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are anfwerable in their own pcrfons for diftances and cover- 

 ing. Wlien in front, their fcijcanls, undtr their direftion, 

 prefervc the ordered diftaiice. 



In wlieehng from line to eohimn, each moves out, and 

 places himfelt one pace before the centre of his platoon. 

 Each turns towards his men during the wheel, and inclines 

 to his pivot flank. Each gives his word. Hah — Dirfs, 

 when his wheeling man has juft completed his degree of 

 wheel. ILach iquares his platoon, but without moving what 

 ■was the (landing flank. Each then places himfelf on the 

 proper pivot flank. After the wheel into column is com- 

 pleated, no one is to caufe his platoon to (hift, by way of 

 covering on the pivot flank, unlefs fo ordered by the com- 

 manding ofBcer, or that in the courfe of marching a ftraight 

 line is gradually taken up. In wheeling from column into 

 line, the officer places hinifclf one pace betore the centre of 

 his platoon, turns towards his men during the wheel (in- 

 clining towards the pivot of his preceding platoon), and 

 gives the word Halt — Drefs, when his wheeling man, on 

 whom his eye is fixed, is juft aiyivcd at the next ftanding 

 pivot man. He then, from that pivot man corredling the 

 interior of liis platoon upon his own pivot man, takes 

 his place, and remains (leady on the right of his platoon. 



If tlie column is in movement, and platoons are fucccf- 

 fivcly to wheel into a new direttion, each officer, to what- 

 ever hand he is to wheel, gives the word from the point he 

 is then placed at, whether in front or on the flank. If on 

 the wheeling flank, he condufts it ; if on the ftanding flank, 

 he fteps out two or three paces, the better to fee that his 

 platoon wheels quick, with a proper ftcp, and that he 

 may time his word Hah. This done he is to fall back to 

 his place on the pivot flank, no longer to look to his 

 platoon, but having his eye fixed on the officer of the pre- 

 ceding platoon, he is to give his word March at the inllant 

 that officer is taking- the laft ftep which eftabliflies the 

 proper diftance between the platoons. When an officer 

 is marching on the pivot flank, he is to be aiifwerable for 

 diftance and covering. Thefe circumftances alone muft 

 folely engage his attention : he can only occafionally give 

 a glance of his eye towards his platoon, which mail drefs 

 to him of courfe, and without any particular dircdion. 

 When platoons in column arc each to countermarch on its 

 own ground, the officer, when his platoon faces, goes to 

 that flank which is to become the pivot flank, conducts his 

 platoon in file, and clofes its leader to the ferjeant, who has 

 remained to mai-k the pivot, Hahs, Fronts, and drefTcs it 

 fquare. He then places himfelf where the ferjeant Hood. 



When the battalion marches in line, officers then become 

 individuals, equally attentive as the foldier ; nor can officers 

 then be attenUve to any thing but to the correftnefs of their 

 own perfonal march. Every operation then depends on the 

 word from the commanding officer, who moves, halts, and 

 drefles the battalions. Whenever the battahon is in line, 

 officers give no commands except in firings. 



When the platoons of a column file feparately to a flank, 

 the officer condufts the head ; and when he arrives within 

 thirty paces of the new pofition in which he is to form, he 

 detaches his ferjeant to mark the point at which he is to 

 place his pivot front rank man, either in fihng to front or 

 rear. The officer ftops at that ferjeant, and halts, fronts, 

 and drefles his platoon clofe to the ferjeant. He then him- 

 felf, after correfting his platoon, replaces the ferjeant, who 

 falls back to the rear rank. In filing, diftances and dreffing 

 arc taken from that hand to w4uch, by a face of the pla- 

 toons, the whole would ftand fronted in column, and the 

 line breaks into column towards the direstfing point. The 

 Readers of the thirds fourth, k<:. platoons froui the dircfting 



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flank are never to overpafs the ftraight line which joins the 

 heads of the firft and fecond, but are, if any thing, to be 

 behind it, till they arrive and halt exadly in the new line. 

 In movements to the rear, diftances and dreffing are always 

 taken from the fame point to which they would be made, 

 if the movement was to the front ; that is, from the left in 

 going to the rear, if it ftiould be from the right in going to 

 the tront. 



On the leading platoon officer of the column much of 

 the precifion of march depends. He muft lead at an equal, 

 fteady pace, and on two objeds either given to him, or 

 which he himfelf takes up on every alteration of pofition. 

 This demands his utmoft attention ; nor muft he allow it 

 to be diverted by looking at his platoon, the care of whole 

 regularity depends on the other officers and non-commiffion- 

 ed officers belonging to it. The fecond platoon officer 

 muft alfo be fliewn, and know, the points on which the firll 

 leads. He is always to keep that firft officer and thofe points 

 in a hue ; and thofe two officers, together with the placed 

 mounted officers, thus become a direftion for the other pivot 

 officers to cover. In marching in open column, the cover- 

 ing ferjeants are placed behind the fecond file from the pivot 

 officers, that the officers may the more correftly fee and 

 cover each other in column. In the column of march, 

 after the word Hak is given, no one is to move, and pivots 

 particularly muft remain where they are then placed. In 

 this fituation, when ordered to form, each platoon wheels 

 up to its adjoining pivot ; the whole will then perhap.^, as 

 in the cafe of marching upon a road, along tlie different 

 tuinings of a height, &c. &c. be on a winding line, and mull 

 not attempt to get into a ftraight line, unlets fo ordered by 

 the commanding officer to anfwer fome panicular objeft. 

 When the platoon wheels lachwards from line into column, 

 the fituation and bufinefs of the officer are the fame as when 

 wheeling forwards ; and he halts and dreffes from his pivot 

 flank, which he gains during the wheel. 



In clofe column, divifiun officers are on the pivot flanks. 

 In forming line, before the divifions face, they are (hifted 

 to the leading flank, if necefijry. The officer of each 

 ftops in his own perfon, when the divifion nearer to the 

 forming point than himfelf, receives the word Hah, Front, 

 allows his ferjeant to proceed with the divifion ; at the due 

 inftant gives his word Hah, Front, — Drefs, and as foon as 

 the front of his divifion is clear, the word March, conduct- 

 ing it into line. Before the divifion arrives within three or 

 four paces of its ground, the officer will have Hepped out 

 nimbly to the flank of the preceding divifion, and will be 

 Ivius ready to give the word Halt — Drefs at the inftant his 

 inward flank man joins the preceding divifion. The men 

 drelo by the formed part of the line, and the officer correfts 

 them on the known diltant point. He then rtfumes his 

 platoon place, wliich has been preferved by a ferjeant. 

 When the clofe column, or part of it, forms line on a rear 

 divifion, the officer of each, when the one behind him halts, 

 fronts, will ftep nimbly round the rear, and without imped- 

 ing his divifion, allow his ferjeant to proceed. From hence 

 he can better judge the proper mcuneiit of giving his words 

 Hah, Front, to his divifion. He then places himfelf on its 

 inward flank, and marches up when his front is clear. The 

 officer of one of the centre platoons is always in open co- 

 lunm, to preier\-e diftance for the colour files. The colours 

 willed up into column, with the leading centre platoon, and 

 place themfelves behind the third file of men from its pivot 

 flank. When the line forms, they clofe in to that flank. 



When officers marcli in front of their divifions, they muft 

 in their ow-n perfons keep fo clofe to the preceding ones, as 

 pot to hinder the flank of their own divifion from preferv- 



ing 



