MARCH. Fig. 3. A. Halt, Drefs. fion, at the fame time the men on the right of the front rank of each fub-divifion face to the right. At the word MARCH, each fub-divifion steps off in wheeling time, observing the directions given in (Sect. 19 and 37). The commander of the platoon turning towards the men of the leading fub-divifion, and inclining to its left (the proper pivot flank) gives the word Halt, Dress, for both fub-divifions, as his wheeling man is taking the laft ftep that finishes the wheel fquare; and inftantly posts. himself on the left, the pivot flank.-The ferjeant coverer, during the wheel, goes round by the rear, and takes poft on the pivot flank of the fecond fub-divifion.It is to be observed, that the commander of the platoon invariably takes poft with the leading fub-divifion; therefore, when the platoon wheels by fub-divifions to the left, the commander of the platoon moves out to the center of the left fub-divifion, and during the wheel inclines towards the right, now become the proper pivot flanks of the fub-divifions. The proper pivot flank in column, is that which, when wheeled up to, preferves the divifions of the line in the natural order, and to their proper front: the other may be called the reverse flank. In column, divifions cover and drefs to the proper pivot flank to the left when the right is in front: and to the right when the left is in front, S. 48. Wheeling backward by Sub-divifions from CAUTION. MARCH, Fig. 4. A. Halt, Drefs. Line. The platoon will alfo break into open column of fub-divifions by wheeling backwards. When the right is intended to be in front; at the caution BY SUB-DIVISIONS OF THE LEFT, BACKWARD WHEEL, the commander of the platoon moves out brifkly and places himself in front of the center of the right fub-divifion.-The man on the left of the front rank of each fub-divifion at the fame time faces to the lright. On the word MARCH, each fub-divifion wheels backward in quickest time, as directed in Sect. 21. and Sect. 38. During the wheel, the commander of the platoon turns towards his men, inclining at the fame time to the left, or pivot flank, and on completing the wheel, gives the word Halt, Dress, to both divifions: he, and his covering ferjeant, then place themselves on the left flanks of their fubdivifions. It may be confidered as a rule almoft general (the reafons for which are given in the following part) that all wheels of the battalion, or line (when halted, and when the divifions do not exceed 16, or 18 files) into column, fhould be backward.-And all wheels from column into line, forward.-The only neceffary exceptions feem to be in narrow ground, where there is not room for fuch wheels. S. 49. Marthing on an Alignement, in Open Column of Sub-divifions. Fig. 4. A. The platoon having wheeled backwards by fub-divifions from line, (as directed in the foregoing Section) and a diftant marked object in the prolongation of the two pivot flanks being taken; the commander of the platoon, who is now on the pivot flank of the leading fub-division, immediately fixes on his intermediate points to march on, (vide Sect. 42.) On the word MARCH, given by the inftructor of the drill, both divifions step off at the fame inftant; the leader of the first divifion marching with the utmost fteadiness and equality of pace on the points he has taken; and the commander of the fecond divifion preferving the leader of the first in an exact line with the diftant object; at the fame time he keeps the diftance neceffary for forming from the preceding divifion; which diftance is to be taken from the front rank.-Thefe objects are in themfelves fufficient to occupy the whole attention of the leaders of the two divifions; therefore they must not look to, nor endeavour to correct the march of their divifions, which care muft be entirely left to the non-commiffioned Lofficers of the fupernumerary rank. S. 50. Wheeling into Line from Open Column of Sub-divifions. The platoon being in open column of fub-divifions, marching at the ordinary step on the alignement, receives the word HALT, from the inftructor of the drill; both divifions inftantly halt, and the inftructor fees that the leaders of the divifions are correct on the line in which they have moved; he then gives the word (fuppofing the right of the platoon to be in front) by fub-divifions TO THE LEFT WHEEL INTO LINE; on which the commander of the platoon goes to the center of his fub-divifion, the two pivot men face to their left exactly fquare with the alignement, and a ferjeant runs out and places himself in a line with them, fo as to mark the precife point at which the right flank of the leading fub-divifion is to halt, when it shall have completed its wheel. -At the word MARCH, the whole wheel up in quickest time; during the wheel, the commander of the platoon, turning towards his men, inclines to the wheeling flank, and gives the word Halt, Drefs, at the moment the wheel of the divifion is completing; the commander of the platoon, if neceffary, corrects the internal dreffing of the platoon on the ferjeant and pivot men; this dreffing must be quickly made, and when done, the commander of the platoon gives the word Eyes front, in a moderate tone of voice, and takes poft in line as directed in Sect, 41. In all wheels of the divifions of a column that are to be made on a halted pivot in order to form line, the flank firelock of the front rank on the hand wheeled to, is fuch pivot, not the officer who may be on that flank, and whose business is to conform to it. All wheelings by fub-divifions, or fections, from line into column, or from column into line, are performed on the word given by the commander of a battalion, when the whole of a battalion is at the fame inftant fo to wheel, or on the word given by the commander of the company, when companies fingly, or fucceffively, fo wheel: they are not to be repeated by the leaders of its divifions. S. 51. In Open Column of Sub-divifions The platoon being in open column of fub-divifions, marching in ordinary time; when its leading divifion arrives at the ground, where the wheel is to commence, Halt, Wheel, it receives the word Halt, right, or left, wheel, from its commander; on which the rear ranks, if at one pace distance, lock up; the flank front rank man alone halts, and faces into the new direction, while the others quicken their pace to the wheeling time, and regulate their ftep by the outward hand (to which they have turned their eyes), until the wheel is completed.Halt, Drefs. He then gives the word Halt, Dress, for his divifion to drefs to the hand it is to move by; and whenever the fecond division, which has continued to advance in ordinary time, arrives clofe on the wheel |