BAT 



The word guki mnnh is then given, on which the men of 

 the rear rank of the left fub-Jivifioii Ilep fhort, until thofe 

 of the right get up to thcii ; they then move on with them 

 JR file. As their lear is clearing the left (lank of the pla- 

 toon, the commander, wl'.o has fliifttJ to this flank during 

 the movement, gives the words hull, front, drejs up, inftantly 

 drelTes them on the ftanding part of his platoon, and 

 refumes his poft on the right. One third or one more 

 fub-divifion is thus added to the front of the company, 

 vhich is here fiippoi'cd Handing as one in a battalion 

 colnmn. 



XXV. From two Rar.hs, forming into three. The platoon 

 being halted, and told off into three fcfliurs, it receives the 

 word, form thr.'e deep ; on which the third feCtion inltantly 

 fteps back one pace. The word right face is then given, 

 and the man on the right of its front rank, on facing, 

 difengages a little to his right. On the word quick march, 

 the front rank men of the third fe<ftion ftep off, thcfe of the 

 other mark the time, till they have paffed, and then follow. 

 . When the leading man has got to the right of the platoon, 

 the commander gives the word halt front ; on which, each 

 man halts, faces to his left, and inilantly covers his proper 

 file leader. 



In purfnance of the foregoing inRruftions, and on the 

 principles they contain, every company of a battalion muft 

 be frequently exercifed by its own officers, each fuperintend- 

 ing a rank, or an allotted part of the whole. On a fpace of 

 feventy or eighty yards fquare, every circumftance can be 

 praftifed that is neceffary to qualify it for the operations of 

 the battalion. That fpace being pointed out by under 

 officers, or other marks, as directed at the latter end of the 

 drill with arms, the company will praftife, both at open and 

 clofe files, without and with arms. 



By ranks, ift, March in fingle file, by fucceffive ranks, 

 along the four fides of the fquare ; the fame by twos. 

 2d, March and wheel by ranks of fours ; file off fingly and 

 double up, preferving proper diilances, and not quickening 

 on the wheel. 3d, ^Iarch and wheel by fub-divifions of 

 ranks. 4th, March and wheel by whole ranks, jth, March 

 to front and to rear, ranks at ten paces afunder. 6th, March 

 the company in a fingle rank to front and to rear, by a 

 flank and by the centre. 7th, Oblique, by ranks. 8th, 

 Open and clofe files, and intervals, by the fide ftep. 9th, 

 March in file to cither flank. loth, Ranks fucceffively ad- 

 vance fix or eight paces, halt, and drefs ; ranks fucceffively 

 fall back the fame number of paces, halt, and drefs. 1 ith. 

 Advance or retire two or three flank men, the ranks drefs 

 to ihem. 12th, Open and clofe ranks. 



At clofe ranks and files. 13th, March and wheel in all 

 direflions, by lub-divifions and by company ; (horten fttp, 

 and lengthen it ; the march to be made both in ordinary 

 and quick time ; the wheels to be made in wheeling time. 

 14th, Advance and retire two or three flank files, and drefs 

 to them. 15th, Open and clofe to the flank by the fide 

 ftep. l6th, Change front by the countermarch by files. 

 17th, March in file to the flanks, clofe, and without opening 

 cut, form to the front, or to cither flank. i8th, March 

 oblique. 19th, Eub-divifions double on the march, and 

 again form up by obliquing. 20th, Wheel backwards by 

 fub divifions, march along the line to prolong it ; form to 

 the flank by wheeling up, or to the front by obliquing. 

 2 1 ft, rile from the flank cf company to the rear, as in the 

 paiTage of lines ; halt front, clofe into pivot file, wheel up 

 as in forming line. 22d, From three deep, form two deep. 

 23d, From two deep, form three deep. 24th, Exercife 

 cf the firelock, manual and platcon, by ranks and com- 

 pany. 25th, Firings by Files, fub-divifions, and company. 



BAT 



The neceffary panfes and formations betwixt thefe move- 

 ments in order to conneft them, mufi; of courfe be made. 

 They may be praAifed in whatever fucceffion fhail at the 

 fame time be found proper. The greateft precifion muft 

 be required and obfcrved in their execution, according to the 

 rules already laid down. 



Every officer muft be inftrufted in each individual cir- 

 cumftance required of a recruit, or a foldier ; alfo in the ex- 

 ercife of the fword ; and accuttomed to give words of com- 

 mand with that energy and precifion which is fo effentiai. 

 Every officer, on firft joining a regiment, is to be exam.ined 

 by the commanding oificer ; and if he is found imperfect in 

 the knowledge of the movements required from a foldier, 

 he mull be ordered to be exercifed, that he may learn their 

 juft execution. Till he is mafter of thofe points, and ca- 

 pable of inftrufting the men under his command, he is not 

 to be permitted to take the command of a platoon in the 

 battalion. Squads of officers muft be formed, and exer- 

 cifed by a field officer. They muft be marched in all direc- 

 tions ; to the frout, oblique, and to the flank. They muft; 

 be marched in line, at platoon diftance, and marched as in 

 open column. They muft change direftion, as in file, and 

 cover anew in column. In thefe, and other fimilar move- 

 ments, the pace and the diftances are the great objects to be 

 maintained. From the number of files in divifion, they mull 

 learn accurately to judge the ground necefl'ary for each, and 

 to extend that knowledge to the front of greater bodies. 

 They muft acquii-e the habit of readily afcertaining, by the 

 eye, perpendiculars of march, and the fquarenefs of the 

 wheel. An officer muft not only know the poft which he 

 fliould occupy in all changes of fituation, the commands 

 which he fhould give, and the general intention of the re- 

 quired movement ; but he fliould be mafter of the principles 

 on which each is made, and of the faults that may be 

 committed, in order to avoid them himfclf, and to inftruft 

 others. 



Thefe principles are in themfelves fo fimple, that moderate 

 refleftion, habit, and attention, will foon fliew them to the 

 eye, and fix them in the mind ; and individuals, from time to 

 time, when qualified, muft be ordered to exercife the batta- 

 lion, or its paits. The corilplete inftruftion of an officer en- 

 larges with his fituation, and at laft takes in the whole circle 

 of military fcience. From the variety of knowledge re- 

 quired of him, his exertion muft be unremitting, every one 

 flriving to make himfelf matter of his own part. Bcfides the 

 inftrudlion peculiar to the non-commiffioned officers, they 

 fhould be exercifed in the fame manner as the officers are, as 

 they are frequently called on to replace them. The neceffity 

 alfo of order, fleadinefs, filence, and of executing every thing 

 dehberatelv, and without hurry, Ihould be ftrongly inculcated 

 on the infantry foldier. 



Formation of the Company. 



The company is always to be fized from flanks to centre. 

 It is formed three deep. The files lightly touch, when 

 firelocks are fhouldered and carried, but without crowd- 

 ing, and each man will occupy a fpace of about twenty-two 

 inches. 



Clofe order is the chief and primary order, in which the 

 battalion and its parts at all times affemble and form. Open 

 order is only regarded as an exception from it, and oc- 

 cafionally ufed in fitnations of parade and fliew. In clofe 

 order, the officers are in the ranks, and the rear ranks are 

 clofed up within one pace. In open order, the officers are 

 advanced three paces, and the ranks are two paces diftant 

 from each other. Each company is a platoon. Each com- 

 pany forms two fubdivifions, and alfo four feftions. But as 

 itctions ftiould never be kfs than five files, it will happen, 



where 



