Manual of Military Training, James A. Moss [books under 200 pages .TXT] 📗
- Author: James A. Moss
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In the first drills the basis of the alignment is established on, or parallel to, the front of the squad; afterwards, in oblique directions.
Whenever the position of the base file or files necessitates a considerable movement by the squad, such movement will be executed by marching to the front or oblique, to the flank or backward, as the case may be, without other command, and at the trail. (107)
155. To preserve the alignment when marching: GUIDE RIGHT (LEFT).
The men preserve their intervals from the side of the guide, yielding to pressure from that side and resisting pressure from the opposite direction; they recover intervals, if lost, by gradually opening out or closing in; they recover alignment by slightly lengthening or shortening the step; the rear-rank men cover their file leaders at 40 inches.
In double rank, the front-rank man on the right, or designated flank, conducts the march; when marching faced to the flank, the leading man of the front rank is the guide. (108)
To Take Intervals and Distances156. Being in line at a halt: 1. Take interval, 2. To the right (left), 3. MARCH, 4. Squad, 5. HALT.
Being in line at a halt.
1. Take interval, 2. To the right (left)
At the second command the rear-rank men march backward 4 steps and halt;
3. MARCH
At the command march all face to the right and the leading man of each rank steps off; the other men step off in succession, each following the preceding man at 4 paces, rear-rank men marching abreast of their file leaders.
4. Squad, 5. HALT
At the command halt, given when all have their intervals, all halt and face to the front. (109)
157. Being at intervals, to assemble the squad:
1. Assemble, to the right (left), 2. MARCH.
The front-rank man on the right stands fast, the rear rank man on the right closes to 40 inches. The other men face to the right, close by the shortest line, and face to the front. (110)
158. Being in line at a halt and having counted off: 1. Take distance, 2. MARCH, 3. Squad, 4. HALT.
At the command March No. 1 of the front rank moves straight to the front; Nos. 2, 3, and 4 of the front rank and Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the rear rank, in the order named, move straight to the front, each stepping off so as to follow the preceding man at 4 paces. The command halt is given when all have their distances.
In case more than one squad is in line, each squad executes the movement as above. The guide of each rank of numbers is right. (111)
159. Being at distances, to assemble the squad: 1. Assemble, 2. MARCH.
No. 1 of the front rank stands fast; the other numbers move forward to their proper places in line. (112)
To Stack and Take Arms160. Being in line at a halt: STACK ARMS. Each even number of the front rank grasps his piece with the left hand at the upper band
and rests the butt between his feet, barrel to the front, muzzle inclined slightly to the front and opposite the center of the interval on his right, the thumb and forefinger raising the stacking swivel; each even number of the rear rank then passes his piece, barrel to the rear, to his file leader, who grasps it between the bands with his right hand
and throws the butt about 2 feet in advance of that of his own piece and opposite the right of the interval, the right hand slipping to the upper band, the thumb and forefinger raising the stacking swivel, which he engages with that of his own piece;
each odd number of the front rank raises his piece with the right hand, carries it well forward, barrel to the front; the left hand, guiding the stacking swivel,
engages the lower hook of the swivel of his own piece with the free hook of that of the even number of the rear rank; he then turns the barrel outward into the angle formed by the other two pieces and lowers the butt to the ground, to the right and against the toe of his right shoe.
The stacks made, the loose pieces are laid on them by the even numbers of the front rank. When each man has finished handling pieces, he takes the position of the soldier. (113)
161. Being in line behind the stacks: TAKE ARMS.
(See preceding illustration.)
The loose pieces are returned by the even numbers of the front rank; each even number of the front rank grasps his own piece with the left hand, the piece of his rear rank man with his right hand, grasping both between the bands; each odd number of the front rank grasps his piece in the same way with the right hand; disengages it by raising the butt from the ground and then turning the piece to the right, detaches it from the stack; each even number of the front rank disengages and detaches his piece by turning it to the left,
and, then passes the piece of his rear-rank man to him, and all resume the order. (114)
Should any squad have Nos. 2 and 3 blank files, No. 1 rear rank takes the place of No. 2 rear rank in making and breaking the stack; the stacks made or broken, he resumes his post.
