A rear rank which has lengthened out, and formed on the flank of its battalion, would return to its place, by wheeling back into open column of fub-divifions; marching till each arrived at its flank point; the leading rank of each would wheel up and cover; and the second rank would move behind it, and alfo wheel up.

Exercife

of Company.

S. 66. 67. 68. 69,

In pursuance of the foregoing inftructions, and on the principles they contain, every company of a battalion must be frequently exercised by its own officers, each fuperintending a rank, or an allotted part of the whole. And on the space of 70 or 80 yards fquare, can every circumftance be practifed that is neceffary to qualify it for the operations of the battalion.--That fpace being pointed out by under officers, or other marks, as directed at the latter end of the first part, the company will exercise, both at open and close files, without arms, and with arms, as follows:

By Ranks.

1. March in fingle file, by fucceffive ranks, along the 4 fides of the fquare.-The fame, by twos.

2. March, and wheel, by ranks of fours:-File off fingly and double up, preferving proper distances, and not quickening on the wheel.

3. March, and wheel, by fub-divifions of ranks.

4. March, and wheel, by whole ranks.

5. March to front, and to rear; ranks at 10 paces afunder,

6. March

6. March the company in a fingle rank, to front, and to rear, by a flank, and by the center.

7. Oblique by ranks.

8. Open, and close files, and intervals, by the fide Rep.

9. March in file, to either flank.

10. Ranks fucceffively advance 6 or 8 paces; halt, and drefs.-Ranks fucceffively fall back 6 or 8 paces; halt, and drefs.

11. Advance, or retire 2 or 3 flank men; the ranks drefs to them.

12. Open, and clofe ranks,

At Clofe Ranks, and Files.

13. March, and wheel in all directions, by fub-divifions, and by company.-Shorten ftep, and lengthen it, the march to be made both in ordinary and quick time, -The wheels to be made in wheeling time.

14. Advance, and retire, 2 or 3 flank files, and drefs

to them.

15. Open, and close to the flank, by the fide-step. 16. Change front by the counter march by files, 17. March to the flanks, clofe and without opening out.-Form to the front, or to either flank.

18. March oblique.

19. Sub-divifions double on the march, and again form up, by obliquing.

20. Wheel backwards by fub-divifions.-March along

the

the line, to prolong it :-Form to the flank, by wheeling up; or to the front by obliquing.

21. File from the flank of company to the rear, as in the paffage of lines: Halt, front;-Clofe into pivot file:Wheel up, as in forming in line.

22. From 3 deep, form 2 deep.

23. From 2 deep, form 3 deep.

24. Exercife of the firelock, manual, and platoon, by ranks, and company.

25. Firings by files, fub-divifions, and company.

The neceffary pauses, and formations, betwixt these movements, in order to connect them, muft of course be made. They may be practifed in whatever fucceffion fhall at the time be found proper.-The greateft precifion must be required, and obferved, in their execution, according to the rules already laid down.

Every officer must be instructed in each individual circumftance required of a recruit, or a foldier; alfo in the exercise of the fword: and accustomed to give words of command, with that energy, and precision, which is fo effential.-Every officer, on first joining a regiment, is to be examined by the commanding officer; and, if he is found imperfect in the knowledge of the movements required from a foldier, he must be ordered to be exercifed that he may learn their juft execution. Till he is mafter of those points, and capable of inftructing the men under his command, he is not to be permitted to take the command of a platoon in the battalion.

Squads of officers must be formed, and exercised by a field officer; they must be marched in all directions, to the front, oblique, and to the flank; they inuft be marched in line, at platoon diftance, and preferve their dreing and line from an advanced center; they must be placed in file at platoon distance, and marched as in open co

2

lumn;

lumn; they must change direction, as in file, and cover anew in column. In thefe, and other fimilar movements, the pace and the diftances are the great objects to be maintained.-From the number of files in divifion, they muft learn accurately to judge the ground neceffary for each, and to extend that knowledge to the front of greater bodies. They must acquire the habit of readily afcertaining, by the eye, perpendiculars of march, and the fquareness of the wheel.

An officer must not only know the poft, which he fhould occupy in all changes of fituation, the commands which he fhould give, and the general intention of the required movement; but he fhould be mafter of the principles, on which each is made; and of the faults that may be committed, in order to avoid them himself, and to inftruct others.-Thefe principles are in themselves fo fimple, that moderate reflection, habit, and attention, will foon fhew them to the eye, and fix them in the mind; and individuals, from time to time, when qualified, must be ordered to exercise the battalion, or its parts.

The complete instruction of an officer enlarges with his fituation, and at laft takes in the whole circle of military fcience: From the variety of knowledge required of him, his exertion must be unremitting, to qualify himfelf for the progreffive fituations at which he arrives.

Befides the inftruction peculiar to the under officers, they should be exercifed in the fame manner as the officers are, as they are frequently called on to replace them :The neceffity alfo of order, fteadinefs, and filence, and of executing every thing deliberately, and without hurry, fhould be ftrongly inculcated in the infantry foldier.

D. D.

End of PART SECOND.

A perfect Uniformity in the Formation and Arrangement of all Companies and Battalions, is indifpenfable for the Execution of just and combined Move

iments.

FORMATION OF THE COMPANY.

HE company is always to be fized from flanks to

THE

center.

The files lightly touch when firelocks are fhouldered and carried, but without crouding; and each man will occupy a space of about 22 inches.

Clofe order is the chief and primary order, in which the battalion and its parts at all times affemble and form. Open order is only regarded as an exception from it, and occafionally used in fituations of parade and fhow.-In clofe order; the officers are in the ranks, and the rear ranks are clofed up within one pace.-In open order; the officers are advanced three paces, and the ranks are two paces diftant from each other.

Each