LIGHT INFANTRY,

GENERAL ATTENTIONS.

WHEN the LIGHT INFANTRY Companies are in line with their battalions they are to form and act in every respect as a company of the battalion, but when not in line they may doofen their files to fix inches,

Open order is to be two feet between each file.The neceffity of increasing this diftance must depend on circumstances, and be regulated at the moment by the commanding officer,

The files may be extended from right, left, or center, according to circumftances; in executing it each front rank man muft carefully take his distance from the man next to him, on that fide from which the extenfion is made: the rear rank men conform to the movement of their file leaders.

When

When the company is not in extended order, all firing is to be by fingle men, each firing as quick as he can, confiftent with loading properly: the firing to begin from the flank, or from the point first formed.

In firing in extended order, it is to be a standing Firing. rule, that the two men of the fame file are never unloaded together, for which purpofe, as foon as the front rank man has fired he is to flip round the left of the rear rank man, who will make a fhort pace forward, and put hinfelf in the others place, whom he is to protect while loading.-When the first man returns his ramrod he will give his comrade the word ready, after which, and not before, he may fire and immediately change places as before.

The fame method of firing to be obferved when Advancing advancing or retreating, which must always be in and retreatordinary time (efpecially if cannon are ordered to ing. the front with the light companies, which may often

be the cafe).-Particular attention must be paid to To ceafe ceafe firing on the first word, of fignal for 'that firing. purpose.

All movements of the light companies, except Movements when firing, advancing, or retreating, are to be in in quick time. 'quick time.

unleis or

dered.

The light companies are never to run unless par- Never to run ticularly directed, and in that cafe they are only to run at that pace in which they can preferve their order; and it is to be a rule that the two men of the fame file never feparate on any account whatever.

The utmost care to be taken to avoid confufion, Avoid conwhich too much hurry, even in the fmalleft bodies,

fubon.

File movements.

Forming to the front.

Right or left.

Forward to right or left.

Marching to

rear and forming.

Signals, &c. for officers

commanding.

will certainly occafion.-The intermixture of files can never be allowed of.

Though all movements should be made in front as much as poffible, yet, from the nature of thole o light infantry, and the ground they are more particularly liable to traverse, file movements may frequently be neceffary.-All fuch to be made from one of the flanks by previously facing to it, and the files to loofen, fo as to march perfectly at eafe, but not

more.

In forming, the inverfion of files or of ranks is not to be attended to if time is thereby gained.Forming to the front to be done by the file moving brifkly up to the right or left of the leading file as ordered.

Forming to right or left.-The leading file will halt and face as directed, as will the fucceeding ones as they come up to their proper diftances.

Forming forward to right or left,The leading file halts and faces as directed; the fucceeding files lead round the rear, and form to the fame front as the leading file has done, and at their proper distances.

When marching to the rear by files, and to form to the front. The leading file will halt and front, the fucceeding files will go round the rear of the leading file, and form on the right or left of it as directed.Forming to right or left, or forward to right or left is done in the fame manner as when marching to the front.

All fignals, words of command, and directions, are for the officer commanding the company or divifion, who gives the neceffary orders in confequence.

The

The neceffary fignals will be previously fettled, and signals. as they will be very few and fimple, the officers and non-commiffioned officers are expected to be mafters of them.

The officer commanding the company will be on Poft of offithe right, covered by a ferjeant.-The next on the cers. left alfo covered by a ferjeant.-The youngeft officer in the rear. In extended order the poft of the offcers and ferjeants is always in the rear equally divided, where they must pay particular attention that the men preferve their order, and that they level, fire, and load coolly and properly; they muft likewife be attentive to direct them to the fuppofed object of attack.

In marching by files the officer commanding leads; by divifions each officer leads one. The fupernumerary officer, if there be one, is in both cafes, with the officer commanding, ready to obey any directions he may receive from him.

When a light company or detachment is ordered to Taking post. take poft on any particular fpot, it is to be the bufinefs of the officer commanding it to take the best advantage of the ground, obferving that he mut never difperfe his company; but if it thould be neceffary to make fmall detachments from it, he must ftill preserve a part of his company or detachment as a reserve on which thofe detachments may fall back; and this is to be a general rule in all cales where the ftrength of the party is fufficient to alloy of making detachments fro:n it.

defence.

The officers muft alfo fee that in fituations of To cover in defence the men cover themselves with trees, walls, fituations of large ftones, or whatever may prefent itlelf.-in firing from behind trees, large fones, &c they are to prefent to the right of the object which covers.

I

them;

Arms how carried.

them; and in changing places with the other man of the file, after firing, they will tep back, and to the left, fo that the rear rank man may ftep forward without being exposed.

The arms of light infantry in general will be carried floped, and with the bayonets fixed.-Flanking and advanced parties however, or parties in particular fituations, may carry them trailed, and without bayonets, for the purpose of taking cooler and more deliberate aim.

Divifions co

ver 2d and

7th compa

nies.

Light Infantry attached to refpective Regiments

when in Line.

The light company will be posted in the rear of its respective regiment, divided in two divifions; that on the right will be in the rear of the fecond company, that on the lett in the rear of the feventh comPoft of company, and they will at all times obferve the distance manding off of thirty paces.-The captain, or officer commanding, will be with the right divifion.

cer.

Line breaks

When the line breaks into column, if the light into column. companies receive no particular directions for covering either the front or flanks of the column, they will wheel as the companies of the battalion do, and conform themselves exactly to the movements of the fecond and feventh companies, fo as at all times to be in their proper places.