Fig. 94.

remaining as a referve. -Should the battalion be formed only two deep, the front rank will remain kneeled, and the rear rank will fire by files.

7. The front and rear faces of the fquare or oblong in march are increafed by repeatedly adding to their flanks 4 divifions. from the column fides which are thereby shortened, and oblique outwards to cover; they are decreased by the 4 outward divifions of the front and rear repeatedly becoming part of the flank fides, which are thereby lengthened, and oblique inwards to cover. Thus, either advancing or retiring, the whole may diminish to two fub-divifions in front, or, if neceffary, to a double file marched off from the center of the leading face.

8. When the fquare or oblong forms in line on one of its fides-or on any named company which is placed in a given direction. -Each other company will be WHEELED up more or lefs, till it ftands with its inward flank perpendicular to its point in the new line, to which the whole will MARCH and enter fucceffively, the outward companies taking care not to impede the inner ones, which muft form before them. According to the part of the battalion formed on, will this operation be more or less complex.-Or, this may be done by the facing and filing of each divifion from its inward flank, to its point in the new line where it will form up.

9. If, from open column of march, it is neceffary to make front in oblong 3 deep to both flanks-the leading divifion Halts,

the

Fig. 95.

the other divifions of the column will take half distance and Halt: the half divifions will WHEEL Outwards, Halt, and form an oblong, closed in the rear by the last divifion. When column of march is to be refumed, the half divifions will WHEEL backwards into column, and the battalion will proceed.-If there are several battalions in the column, each will form as above, closed by its own front and rear divifions; and the diftances betwixt battalions will also be closed.

10. If a battalion is marching in open ground, where it is neceffary to be prepared against the attack of cavalry-it may move in column of companies at quarter diftance, one named company in the center being ordered to keep an additional diftance of 2 files; in this fhape the battalion is eafily managed, or directed upon any point. When the column HALTS, and is ordered to FORM THE SQUARE, the first company falls back to the fecond; the last company clofes up to the one before it: The whole companies make an interval of 2 paces in their center, by their fub-divifions taking each one pace to the flanks; 2 officers with their ferjeants place themselves in each of the front and rear intervals; 2 officers with their ferjeants alfo take poft in rear of each flank of the company from which the additional interval has been kept; and a ferjeant takes the place of each flank front rank man of the firft divifion, and of each flank rear rank man of the laft divifion; all other officers, ferjeants, the 4 difplaced men, &c. &c. affemble in the center of the companies which are to form the flank

faces.

Fig. 95.

faces. Thofe laft named companies having been told off each in 4 fections, WHEEL up by fections, 2 to the right, and 2 to the left; (the 2 rear companies at the fame time closing up, and facing outwards) the inner fections then CLOSE forward to their front ones, which dress up with the extremities of the front and rear companies, and 4 files on each flank of the fecond companies, from the front and from the rear, FACE outwards.-The

whole thus ftand faced outwards and formed 6 deep, with 2 officers and their ferjeants in the middle of each face to command it; all the other officers as well as ferjeants, &c. are in the void space in the center, and the files of the officers in the faces may be completed from ferjeants, &c. in the interior, in fuch manner as the commandant may direct.-The mounted field officers muft pafs into the center of the column, by the rear face, if necessary, opening from its center 2 paces, and again clofing in.

When ordered, the 2 first ranks all round the column will kneel and flope their bayonets, the 2 next ranks will fire standing, and all the others will remain in referve; the file coverers behind each officer of the fides will give back, and enable him to ftand in the 3d rank.When the march is to be refumed, the fections that closed up fall back to their dif tance; the sections then WHEEL back into column; the officers, ferjeants, &c. take their places on the flanks; and when the column is again put in motion, the companies that clofed fucceffively take their proper diftance.

Unless

Unless the companies are above 16 file they cannot be divided into 4 fections; if therefore they are under 16 file, and told off in 3 fections, the column will march at the distance of a fection; and in forming the fquare, the 2 outward fections will wheel up, but the 3d one will stand fast, and afterwards, by dividing itself to right and left, will form a 4th rank to the others; in refuming column the outward fections wheel back, and the rear of the center fections easily recover their places: as to all other circumstances they remain the fame.

By the foregoing REGULATIONS, and the RULES they lay down, is every battalion to direct its practice; to regulate the parades, guards, and field exercife; to difufe whatever is contrary and repugnant to them; and in no instance to deviate from the principles they contain, for, to their ftrict obfervance is every one enjoined.-Among many other effential circumftances they pointedly require hurry and difunion to be avoided; order and mutual effort to be held facred; ranks and files closed; mufick to be difufed in inftruction, march, or manoeuvre; uniformity of position; equality of step in length and cadence; accuracy of diftances; precifion of file marching; movements and formations made on determined points and lines, and mounted officers ready and accuftomed to give fuch points and lines; alertnefs and intelligence in officers; energy and decifion in their commands; modes of execution fully determined, and never varying. Thus, previous explanation being no longer neceffary, prompt performance in all fituations may immediately follow the ordered meafures of the commander.

D.D.

End of PART THIRD.

INSPECTION OR REVIEW

OF A

BATTALION OF INFANTRY.

TH

HE battalion marches to its ground in open column of companies or half companies:-marches into the alignement by companies; forms in clofe order;takes open order as directed in the formation of the battalion.

In this difpofition, and the whole dreffed to the right, the general is awaited.-He is to be received with the compliments due to his rank, as fet forth in the regulation of military honours.-The colonel and lieutenantcolonel on this occafion are on foot at the head of the colours; at all other times they are to remain on horseback.

A camp colour is to be originally placed 80 or 100 paces in front of the center of the battalion, where the general is fuppofed to take his ftation; but although he may chufe to quit that pofition, ftill the colour is to be confidered as the point to work upon, and to which all movements and formations are relative.