already pre- 

 fcribed. In this movement, the files in the rear of the 

 fubdivifions mud lock well up, fo as not to impede the 

 march of the fuccceding divifion. As the defile widens, 

 or the inftruftor of the drill fhall direCl, the commander 

 of the leading lubdivifion will order files to move up to 

 the front, by giving the word One, t-wo, or three Files to 

 the Front ; on which the named files turn to their front, 

 the left, and lengthening their pace, march up, file by 

 file, to the front of their fubdivifion, and immediately re- 

 fume the ordinary pace. Thofe files which are to conti- 

 nue in the rear, will oblique to the left, lengthening alfo 

 their ftep, till they cover, and are clofed up to the three 

 files on the left flank of their fubdivifion. 



XIX. Marching in quick Time. The platoon muft fre- 

 quently be pradlifed to march in quick time, particularly in 

 file, until the men have acquired the utmoil precifion in this 

 movement, which is eflential in all deployments from clofe 

 column. The platoon will alfo occafionally be marched in 

 front at the fame ftep, as it may be fometiines required from 

 fmall bodies. 



XX. Forming to the Front from File. The platoon, when 

 marching in file, may form to its front, either in fedtions, 

 fub-divifions, or in platoon. The right flank being fup- 

 pofed to lead, on the word halt front, the platoon inftantly 

 halts, and faces to its left. The word is then given, by fee - 

 tions, fub-dimijions, or platoon, on your left backwards nvhcel ; 

 and at the word march, the wheel ordered is performed in 

 the manner already direcled in feft. viii. But in fituations 

 where it may have been neceflary to order an extenfion of 

 files (fuch as will fometimes occur in marching through the 

 flreets of a town), a body thus moving, in order to avoid 

 incorrect diftances between the divifions, may form to the 

 front in the following manner, either by platoon, fub-divi- 

 fions. or fedliuns. On the woid to the front form platoon, 

 the front rank man of the leading file halts alone, and is in- 

 ftantly covered by his centre and rear rank men. Every 

 other file of the platoon makes a half face to the left, and 

 iiiccefiivcly moving up, drefies on the right tile. When 

 the commander of the platoon fees it is properly dreffed, he 

 gives the word eyes left, and places himfelf on the pivot 

 flank. Should the order have been, to the front form feRions 

 or fub-dii'ifwns, the leading fub-divifion or fection will pro- 

 ceed in the manner already detailed for the platoon. The 

 fucceeding fub-divifions or feftions will each continue mov- 

 ing on, until its front file arrives at the proper forming dif- 

 tance from the divifion in its front, when it will receive from 



Vol. Ill, 



its commander the word to the front for:n, and will jnflar.tly 

 form up bv files in the manner already defcribed. 



XXI. Forming from File to cilher Flank. The platoon 

 marching in file, fuppofe f.-om the right, has only to halt 

 and front to be formed to the left flank. To form to the 

 right, it will receive the word to the right form. The front 

 rank man of the leac;. g file inftantly turns to his right, and 

 halts ; bis centre and rear rank men move round and cover 

 him. All the other files of the platoon make a half turn to 

 their left, and move round iucceflively in a line with the 

 right hand file ; the centre and rear rank men of each file 

 keeping clofed well up to their file leaders. 



XX il. To form to thher Flank from open Column of Sub- 

 divifions or Sections. The platoon marching in the ordinar) 

 time in open column of fub-divifions or feftions, to form to 

 its left receives the words halt, left wheel, and form, march, &c. 

 and proceeds as has already been fhewn in If<ft. x. To form 

 the platoon to its right flank, the inftructor of the drill 

 gives the cautionary word of command, to the right form pla- 

 toon ; on which the commanders of the feveral divifions ftiift 

 to the other flank, and the commander of the leading fub- 

 divifion or feftion inftantly gives the word to his divifion, 

 right ivheel : and when it has wheeled fquare, he orders halt, 

 right drefs ; goes to the right flank of his divifion, and drefles 

 it on the intended line of formation. The commander of 

 the other lub-divifions or feclions, on the leading one being 

 ordered to wheel, gives the word to the left oblique, and gra- 

 dually inciincs fo as to be able to march clear of the rear 

 rank of the divifion forming. This being cffefted, the word 

 foriuard will be given to each divifion, and they move on in 

 the roar of the one formed. When the fecond fub-divifion 

 or feftion is arrived at the left flank of the firft, its com- 

 mander gives the word right wheel, then halt, drefs up ; on 

 which the divifion movet tip into the line with the one 

 formed ; and its commander inftantly places himftlf two or 

 three files from the left of his firft divifion, and dreftes his 

 own on it as quickly and as accurately as poflible. Thus 

 each fucceeding feftion (hould proceed, until the whole be 

 formed. 



XXIII. The Platoon moving to the Front to gain Ground 

 fo a Flank, by a March in Echellon by Se3ions. In the drill 

 of the platoon, when the foldier is completely formed, he 

 may be taught to march in echellon by feftions. This is a 

 very ufeful movement for a battalion or larger body moving 

 in line, that is required to gain ground to a flank, and may 

 be fubftituted inftead of the oblique march. It will be per- 

 formed in the following manner : the platoon marching to 

 the front in the ordinary time, receives the word by feP.iont 

 to the right. The right hand men of the front rank of each 

 feftion turning in a fmall degree to their' right, mark the 

 time for three paces, during which the feftions are wheeling 

 in ordinary time on their pivot men. At the fourth pace, 

 and at the word forward, the whole move on direft to the 

 front that each feftion has now acquired, and the com- 

 mander of each feftion having taken poll on the right of his 

 divifion, the platoon continues its march in echellon. On 

 the word form platoon, the pivot men mark the time for 

 three paces, turning back in a fmall degree to the left, their 

 original front; and the fedlions inftantly wheel backward 

 into hne. At the fourth pace, the whole move forward. 

 When the platoon is in two ranks only, two paces inftead 

 of three will be fufScient to mark time, and to ftep off at 

 the third inftead of the fourth pace. 



XXIV. From three Ranks, forming into two. The pla- 

 toon halted, is ordered form two deep. The rear rank pien 

 of the left fub-divifion inilantly ftep back ojie pace. On 

 the word left face, the rear rank of -both iiib-divifions face. 

 5 M The 



