BAT 



of tix paces from the advanced ferjcant, and is the guide of 

 the battalion, the direfting ferjeant conducing on his points 

 under the correction of the colonel, who is ten or twelve 

 paces behind the centre of the battalion. In this retreat, if 

 the lipfht infantry aft feparate, and not as a company of the 

 battalion, at the word marcb they move quickly round by the 

 flanks, and form in the rear of the centre, extending fo as to 

 cover it during the retreat, and following at the diftance of 

 fifty or fixty paces. 



The colonel gives the words t!>e battalion 'w'lU, from the 

 proper right of companies, jiie to the rear — pafs companies by files. 

 Each captain inftantly gives tlie word left, turn — quick march, 

 and wheels out his leading file, the reft of the files following 

 in I'lcccfGon. The heads of companies muft obferve the 

 proper diftance from each other, and are regulated from the 

 left. Circumftances may require that the companies fhould 

 pafs from their proper left, inilead of the right, in which cafe 

 the leaders will ("hift and condudi fuch left until the line is 

 formed, when they will again refume their proper places. 

 When tlie companies in file have marched as far as is 

 neceflary, the colonel gives the word halt, front. The whole 

 now ftand in open column of companies, the nght in front. 

 When the column is ordered to halt, the light infr.ntiy pafs 

 quickly through it, and take poft thirty paces in the rear of 

 the intended hne. On the word ly companies, left, 'juheel Into 

 line — quick march, captains, as ufual, halt, drefs their compa- 

 nies. When the line is formed, its centre is oppoGte to the 

 general. 



Sixteenth Manoeuvre. — Filing, advancing, and charg- 

 ing to the Front. 



The colonel, having previoufly placed h.imfelf ten or 

 twelve paces behind the exadt line of the direfting ferjeant, 

 will remark the line of its prolongation, and thus afcertain 

 the direction in which it fhould march, and in doing this, he 

 will not at once look out for a diftant objeft, but will hit on 

 it by prolonging the line, from the perfon of the directing 

 ferjeant to the front. Or he will order the covering ferjeant 

 to run out twenty paces, and will place him in the line in 

 which he thinks the battalion ought to advance. The 

 direfling ferjeant then takes his diveftion along the line 

 which pafies from himfelf, betwixt the heels of the advanced 

 ferjeant, and remarking his objeft, prefenes fuch line in ad- 

 vancing. The colonel then gives the words the battalion 'uilll 

 advance. Before the line fo advances, the light company 

 quickly forms, in extended order, thirty paces before the 

 centre, and preferves that ditlance in advancing. The front 

 direfting ferjeant of the battahon moves fix accurate and 

 exact paces inordinary time, and halts. The two other fer- 

 jeants that were behind him, move up on each fide of him, 

 and an officer from the rear replaces in the front rank the 

 leading ferjeant. The centre ferjeant, in moving out, 

 marches and halts on his own obferved point, and the two 

 other ferjeants drefs and fquare themfelves exactly by him. 

 The directing ferjeant, after being aifured that he himfelf is 

 perfeAly and fquarely placed in the rank, by cafting his 

 eyes down the centre of his body, from the junction of his 

 two heels, and by repeated trials twtake up or prolong a line 

 perpendicular to himfelf and to the battalion, will obferve" 

 and take up any accidental fmall fpot on the ground, and 

 within loo or 150 paces, intermediate ones cannot be want- 

 ing, nor the renewal of fuch as he afterwards fuccelfively ap- 

 proaches to in his march. In this manner he is prepared, 

 under the future correction of the colonel from behind, to 

 conduct the march. 



The line of direftion being thus afcertained, the colonel 

 gives the word march. The whole inftantly ftep off, and 

 without turning the head, eyes are glanced towards the 



BAT 



colours in the front rank. The replacing officer betwixt the 

 colours preferves, during the movement, his exaft diftance of 

 fix paces from the advanced ferjeant, and is the guide of the 

 battalion. The centre advanced ferjeant is anfwerable for 

 the direftion, and the equal cadence or length of ftep. Tu 

 thefe objefts he alone attends, while tlie other two, fcrupu- 

 loufly conforming to his pofition, maintain their parallelifra 

 to the front of the battalion, and thereby prefent an obieci 

 to which it ought to move fquare. They are to allow no 

 other confideracion to attraft their attention, and will notice 

 and conform to the direction of the commander only. If 

 any fmall alteration in their pofition is ordered, it muft be 

 gradually and coolly made. When the battalion is advancing 

 in Une for any confiderable diftance, the raufic may be 

 allowed at intervals to play for a few feconds only, and the 

 drums in two divifions to roll ; but it is the wind in- 

 ftruments only which play. The large drum, or any other 

 inftrument whatever, which marks time by the ftroke, is not 

 permitted. 



When the battalion advances fifty paces, the colonel gives 

 the word« the battalion ivtll file from the right of companies — 

 pafs files to the front. Each captain immediately gives the 

 word right, turn — quick, march, wheels out his leading file, 

 and pafles on direct to the front, preltrvmg a relative diftance 

 from the left, as being the head of the column, or from the 

 other flank, if particularly fo ordered. When the colnmn has 

 marched fifty paces, the colonel gives the v^ordslalt, front. 

 The whole now ftands in open colun.n, the left in front. 



The light company palTcs quick to the rear, afiembles half 

 of it behind each flank, and moves relatively with the flaak 

 companies. 



The words now given in fucceflion are column, right, tvheel 

 into line, quick, march. The battalion -will advance — march. 

 The battalion marches fifty paces. The battalion tvill ad- 

 vance by alternate vuings, and fre four timet — Left "wlng, half. 

 The left wing halts, and the right wing continues to move 

 on fifteen paces. Left "julng, march. Right ojing, halt, ready, 

 prefent, fre, load, march. The l;ft wing marches pail them 

 till the right wing, being loaded and ftiouldered, receives the 

 order to march. Left zulng — halt, ready. Sec. as direfted for 

 the right wing, and thus they alternately proceed, till eack 

 wing has fired twice. The left rxilr.g nulll form Une on the right 

 — right 'wlng, halt. When the line is formed, the battalion 

 •will advance, march. After marching fifty paces, halt. The 

 battalion villi fire a volley — front rank kneeling, make ready, 

 prefent, fire, prime and load. The battalion lulll advance — 

 march. When it has advanced twenty paces, it receives the 

 command halt. The battalion luilljire a volley, and port arms i 

 when the battalion has fired, it immediately ports arms. 

 Quick march ; the battalion advances firm, dreffing by the 

 centre. When it has advanced fifty paces, halt ; the front 

 rank comes down to the charging pofition. Shoulder arms — 

 prime and load. The light company, iflifing from behind 

 the flanks, purfue, return, and aifemble and join on the 

 left ot the battahon. The battalion is now advanced near 

 the general, and with its centre oppofite him. 



If the battahon is not ver)- ftrong, the light infantry 

 fliould not aft as fuch, but only as a company in batta- 

 lion. In firing by wings, that is, by half battalions, the 

 colonel generally fires the right wing, and the next in com- 

 mand the left. When the battalion has charged bayonets, 

 they may be ordered to move forward on the charge at a very 

 quick ftep ; but by no means to run. A very fe\V paces 

 only can be neceffary. Care muft be taken that the batta- 

 lion moves in perfeft drefs, whicli it cannot do if it run. 

 The flugel man gives the time for each wing to eaft about, 

 and fhoulder. 



5 O 2 Setes- 



