BAT 



BAT 



pendently ; ulien the rip;ht files picfent, the rcfl make 

 ready, and )"o on. After the iirit fire, eacii man as he loads 

 comes to a recover, and the fi'.e again fires without waiting 

 for any other. The rear rank men are to have their eyes 

 OB their front rank man, and be guided by, and prefent 

 with them. 



6. In genei-a!, after the march in front, and halt of the 

 battalion, company, or platoon tiring, flioiild begin from the 

 centre, and not from the flanks. In other cafes, and in fuc- 

 ceffive forinations, it may begin from whatever divilion firft 

 arrives, and haits on the grouiid. 



7. The line, if retiring. Halts, fronts, at one command, and 

 inftantly begins firing, from the centre, and not from the 

 fla:iko. 



OljtSs of Fire. 



I. .Agaitip Cavalry, The chief objefl of the fire againft 

 cavalry is to keep them at a dillance, and to deter them from 

 the attack. As their movements are rapid, a refcrve is 

 always kept up. But wlien fire commences againft infantry, 

 it cannot, confident with order, and other circumftances, be 

 too heavy or too quick while it lalls, which fliouldbe till the 

 enemy is besteu or rcpuUtd, or till the conteft becomes too 

 unequal. The fire of three ranks Handing is hardly, with 

 our prefent arms, to be required, efpecially if the ground 

 fhould be broken, and the foldiers loaded with their knap- 

 ficks. The fire of the rear rank, therefore, is generally re- 

 fcrved. 



II. Dcfenfive Fire. Where infantty are polled upon 

 heights that are to be defended by the fire of mufquetry, 

 the front rank will kneel, that one-third of the fire that may 

 be given .Tiould not be I0.I ; otherwile the rear rank in fuch 

 a fituation could not fufficiemly incline their pieces to rafe 

 the flope. As foldiers generally prefent too high, and as fire 

 is of the greateft confequence to troops that are on the de- 

 fenfive, and who are ported if poffible on commanding 

 grounds, the habitual mode of firing (hould therefore be rather 

 at a low level than a high one ; and the fire of the front rank 

 kneehng being the* molt efficacious, as being the moil rafing, 

 fliould not be difpenfed with when it can be i"afely and ufe- 

 fully employed. 



III. /n Line ad-juiicing. When infantry marche? in line 

 to attack an enemy, and in advancing makes ufe of its fire, 

 Jt is preftvable to fire the two firft ranks only ftanding, than 

 to oblige the front rank to kneel, thus firing the whole. 

 But volleys, fired at a confiderable diilance, or'on a retiring 

 enemy, may be given by the three ranks, the front one 

 kneeling. 



IV. Platoon Firing. A line pofled, or arriving at a fixed 

 fituation, will fire by//,i.-oo/u, each battalion independent, 

 and fuch firing generally commencing from the centre of 

 each. The firft fice of e;ich battalion will be regular, and 

 eftHblifii intervals. After the firft, each platoon fhall con- 

 tinue to fire as foon as it is loaded, independent of any 

 ether, and as quick as it can, till the battalion or line is 

 ordered to ceafe. 



V. Lidtpeniltnt, or File Firing. If behind a parapet, 

 hedge, or abbatis, the two firft ranks only can fire, and fuch 

 firing may be file liring, and may be made delibeiate and 

 cool, the two racn of the fame file always firing together. 

 ft may begin from the right or left of platoons, and'fliould 

 be tauglit in fituations adapted to it, not in open ground. 

 Should the parapet, hedge, or abbatis be but httle raiftd, 

 platoon firing may be ufed. 



VI. Running Fire. Troops fliould be often praftifed in 

 execiitmg the bilkbande, or ninning fire. This (hould begin 

 en the flank files, and when once commenced, continued 

 Without the foldier being fubjcft to any other rules tian 



keeping filenee. This fort of firing is the only one which in* 

 fantry {liould make ufe of in engagements. It is the moft 

 lively, and more flaughtering than any. It emulates and 

 warms the foldier, and renders him infcnfible to danger. 

 The grand point is to accuilom troops to leave it oif when 

 a fignal is given, and afterwards remain filcnt. 



VII. Oblique Firing. Oblique firing by battalions is ad- 

 vantageous on many occaiious. As when attacked in an 

 oblique direclion ; when tin^e docs not allow to give an ob- 

 liquity to a greater pait of the line ; and when their fire can 

 in this manner be thrown againft tiie opening of a defile, the 

 flanks of a column, or againft cavalry or infantry that direct 

 their attack on fome particular battalion or portion of the 

 line. 



VIII. Regularity of Firing, As long as the fire by bat- 

 talion, by wings, or by platoons, can be kept up regular, it 

 is highly advantageous, and can at any time be Hopped ; but 

 fiiould file firing be allowed, and one begun, unlefs troops 

 are exceeding cool and well difclplined, it will be difficult to 

 make it finifh, and to make tiiem advance and charge in 

 order. When a line halts at its point of firing, no time is 

 to be loft in fcrupulous dreifing, and the fire lu inftantly to 

 commence ; but a hnc that halts, and is not to fire, or when 

 its firing ceafes after tlje halt, may immediately be ordered 

 to drefs from colours to colours. 



IX. Street ■Firing. It is fo called from being obliged to 

 engage in a ftreet, highway, lane, or narrow paffage, where 

 no more than 10, 12, 16, or 20 files can match abreaft ; fo 

 that, according to the breadth of the place, the platoons 

 muft be ftronger or weaker. V/hen the column is in 

 motion, and arrived where the firing is to begin, the com- 

 manding officer, from the rear, gives the word Halt. The 

 officer commanding the platoon inftantly gives the words 

 ready, prefent, ftre s recover arms, outwards face, quick march. 

 At the word recover arms, the platoon immediately in the 

 rear of the one that has fired, recover their arms alfo, and 

 cock, and when their front is open by the march of the 

 others down their flanks, they march on with recovered 

 arms, until they receive from their officer the words halt, pre- 

 fent, Jire, &.-C. As foon as the platoon has got down the 



flanks, it muft form inftantly in the rear, and immediately 

 prime and load again without halting, keeping always their 

 exad. diftance from the divifion before them, w-hich would 

 not be the cafe if they halted to load and ftioulder. 



When this is to be put in pradlice on real fervice, the 

 front of the platoons muil not be equal 'to the breadth of 

 the place they are to engage in ; but there muft be a fmall 

 ipace of ground, or interval, left on the flanks, forthofe who 

 have fired to have room to march back, and form in the rear. 

 It is in this manner, when there is not time to raife a breaft- 

 work, that a pal's, bridge, road, or ftreet is to be maintained 

 againft the enemy, by the platoons fuftaining one another, 

 and firing in their turn, which may be continued as long as 

 there is occafion, almoft without intermifrion, by one batta- 

 lion only. In firing as above defcribed, the colours^ &c. 

 muft at the firft be placed in the rear, and kept there by tlie 

 fubdivifions, as they come down the flanks after firing, 

 forming conftantly in their front, till the whole bufinefs is 

 ovVr. 



There are, hovi'ever, different m.ethods of retiring the pla- 

 toons fro- the front to the rear. Some are inftrucled, after 

 the word fire, to recover their arms, and wheel out the 

 platoon by fubdivifions from right to left, load, and remain 

 in that pofition till the laft platoon paOTes them, when they 

 wheel back, and form. Another method is, fuppofing the 

 ftreet to be filled by the platoon, and no room left on the 

 flanks, then by throwing back or retiring a centre fedien 



