BAT 



BAT 



ing its proper diftaiice. When the head of a column of 

 inarch changes its direftion, and that marching in an align- 

 ment is not in qiicftion, iniltad of making regular wheels 

 on fixed points, the officer who condufts the leading divi- 

 iion will often be direfted to bring it gradnaily round into 

 the new direclion, by the turn of the outward Ihouldcr, 

 making both its tlanks continue moveable ; but each fuc- 

 ceeding divilior, without the formality of command or halt, 

 does the fame thing, the whole attention reftiug on each 

 pivot flank, which at no rate muft increafe its diftance, but 

 during this operation prelerves the fame equality of time 

 and length of ftep at which it was before moving. On all 

 occafious of forming in line, either by wheeling up from 

 open column, or in moving up from clofe column, or in 

 marching up from echellon, &c. the conducting officer moves 

 nimbly to his point of appui, fome paces before the arrival 

 of his divifion in the line, and from thence gives his word to 

 Halt, and inltantly dretfes it. 



Officers and ferjeants of the fupernum.'erary rank are in 

 the rear of their relpcitive companies. When the battalion 

 is halted, or marching in line, they are three paces from 

 the rear rank. In open column, they are within one pace 

 of the rear rank. In clofe column, they go on the flank of 

 their divifion which is not the pivot. Their great attention 

 during movements is, that files are correft, ranks kept up, 

 and that perfect: order is prefcrved among the foldiers ; cir- 

 cumftances in which they greatly affill the platoon officer, 

 who having the more important objeiis of diftance and the 

 covering of pivots to obferve, cannot in fnch fituation be 

 giving minute direftions to his platoon, without lofing fight 

 of his more material duties. During the firings, the fuper- 

 numerary rank, affiflied by the platoon ferjeants, are to keep 

 the rear ranks well clofed up to the front, and to prevent 

 any break beginning in the rear. 



The ftaff (adjutant excepted), in line, are three paces be- 

 hind the mufic ; in parade, at open ranks, they are on the 

 right of the grenadier front rank. It is the particular bu- 

 fmcls of the adjutant at all times toafcertain the direftion on 

 which the column is to move, or on which the formation of the 

 line is to be made. For this purpofe he is mounted ; othcrwile 

 he could not properly difcharge this iinpqrtant duty ; and 

 he can be much aflTitled in it, by having two or t'tiree camp 

 colour men. or non-commiiTioned officers, properly trained 

 to line themfelves quickly with any two given points. He 

 is to take care that the point where the battalion in column 

 enters an alignment is afcertained to it ; when it is moving 

 in that alignment, that two points a-head of the colunm are 

 always prepared ; when it wlieels up into line, that a psint 

 beyond each flank of that line is afcertained ; when the 

 line is to be prolonged, and has wheeled backward by divi- 

 fions, that two points in the exaft line of the pivots are 

 ready for its march ; when the clofe column is to form in 

 line, that a point to each flank is given ; when the battalion 

 changes pofition, either by files, or by the diagonal march 

 of divifions, that there are points given on which the pivots 

 of files will cover, and can drefs tiieir divifions upon from 

 their feveral points of appui ; in {liort, that upon all occa- 

 fions, fixed points of forming, drefiing, and march, are 

 given, except in advancing in line, where the afcertaining 

 fuch points does not depend on the adjutant. 



When the battalion changes pofition, by the echellon 

 march, the named divifion wheels its eighth file into the new 

 diredlion. The other divifions wheel their eighth file half 

 the number of paces as the named one. The ferjeant is on 

 the outward flank, the officer on the inward flank of each 

 divifion. At the word March, thev move on, preferving 

 thtir relative diftance, and covering of pivots from before 



them, and juft before the inward flank of each divifion ar'- 

 rives at the outward flank of its preceding one, which IS 

 already halted in line, its officer places himfelf before that 

 flank ; and when his inward man touches it, he gives his 

 word Hah— Drefs up, if the movement is to the front, and 

 dreffcs his divifion on the diftant prepared flank point, fo 

 that his divifion is fteadied before the arrival of the next one. 

 When the change is made to the rear, the retiring part faces 

 ab'.ut before the divifion wheels are made, proceeds as 

 above, and each officer gives the word Halt, Front, Drefs — 

 Back, to his divifion when its inward man touches the pre- 

 ceding formed one. 



IV. ylttentlons of Commanding Officers of BatiaLons. 

 The battalion may be confidered with reipedt to the hne, 

 what the platoon is to the battalion. 



Commanding and field-officers are always to be mounted, 

 and unlcfs they are aftive on horfeback, it is inipoffible for 

 them to fee, to correft, to prevent millakes, or to move 

 with that difpatch which is neceffary from one point to ano- 

 ther. Whatever operation is to be performed by the whole 

 oi the battalion at once, is done upon the word from the 

 commanding officer, without any repetition being made by 

 pla-oon officers. He puts it in motion, and halts it, whe- 

 ther in hne or in column. He wheels it from line into co- 

 lumn, and from column into line. He orders arms to be 

 carried, fupported, &cl. He dreflTes it from the centre, 

 when it has marched in line, and halts; and from what was the 

 leading flank when it has wheeled up from column into line. 

 Before the column marches, the commanding officer af- 

 certains points to the leading officer; and when he intends 

 to change the direftion of the march, he gives new points, 

 and he watches over the juft leading of the column. He 

 takes care that all wheels of platoons are made at the identi- 

 cal point where the leading platoon wheeled ; that all 

 doublings of fubdivifions are made fucceffively in the lame 

 manner and at the fame point ; and that forming up to 

 platoons is made at the fpot where the firft forming up is 

 made ; that in all diminutions of the front, the natural or- 

 der of the column is preferved, whether the right or left of 

 the battalion leads ; that a column of half platoons occupies 

 no more fpace than a column of whole platoons, viz. julb 

 enough to wheel up into battalion. 



When the open column marching in an alignment is to 

 form in a ftraight line, and for that purpofe halts ; the in- 

 ftant that it does halt, the commanding officer from the head 

 of the battalion correfts the pivot files of men (which how- 

 ever ought not to be neceflary) in the true line, and upon a 

 rear point. But if the march is making in a winding di- 

 reftion, and that the intention is not to form, or not to take 

 up a ftraight line, the platoons remain on the ground on 

 which they halt, and do not move in any (hape, until they 

 receive a further order, either to form in line, or firft to 

 cover, and then to form or to continue the march. Tire 

 commanding officer always conducts the head of his batta- 

 lion column to the point at which it is to enter a new line, 

 and he takes care in time to difpatch a mounted officer to 

 afcertain that point. When the platoons wheel up into line, 

 he immediately, if neceffary, correfts the dreffing of the 

 battalion from the flank which led when in column, and 

 that generally upon a point beyond the other fl.ink. 



When afting in line with others, the commanding officer 

 of each battalion conforms to the movements of the regu- 

 lating one, and from it takes, and rapidly repeats, his words 

 of Halt, IVheel, March, Sic. ; and the leaft delay in repeat- 

 ing any of thefe words muft undoubtedly diforder the line in 

 proportion to that delay, for the whole of a line (hould 

 march or halt at the fame inftant. In line, the commanding 

 3 officer 



