TACTICS. 
execution, and to abridge the variety of 
movements, as much as possible, by adopt- 
ing such only as are necessary for combin- 
ing exertions in corps, and that can be re- 
quired or applied in service, regarding all 
matters of parade and show merely as se- 
condary objects j to ascertain to all ranks 
the part each will have to act in every 
change of situation that can happen, so that 
explanation may not retard at the moment 
the execution that should take place ; to en- 
able the commanding officer of any body of 
troops, whether great or small, to retain the 
whole relatively, as it were, in his hand and 
management, at every instant, so as to be 
capable of restraining the bad effects of such 
ideas of independent and individual exer- 
tion as are visionary and hurtful, and of di- 
recting them to then- true and proper ob- 
jects, those of order, of combined effort, 
and of regulated obedience, by the united 
force of all which, a well disciplined army 
can only be defeated. The rules laid down 
will be found ftw, simple, and adapted to the 
understanding of every individual; biit they 
will require perfect attention in all ranks. 
In the soldier, an equal and cadenced 
march, acquired and confirmed by habit, 
independently of music or sound : in the 
officer, precision and energy of command ; 
the preservation of just distances; and the 
accurate leading of divisions on given points 
of march and formation. These circum- 
stances, together with the united exertions 
of ail, will soon attain that precision of 
movement, w’luch is so essentia4 and with- 
out which valour alone will not avail.” 
After this, the work in question proceeds 
to state; “ The reciuit must be carried on 
progressively ; he should comprehend one 
thing before he proceeds to another, and he 
should not be uselessly fatigued ; he is to 
be trained singly and in squad ; nor is he to 
be allow’ed to join in battalion until he may 
be confirmed in every requisite ; for one awk- 
ward man will frequently derange a whole 
line.” The incipient parts of instruction, 
however simple they may appear, are by 
far the most difficult to inculcate ; but they 
are of the most imperious consequence: 
when a good foundation is obtained, the 
work will proceed with rapidity and firm- 
ness, and the pupil will, from being sensible 
how much he has acquired at the onset, 
move and act, throughout the ulterior stages, 
with promptitude and confidence. Stand- 
ing perfectly silent and motionless, fixing 
his eyes steadily either to the front, or to 
the right or left, as may be ordered ; dress- 
ing up to the same line with others ; carry 
ing his body erect, the toes turned out, the 
limbs firm, but pliant, erect, raised, and his 
weight rather borne on the fore, than on 
the hind, parts of the feet, are all matters 
tending greatly to bis perfectisn. He learns 
to face to the right and left, or about ; to move 
forward in a perfectly straight line, with- 
out losing squareness to the front ; to move 
obliquely to the right or left under the same 
precaution ; and to mark time, to step out, 
or to step short; to change feet when he 
does not move with the rest of the com- 
pany ; to close, (or take room,) to the right 
or left, by the side step ; to change from 
quick to ordinary time, or vice versa, with 
unerring readiness ; to march in file ; to 
wheel either forward or backward ; and, in 
general, to acquire a habitude of acting in 
concert with his companions in arms, so as 
not only to avoid embarrassing them, hut 
proving a firm support, and becoming a 
manageable tool in the hands ot his officer. 
All these are indispensably necessary to be 
fully acquired : they must be so perfectly 
familiar as to seem rather tlie effect of in- 
stinct than of education. ’ 
Thus much being duly attained, the le- 
cruit is instructed in the nsG of arms, in 
which he cannot be too periect : the great 
difficulty is to impress him, in a sufficient 
manner-, with the advantages of close mo- 
tion, and of preserving the body from dis- 
tortion, or change of position, so far as re- 
lates to uprightness, squareness to the front, 
and undeviating attention to dressing in 
line. For it is to be observed, that unless 
very great strictness be observed on the 
part of the drill serjeant, the whole course 
w'ill be perverted by the handling ot the 
musket. It would not suit our purpose, 
nor could it be equal to the views of cur 
readers, were w'e to enter upon all the de- 
tails, regarding the motions of the firelock ; 
or what is called the manual exercise ; in 
the prpseni posture of political affairs, such 
woidd be perhaps unnecessary ; it having, 
within these few years, become the duty of 
many, and the amusement of all, to acquire 
some knowledge of that branch of disci- 
pline : we shall therefore proceed to treat 
pf the firings, which constitute a very prin- 
cipal part of the soldier’s duty, and greatly 
interest both the officers commanding di- 
visions, and those in clrarge of whole batta- 
lions. A¥e must, at the same time, express 
our hope, that the frivolous practice of ex- 
pending so many rounds of light cartridges, 
will be in time much curtailed ; in order to 
