BAT 



BAT 



one pace forward, and the two rear companies, i.e. tlie 

 grenadiers and firit; company, one and two paces forward, 

 and then Face about. Tlie files from the intervals take their 

 piopcr places. Officers, fcrjeants, dif[)laced men, &c. vill 

 quit the interior, move to their fL-veral Ilations. and the com- 

 panies that compofed the flank faces will he compleatfd. 

 Not to multiply words of command, the bed method to 

 clofe the fubdivifions, S:c. is to move the column immedi- 

 ately, by giving the word, column, march, cither in, quick or 

 ordinary time, as the colonel thinks proper. 



When the column has marched as far as tl\e cnmmandinjr 

 ofiicer judges neccfTary, lie gives the words, cilumn will open 

 from the rear, on which the captain commanding the rear 

 company gives the word to his company, ^renaliers, halt, 

 and immediately the caution frj} company, to the company 

 in his front. When he fees it exaftly at a proper wheeling 

 diftance from him, he gives it the word halt. The captain 

 of the firft company, when he has halted, gives the fame 

 ca\ition and command to the fecond ; the fecond to the 

 third, and fo on in fucccflion, till the colunm is opened 

 out. 



The colonel now gives the vk-ord, the column luill change 

 its head by the coiinler-mareh of companies from the rear. Right 

 iving, to the front. The grenadier captain gives the words, 

 greiiailiers, left fire. He and his covering fcrjeant immedi- 

 ately (hift to the left to lead the files. He then gives the 

 word quich march, till his right fiank can freely pafs near 

 the left flank of the others. He then gives the word, hall, 

 front, march (in ordinary time) clofe by the left flank of the 

 firft company. The captain of that company, while the 

 other is approaching, gives the word, left, face ; and as foon 

 as the grenadiers have cleared his flank, quick march, leading 

 his company into the rear of the now leading one. He gives 

 the word halt, front, when he covers, and march, when at 

 the due wheehngdiilance. All the other companies fiiccef- 

 fively perform the fame operation ; and when tlie light com- 

 pany ha-, taken its place in the rear, the whole column is in 

 perfecl order. 



Column, hah, left tvheel into line, quid, march. When the 

 battalion has wheeled into hne, it is confiderably to the ge- 

 neral's right, and with its rear to him. Obferve, That fome 

 regiments at review, in this counter-march from the rear to 

 the tront, face their companies to the right, and bring them 

 out on that fide, contrary to the general principle. The 

 divilions which advance come out always on the fide to 

 which front is to be made, and on which the enemy is 

 placed ; becaufe then, with the dlvifions that are free, he 

 can be oppofcd, while the others are moving behind the 

 line. 



Seventh M.-woeuvrf. — Countermarch by Files en the 

 Centre of the Battalion. 



This brings back the battalion to its original front. The 

 colonel gives the following words : the battalion luill counter- 

 march from its centre, anil on its centre, by files — luings in- 



•wanls—faei;. The whole face to the colours, which Hand 

 fall ; and a ferjeant remains to mark each flank of the bat- 

 talion. The word is given, wings— three Jide fleps to the right 

 —march ; if the battalion is only two deep, two paces to the 

 right is fufRcient. Jiach wing takes the named number of 

 paces to its flaak, that they may be difcngaged from each 

 other. At the fecond word march, or quick marth, the whole 

 move on, and each file wheels fucctflively into the centre, as 

 it arrives at and beyond the colours. As foon as each com- 

 pany is in the line from the colours to the fiank ferjeant, the 

 captain fronts it. When the whole is firmed, the colours 

 countermarch, and if ncccffary, the drcinng of the hne is 

 .COrrtiTied. 



Eighth Manoeuvre. — 3 fare b in open Column. 



The battalion will form open column in rear of the left com- 

 pany — Remaining companies on the right baci-zfards wheel — 

 quid march. All the companies wheel backwards on 

 their right, except the light infantry, which (lands fall. 

 On the Word left ficc, they all face to the left, except 

 the light company ; and the captains place themfelves to 

 lead the files. At the word quick march, the whole will 

 lead to the rear, and the covering ftrjeants will fucceflively, 

 as before, take up their points on the new line. The cap- 

 tain condncling each platoon, when he arrives at his ferjeant, 

 will flop directly before him, allow his platoon to move on 

 behind the ferjeant, till the rear file comes clofe to, but be- 

 yoiid him. The captain will then halt, front, and drefs his 

 platoon, with his front rank clofed in to the ferjeant. He 

 will himfelf take the place of the ferjeant, and remain fleady 

 on the pivot flank. 



As foon as the third company has taken its place in the 

 column, the colonel gives the word march. The head of the 

 column moves on in ordinary time, and the remaining compa- 

 nies follow, preferving the proper v. heeling difliancc between 

 each. When the leading company arrives within 12 or ij 

 paces of the point where it is necefl'aiy to diniinifh its front, 

 the colonel will give a loud caution, that the fubdivifions arc to 

 double, either by companies fucceflively, or the whole bat- 

 talion at once. If at once, as is ordered in this manoeuvre, 

 then he gives the words foi-m column of fubdivijions — right 

 fubdivifions — marl time. Each right hand fubdivifion marks 

 time, till its left hand fubdivifion, which marches on fteadily, 

 has opened or cleared its flank. At the words quid oblique 

 or left oblique, the right divifions immediately oblique to t!ie 

 left, and cover the left ones correiflly. The captains move 

 to the right flank of the left fubdivifions. Their covering 

 ferjeants lead the right fubdivifions. 



When the column of fubdivifions has marched as many 

 paces as the colonel fees proper, he gives the word forjn 

 companies, right fubdivifions — quick oblique. As foon af tath 

 right fubdivifion has cleared the right flanks of the left, by 

 the quick oblique, it immediately receives the word firwarj, 

 and when in line with the left fubdivifion, each receives tlie 

 word ordinary from the captain, who had fliifted to its 

 right. It may be obferved, that the above is in conformity 

 to the general rule, whether the column be halted or in mo- 

 tion, that the fubdivifion or fc<Stion on the reverfe flank is 

 the one behind which the other fubdivifion or fcftion doubles. 

 But in this cafe, were the left fubdivifions to double in front 

 of the right ones, the pivots would be better dreflcd, as 

 the right fubdivifions, which were marching correftly in the 

 alignment, would not be difcompofed. The colonel gives 

 the words column halt — rir^ht wheel into line — quid march. 

 Ninth Manoeuvre. — Echellon Change of Pojiticn. 



The colonel gives the words, companies on the right bad- 

 'Wards ivheel — quick march. The battalion breaks into open 

 column, the left in front, each company getting the hah — 

 dirfs from its own captain, as ufual. Tiie colonel continues : 

 The fcventh cotrpany (the third, reckoning from the Icfl) will 

 "wheel four paces, the remaining companies Jix' paces, on the left 

 backwards — quick march. The companies are drefled by 

 their captains, who are now on the infide flanks of the 

 ecliellon. The colonel orders eighth and light companv right 

 about face. Two camp colours are fent to the right and kfi 

 in a corrccl line with the feventh company. At the word 

 the column will march in echellon, and form ll«e on the Jcvmtb 

 company — march, the captain of the feventh company Ihlfts 

 to its light flank. Each company on the right of the fe- 

 venth, vi^. Nos. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, I, and grenadiers, as it comes 

 fuccefiively into line, receives from its captain the word halt 



— drefs 