Pieces not used in making the stacks are termed loose pieces.
Pieces are never stacked with the bayonet fixed. (115)
The Oblique March162. For the instruction of recruits, the squad being in column or correctly aligned, the instructor causes the squad to face half right or half left, points out to the men their relative positions, and explains that these are to be maintained in the oblique march. (116)
163. Right (Left) oblique, 2. MARCH.
Each man steps off in a direction 45° to the right of his original front. He preserves his relative position, keeping his shoulders parallel to those of the guide (the man on the right front of the line or column), and so regulates his steps that the ranks remain parallel to their original front.
At the command halt the men halt faced to front.
To resume the original direction: 1. Forward 2. MARCH.
The men half face to the left in marching and then move straight to the front.
If at halfstep or mark time while obliquing, the oblique march is resumed by the commands: 1. Oblique, 2. MARCH. (117)
To Turn on Moving Pivot164. Being in line: 1. Right (Left) turn, 2. MARCH.
The movement is executed by each rank successively and on the same ground. At the second command, the pivot man of the front rank faces to the right in marching and takes the half step; the other men of the rank oblique to the right until opposite their places in line, then execute a second right oblique and take the half step on arriving abreast of the pivot man. All glance toward the marching flank while at half step and take the full step without command as the last man arrives on the line.
Right (Left) half turn is executed in a similar manner. The pivot man makes a half change of direction to the right and the other men make quarter changes in obliquing. (118)
To Turn on Fixed Pivot165. Being in line, to turn and march: 1. Squad right (left), 2. MARCH.
At the second command, the right flank man in the front rank faces to the right in marching and marks time; the other front rank men oblique to the right, place themselves abreast of the pivot, and mark time. In the rear rank the third man from the right, followed in column by the second and first, move straight to the front
until in rear of his front-rank man,
when all face to the right in marching and mark time; the other number of the rear rank moves straight to the front four paces and places himself abreast of the man on his right. Men on the new line glance toward the marching flank while marking time and, as the last man arrives on the line, both ranks execute forward, MARCH, without command. (119)
166. Being in line, to turn and halt: 1. Squad right (left), 2. MARCH, 3. Squad, 4. HALT.
The third command is given immediately after the second. The turn is executed as prescribed in the preceding paragraph except that all men, on arriving on the new line, mark time until the fourth command is given, when all halt. The fourth command should be given as the last man arrives on the line. (120)
167. Being in line, to turn about and march: 1. Squad right (left) about, 2. MARCH.
At the second command, the front rank twice executes squad right initiating the second squad right when the man on the marching flank has arrived abreast of the rank. In the rear rank the third man from the right, followed by the second and first in column, moves straight to the front until on the prolongation of the line to be occupied by the rear rank; changes direction to the right; moves in the new direction until in rear of his front-rank man, when all face to the right in marching, mark time, and glance toward the marching flank. The fourth man marches on the left of the third to his new position; as he arrives on the line, both ranks execute forward, MARCH, without command. (121)
168. Being in line, to turn about and halt: 1. Squad right (left) about, 2. MARCH, 3. Squad, 4. HALT.
The third command is given immediately after the second. The turn is executed as prescribed in the preceding paragraph except that all men, on arriving on the new line, mark time until the fourth command is given, when all halt. The fourth command should be given as the last man arrives on the line. (122)
To Follow the Corporal169. Being assembled or deployed, to march the squad without unnecessary commands, the corporal places himself in front of it and commands: FOLLOW ME.
If in line or skirmish line, No. 2 of the front rank follows in the trace of the corporal at about 3 paces; the other men conform to the movements of No. 2, guiding on him and maintaining their relative positions.
If in column, the head of the column follows the corporal. (123)
To Deploy as Skirmishers(In this diagram the corporal was in front of the squad
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