BAT 



afTitlant, are three paces behind the muCc. Officers in ge- 

 neral remain polled with their proper companies ; but com- 

 manding officers will occafionally make fuch changes as they 

 may find ntcelTary. Whenever the officers move out of the 

 frorit rank, in parade, marching in column, wheeling into 

 line, or otherwile, their places are taken by their ferjeant 

 coverers, and preferved until the officers again refume them. 

 When the line is halted, and eiptcially during the firings 

 when emraged, the ferjeant coverers fallback into the fourth 

 rank, and obi'erve their platoons. 



P!. III./.?. 4. When the battalion is to take open order, 

 at tlic word of command Rear Ranis take open Order, the 

 flank men 011 the right of the rear ranks of each company ftep 

 brillvly back to mark the ground on which each rank refpec- 

 tively is to halt. They face to the right, and cover as pivots, 

 bein" regulated and drelTcd by the adjutant or feijeant ma- 

 jor on the right. Every other individual remains ready to 

 move. At the word March, the flank dreffers iace to the 

 front, and the whole move as follows : — The rear ranks fall 

 back one and two pacts, each dreffing by the right the inftant 

 it arrives on the ground. The officers in the front rank, 

 as alfo the colours, move out three paces. Thofe in the 

 rear, togetlier with the mufic, move through the inter- 

 vals left open by the front rank officers, and divide thcra- 

 felves, viz. the captains covering the fecond file from the 

 right ; the lieutenants the fecond file from the left ; and 

 the enfigns oppofite the centre of their refpeftive companies. 

 The mufic form between the colours and the front rank. 

 The ferjeant coverers move up to the front rank, to preferve 

 the intervals Lit by the officers. The pioneers fall back to 

 fix paces diilance behind the centre of the rear rank. The 

 drummers take the fame diftance behind their divifions. The 

 major moves to the right of the line of officers. The ad- 

 jutant to the left of the front rank. The ilaff place them- 

 I'elvcs on the right of the front rank of the grenadiers. The 

 lieutenant colonel and the colonel (difmounted) advance be- 

 fore the colours, two and four paces. The whole being arrived 

 at their feveral pods, the words Hah — Drefs arc given to the 

 refpeftive companies, and the battalion remains formed for pa- 

 rade in the order in which it (hould receive a fuperior officer. 

 When the battalion is reviewed fingly, then in order to make 

 more fliow, the divifion of drummers may be moved up, 

 and formed two deep on each flank of the line. The pio- 

 neers may form two deep, on the right of the drummers 

 of the right ; and the Ilaff may draw up on the right of the 

 whole. 



When the battalion is to refume clofe order, the words 

 Rear Ranks take clofe OrJer is given. The lieutenant-colonel, 

 officers, colours, itafF, and mufic face to the right. The 

 drummers and pioneers, if on the flanks, face to the centre. 

 The ferjeants, if in the front rank, face to the right. At the 

 word March, the rear ranks dole within one pace, moving 

 up one and two paces, and then halting. The mufic marches 

 through the centre interval. The ierjeants, drummers, pio- 

 neers, &c. refume their places, each as in the original forma- 

 tion of the battalion in clofe order. The officers move 

 through and into their relpetlive intervals, and each in- 

 dividual arrives, and places himfelf properly at his poft, in 

 clofe order. 



On particular occafions, and when neceffary, officers com.- 

 manding platoons, who in line are on the riglit of their 

 platoons, (hift to the left to conduft the heads of files, or the 

 pivot flanks of their divifions, in echellon, or in column. 

 When the battahon wheels by companies, or fubdivifions, 

 to either flank into column, both colours, and the file of 

 diretling ferjeants always wheel to the proper front, and 

 pkce thcinfelves behind the third file of the new pivot. 



BAT 



There is no feparate colour rtferve, the pioneers, muiic, ficc 

 fnfficiently llrengthen the centre ;. but in the firings, the 

 two files on each iide of the colours may be ordered to re- 

 fcrve their fire. 



The conftant order of the light company, when formed in 

 line, and united with the battalion, is at the fame clofe filei 

 as the battalion. Their extended order is an occafional ex- 

 ception. When the light company is detached, and the 

 grenadier company remains, it will be undivided on one flank 

 of its battalisn, whenever there are feveral battahons in line; 

 but when the battahon is fingle, it is permitted to be occa- 

 fionally divided on each flank. When the grenadier or light 

 companies are detached, and make no part of the line, they 

 mav be formed two deep, if it is iound proper. 



With a very few obvious alterations, thefe general rules 

 take place when a company or battalion is permitted or 

 ordered to form in two ranks only ; and which, on the low 

 ellablifliment of our battalions, may often be done for the 

 purpofes of exercife or movement on a more confiderable 

 front. It is alfo evident that they generally apply, whether 

 the companies are fl;rong or weak, and whether a greater or 

 iefler number of them compofe the battalion. 



We fliall now proceed to give an abftradt of the mofteflen- 

 tial general attentions required in the movements of the 

 battalion, and which may be found more fully detailed in the 

 rules and regulations for the battalion and the line, as pub- 

 lilhed by his majefty's command. 



I. Attevt'wns of the Soldier. 



Qjiich t'wii is in general confined to wheelings and filings. 

 The other movements of the platoon or battalion are made 

 in ordinary time. It is feldom that they will, or ought to be, 

 required at quick time. All wheelings, forward or back- 

 ward, are made quick. Eyes are turned to the wheeling 

 flank, at the word March, and not before. The wheeling 

 flank man fteps out firm at a pace of thirty-three inches, till 

 he receives the word Halt. It is the bufinefs of the reil of 

 the rank to keep up to him. Eyes remain in all cafes to 

 the wheeling hand, till a new order is given by the com- 

 manding officer. All filings are made quick, clofe, and at 

 the lock iltp. Files are at no time to open out, on occafions 

 of exercife, parade, or manoeuvre ; but they will often be 

 fo permitted and ordered, when marching in the ftreets ; or 

 in common route marching, when the march by divifions 

 cannot lo conveniently take place. All facings mufl be ac- 

 curately made on the left heel. Pivot men mull cover care- 

 fully and cxartly. In wheeling backward, the Handing man 

 faces the oppofite way to that he does in wheeling forward. 

 Pivots, whether in wheeling into column, or in wheeling 

 into battalion, when once polled are to remain immoveable, 

 and do not alter their pnfition in confequence of platoon 

 dreffing, nor on any account, but by order of the command- 

 ing officer of the battalion, when he finds it necefl^ry to re- 

 quire a more coireft dreffing from the whole. 



The great obfervanee of the foldier in the ranks, and 

 under arms, is the fquarenefs of the fhoulders and body, the 

 head to the front, and tlie eyes only glanced to the point of 

 dreffing. When the battalion is halted, and a more accurate 

 dreffing is ordered, the head may be a little turned during 

 that operation only, and each man (hould juft diilinguifli tiie 

 lower part of the face of the fecond man from him. Whether 

 in movement, or halted, each man is juft to touch, without 

 crowding, his neighbour's arm, towards which he dreflTes, to 

 depend on that chiefly for his line, and at no time to feparate 

 from him. At the word March, the ftamp of the foot is not 

 to be made, but the firft Hep is to be taken as firm and- 

 iong as any other, and the body of each man, if in his 

 true pofitioii under arms, is prepared for it by an inclination. 

 7 fot ward. 



