Manual of Military Training Part 12

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 Distances

=156.= Being in line at a halt: =1. Take interval, 2. To the right (left), 3. MARCH, 4. Squad, 5. HALT.=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Being in line at a halt.

=1. Take interval, 2. To the right (left)=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

At the second command the rear-rank men march backward 4 steps and halt;

=3. MARCH=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

At the command =halt=, given when all have their intervals, all halt and face to the front. (109)

[Ill.u.s.tration: (AT INTERVALS)]

=157. Being at intervals, to a.s.semble the squad:=

=1. a.s.semble, to the right (left), 2. MARCH.=

[Ill.u.s.tration: (a.s.sEMBLE)]

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)

[Ill.u.s.tration: (a.s.sEMBLED)]

=158.= Being in line at a halt and having counted off: =1. Take distance, 2. MARCH, 3. Squad, 4. HALT.=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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 a.s.semble the squad: =1. a.s.semble, 2.

MARCH.=

[Ill.u.s.tration]

No. 1 of the front rank stands fast; the other numbers move forward to their proper places in line. (112)

To Stack and Take Arms

[Ill.u.s.tration]

=160.= 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

[Ill.u.s.tration]

and rests the b.u.t.t 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 pa.s.ses his piece, barrel to the rear, to his file leader, who grasps it between the bands with his right hand

[Ill.u.s.tration]

and throws the b.u.t.t 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;

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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,

[Ill.u.s.tration]

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 b.u.t.t 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 ill.u.s.tration.)

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 b.u.t.t 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,

[Ill.u.s.tration]

and, then pa.s.ses the piece of his rear-rank man to him, and all resume the order. (114)