ing point, he gives his divifion the word March. March, and moves on in ordinary time, fo as its rear rank does not occafion even a momentary stop to the divifion behind it, which at that inftant receives the word Wheel, then Halt, Drefs, and finally March, whenever the leading divifion has gained its proper diftance from it.

Halt, Wheel.
Halt, Drefs.
March.

The officer conducting the leading (and every other) divifion of the column in march, on any given point or object where it is to wheel into a new direction, and to its proper pivot hand on a halted pivot; always ftops at that point, or object, close on his own outward hand, and gives the word wHELL, when the front rank of his divifion has taken ONE pace beyond fuch object; he thus allows fpace for his own perfon (when the wheel is finifhed) to move on clofe behind the new direction of march.

But if the proper pivot flank is to be the wheeling one, each commander of a divifion gives his word Wheel, as he fucceffively arrives at fuch a diftance from the point on which he has moved, as that at the completion of the wheel, his divifion may balt perpendicular to the new line, but with the given point, of courfe, behind the proper pivot; and that he alfo in his own perfon be on the new direction, prepared to give his word March, and to proceed.

The fub-divifions muft take care that they continue their march correctly upon, and wheel exactly at the point where the leading one wheeled, and that they do not shift to either flank, which, without much attention, they are apt to do.

In this manner the fub-divifions fucceed each other; and if the words of command be juftly given; no stop made on arriving at the wheeling point; the wheels performed at an increafed time and ftep; and the proper halt, dreffing, and paufe, be made after the wheel; no

extenfion

extenfion of the column will take place, but the just diftances between the divifions will be preserved.

"The officer conducting the directing flank of a divifion may, during the wheel, be advanced one or two paceś before it, and remain fo, facing to the flank, that he may the more critically be enabled to give his word Halt; at which inftant, he will again place himfelf on the flank ready to judge his distance, and to give the word March.

S. 52. In Open Column of Sub-divifions wheeling into a new Direction, on a moveable Pivot.

Right Shoulders forward.

Forward.

The commander of the leading fub-divifion, when at a due distance from the intended new direction, will give the word Right (or left) Shoulders forward (vide Sect. 22), and he himself carefully preferving the rate of march, without the least alteration of ftep or time, will begin to circle in his own perfon from the old into the new direction, fo as not to make an abrupt wheel, or that either flank fhall be ftationary; the reft of his divifion on the principle of dreffing will conform to the direction he is giving them: when this is effected he will give the word Forward.The leader of the fecond fub-divifion, when he arrives at the ground on which the firft began to wheel, will in this manner follow the exact tract of the first, always preferving his proper diftance from

him.

Thus without the constraint of formal wheels; a column, when not confined on its flanks, may be conducted in all kinds of winding and changeable directions:

for

for if the changes be made gradual and circling, and that the pivot leaders of divifions purfue their proper path at the fame uniform equal pace, the true diftances of divifions will be preserved, which is the great regulating object on this occafion, and to which every other confideration must give way.

To whichever hand the wheel is made on a moveable pivot, it is made within, and cuts off the angle formed by the interfection of the old and new directions.

In wheeling in column of march on a fixed pivot, the outward file, whether officer or man, is the one wheeled

on.

S. 53. Countermarch by Files.

The platoon, when it is to countermarch, muft always be confidered as a divifion of a battalion in column; the instructor of the drill will therefore, previous to his giving the caution to countermarch, fignify whether the right or left is fuppofed to be in front, that the commander of the platoon, and his covering ferjeant, may be placed on the pivot flank before fuch caution is given, as it is an invariable rule in the countermarch of the divifions of a column by files, that the facings be made from the flank, then the pivot one, to the one which is to become fuch.

FACE.

QUICK MARCH.

On the word, TO THE RIGHT, or left, FACE, the platoon faces, the commander of it immediately goes to the other flank, and his covering ferjeant advancing to the fpot which he has quitted, faces to the right about.-At the word QUICK MARCH, the whole, except the ferjeant coverer, ftep off together, the platoon officer wheeling fhort round the rear rank (viz. to his right, if he has fhifted to the right of the

Halt, Front,
Drefs.

platoon; or to his left, if he be on the left of it); and proceeds, followed by the platoon in file, till he has conducted his pivot front rank man close to his ferjeant, who has remained immoveable; he then gives the words Halt, Front, and Dress, fquares, and clofes his platoon on his ferjeant, and then replaces him.

All countermarches by files neceffarily tend to an extenfion of the files; unity of ftep is therefore abfolutely indifpenfible, and the greatest care must be taken that the wheel of each file be made clofe, quick, and at an increased length of step of the wheeling man, fo as not to retard or lengthen out the march of the whole.

Companies, or their divifions, when brought up in file to a new line, are not to ftand in that pofition, till the men cover each other minutely: but the inftant the leading man is at his point, they will receive the word Halt, front, and in that fituation clofe in, and drets correctly.

S. 54. Wheeling on the Center of the Platoon.

The platoon must be accustomed to wheel upon its center, half backward, half forward, and to be pliable into every shape, which circumftances can require of it; but always in order, and by a decided command.

The Words of Command are,

When the wheel to be made is to the right, or right about, the right half platoon is the one to wheel backward, and

the

MARCH.

the left forward.-The reverse will take place, when the wheel is to be made to the left, or to the left about.-On the word MARCH, the whole move together in the quickest time, regulating by the two flank men, who, during the wheel, preserve themselves in a line with the center of the platoon;-as foon as the required degree of wheel is performed, the commander of the platoon gives the Halt, Drefs. word Halt, Drefs, and inftantly fquares it from that flank, on which he himself is to take poft.

S. 55. Oblique Marching.

The inftructor of the drill will have the oblique march frequently practifed, in platoon, in fub-divifions, and in file: (vide Sect. 35, 36.) He will fee when in divifions, that the rear ranks lock well up, and cover exactly; -when in file, that the exact distances are preferved between the files and in both cafes, that the platoon during its march continues parallel to the position, from which it commenced obliquing.

S. 56. Increafing and diminishing the Front of an Open Column balted.

Fig. 5. B.

FORM PLATOON.

Increafing.

The platoon ftanding in open column of fub-divifions (fuppofe the right in front) receives from the inftructor of the drill a caution to Form Platoon-The commander