Infantry Drill Regulations, United States Army, 1911 Part 9

_The Oblique March._

116. 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.

117. 1. _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 the 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 _half step_ or _mark time_ while obliquing, the oblique march is resumed by the commands: 1. _Oblique_, 2. _MARCH_.

_To Turn on Moving Pivot._

118. 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. (_C.I.D.R., No. 2._)

_To Turn on Fixed Pivot._

119. 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, moves 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.

120. 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.

121. 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.

122. 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.

_To Follow the Corporal._

123. Being a.s.sembled 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.

_To Deploy as Skirmishers._

124. Being in any formation, a.s.sembled: 1. _As skirmishers_, 2.

_MARCH_.

The corporal places himself in front of the squad, if not already there. Moving at a run, the men place themselves abreast of the corporal at half-pace intervals, Nos. 1 and 2 on his right, Nos. 3 and 4 on his left, rear-rank men on the right of their file leaders, extra men on the left of No. 4; all then conform to the corporal's gait.

When the squad is acting alone, skirmish line is similarly formed on No. 2 of the front rank, who stands fast or continues the march, as the case may be; the corporal places himself in front of the squad when advancing and in rear when halted.

When deployed as skirmishers, the men march at ease, pieces at the trail unless otherwise ordered.

The corporal is the guide when in the line; otherwise No. 2 front rank is the guide.

125. The normal interval between skirmishers is one-half pace, resulting practically in one man per yard of front. The front of a squad thus deployed as skirmishers is about 10 paces.

_To Increase or Diminish Intervals._

126. If a.s.sembled, and it is desired to deploy at greater than the normal interval; or if deployed, and it is desired to increase or decrease the interval: 1. _As skirmishers, (so many) paces_, 2.

_MARCH_.

Intervals are taken at the indicated number of paces. If already deployed, the men move by the flank toward or away from the guide.

_The a.s.sembly._

127. Being deployed: 1. _a.s.semble_, 2. _MARCH_.

The men move toward the corporal and form in their proper places.

If the corporal continues to advance, the men move in double time, form, and follow him.

The a.s.sembly while marching to the rear is not executed.

_Kneeling and Lying Down._

128. If standing: _KNEEL_.

Half face to the right; carry the right toe about 1 foot to the left rear of the left heel; kneel on right knee, sitting as nearly as possible on the right heel; left forearm across left thigh; piece remains in position of order arms, right hand grasping it above the lower band.