BAT 



BAT 



where the companies are weak, that they can only, for the 

 purpofes of march, form three feftions. 



AVhen the company is iingly formed, the captain is on the 

 riirht, the enfigii on the left, of the front rank, each covered 

 by a ferjeant in the rear rank. The heutenant is in the rear, 

 as alio the drummer and pioneers in a fourth rank, at three 

 paces ditlance. The left of the front rank of each fuhdivifion 

 is marked by a corporal. The right of the left fubdivifion 

 may be marked by another corporal. When neceffary, the 

 places of abfent officers mayb^' fupplied by ferjeants ; thofe 

 of ferjeants by corporals ; and thole ol corporals by intelli- 

 gent men. When the company is to join others, and the 

 battalion, or part of it, to be formed, the enfign and his 

 covering fjrjcant quit the flank, and fall into the fourth 

 rank, until otherwife placed. 



When the company is to take open order from clofe 

 order, on the command Rear Ranis — taie open Order, the 

 flank men on the right and left of the rear ra;:ks, ftep back 

 to mark the grouiKl on which each rank refpeilively is to 

 halt and drcls at open diftance. They face to the right, and 

 Hand covered. Every other individual remains ready to 

 move. At the word of command March, the rear rank 

 dreffers front, and the rear ranks fall back one and two paces ; 

 each dreffing by the right the inftant it arrives on its 

 ground. The officers move out in front three paces, and 

 divide their ground. One ferjeant is on each flank of the 

 front rank. The pioneer remains behind the centre of the 

 rear rank. The drummer places himfelt on the right of the 

 right ferjeant. 



When the company is to take clofe order from open order, 

 at the word of command Rear Ranks tahe clnfe Order, the 

 officers, ferjeants, and drummer face to the right. On the 

 word March, the ranks clole within one pace, marching one 

 and two paces, and then halting. The officers move round 

 the flanks of the company to their refpeftive pofts : the fer- 

 jeants and dvummtrs fall back, and each individual refumes 

 his place, as in the original clofe order. The above regards 

 the company when fingle ; but when united in the battalion, 

 other polls are allotted to the drummer and pioneer. 

 Formation and Ordir of the Battalion. 



A perfeft uniformity in the formation and arrangement 

 of all companies and battalions is indiipenfible for the exe- 

 cution of juft and combined movements. The ftrength of 

 the battalion is ten companies : one grenadier, eight batta- 

 lion, and one of light infantrj-, coniiiling mofl commonly 

 of three officers, three ferjeants, three corporals, two drum- 

 mers, and fifty-feven privates. When thefe companies join, 

 and the battalion is formed, there is to be no interval be- 

 tween any of them, grenadier, light company, or other; 

 but every part of the front of the battalion fhould be equally 

 flrong. Each company which makes a part of the fame 

 line, and is to aft in it, muft be formed and arranged in the 

 fame manner. 



The companies will draw up as follows, from right to 

 left. Grena'-'itrs ; firft and third captain ; fifth and feventh 

 captain ; eighth and fixth captain ; fecond and fourth cap- 

 tain ; light infantry. The four eldell captains are on the 

 right of the grand divifions. Officers commanding compa- 

 nies or platoons are all on the right of the front rank of 

 their refpeftive companies. The eight battalion companies 

 will compofe four grand divifions, eight companies or pla- 

 toons, fixteen labdivitions, and thirty-two feftions, when 

 {efficiently ilrong to be fo divided, otherwife twenty-four, 

 for the purpofes of march. The battalion is alio divided 

 into right and left wings. When the battalion is on a war 

 eftablifhment, each company is to be divided into two pla- 

 toons. When the ten cooipanics arc with the battalion, 



they may then, for the purpofes of firing or deploying, be 

 divided into five grand divifions, from right to left. The 

 battalion companies will be numbered from the right to the 

 left, 1,2, 3, 4, 5,-6, 7, 8; the fubdivifions « ill be num- 

 bered I, 2, of each ; the feftions will be numbered I, 2, 7, 

 4, of each. The files of companies will alfo be numbered 

 I, 2, 3, 4, &c. The grenadier ar.d light companies wii5 

 be numbered feparatcly in the fame manner, and with the 

 addition of thofe difiinftions. Thefe fes-eral appellations 

 will be preferved, whether faced to front or rear. 



The companies muft be equalized in point of num.bers. 

 at all times when the battalion is formed for field movemeni ; 

 and could the battalions of a hue alfo be equalized, the 

 greatell advantages would arife. But though, from the 

 dilferent ftrengths of the battalions, this cannot take place, 

 yet the firft requifite always mull, and is indiipenfible. 



PI. \\\.fg. 2. When the battalion is formed in clofe order, 

 ranks are at the dillance of one pace, except the fourth or fu- 

 peiT.um rary rank,which has three paces. All the field officerr, 

 and the adjutant, are mounted. I'he commanding officer is 

 the only officer advanced in front, for the general purpofe 

 of exercifc, when the battalion is fingle ; but in the m.arch 

 in line, and in the firings, he is in the rear of the colours. 

 The heutenant colonel is behind the colours, fix paces from 

 the rear rank. The major and adjutant are fix p?.ces in the 

 rear of the third and fixth companies. One officer is on 

 the right of the front rank of each company or platoon, 

 and one on the left of the battalion. All thefe are covered 

 in the rear rank by their refjicftive ferjeants, and the remain- 

 ing officers and ferjeants are in a fourth rank behind their 

 companies. It is to be obferved, that there are no coverers 

 in the centre rank to the officers or colours. 



The colours, which in mod regiments are carried by the 

 two youngeft; enfigns, are placed between the fourth and fifth 

 battalion companies both in the front rank, and each covered 

 by a non-commiffioned officer or fteady man in the rear rank. 

 One ferjeant is in the front rank between the colours ; he is 

 covered by a fecond ferjeant in the rear rank, and he by a 

 third in the fupernumcrary rank. The fole bufinefs of 

 thefe three ferjeants is, when the battalion moves in fine, to 

 advance and direft the march. The place of the firft of thofe 

 ferjeants, when they do move out, is preferved by a named 

 non-commiffioned officer, who moves up from the fuperiiu- 

 merary rank for that purpofe. Of the officers appointed to 

 carrj' the colours, the eldeft carries the king's, the youngeft. 

 the regimental colour. Whenever the right wing advances 

 or retires, the king's colour accompanies it on its flank, 

 and to it the men's eyes are direfted as their point of dreff- 

 ing. In the fame manner, the regimental colour accom- 

 panies the left wing. 



The fourth rank is at three paces dillance when halted, or 

 marching in line. When marching in column, it muft clofe 

 up to the diftance of the other ranks. The eflential ufe of 

 the fourth rank is to keep the others clofed up to the front 

 during the attack, and to prevent any break beginning in 

 the rear. On this important fervice too many officers and 

 non-commiffioned officers cannot be employed. The pioneers 

 are affi-mbled behind the centre, formed two deep, and nine 

 paces from the third rank. The drummers of the eight 

 battalion companies are aflembled in two divifions, fix paces 

 behind the third rank of their fecond and feventh companies. 

 The grenadier and light infantry drummers and fifers arc fix 

 paces behind their refpeftive companies. The mufic are 

 three paces behind the pioneers in a fingle rank, and at all 

 times, as well as the drummers and pioneers, are formed at 

 loofe files only, occupying no more fpace than is neceffarj-. 

 The ftaff of chaplain, furgcon, quarter mafter, and furgeon's 

 5 M 2 affiftant, 



