Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Cavalry of the Army Part 29

(_see also_ Def. =Base=, and par. 326.)

=371.= At the original formation of the squad =in line=, the leader designates a trooper by name as =guide= of the squad. The guide of the squad =in line= and =foragers= is habitually a trooper at or near the center of the squad; any trooper may, however, be designated as guide.

=372.= A trooper having once been designated as guide of the squad in line continues to act as such, =in line= or =foragers=, until another trooper be specifically designated as guide. With a view, however, to avoiding possible doubt as to the ident.i.ty of the guide, the leader at each change of formation that terminates in line or foragers habitually indicates the guide of the new formation.

=373.= To designate the guide the leader cautions: (So-and-so) =THE GUIDE=, and habitually places himself 3 yards in front of the trooper named if not already in that position. A trooper designated as guide will, at the time of the designation, raise his hand or weapon to a position vertically above his head, hold the position for a moment, and then lower his arm to his side without further command. The leader or his a.s.sistant may at any time cause the guide thus to indicate his ident.i.ty to the other troopers by cautioning: =GUIDE=. The leader may change the guide of the squad in line at any time by indicating =disregard= (par. 990), placing himself in front of another trooper and designating the latter as guide in the manner prescribed above.

=374.= The base of the squad in each of the column formations is the leading element (four, two, or trooper, respectively).

The guide of the leading (base) element is also the guide of the squad. In each four No. 2 is the guide; in each two the right trooper (No. 1 or No. 3). In an incomplete four or two the position of the guide is always filled. The guide of each element in rear of the base follows in the trace of the guide of the base (leading) element at the prescribed distance.

=375.= Whenever in the execution of any movement a four or two moves to its new position by an oblique (or movement approximating an oblique) the trooper on the side toward which the oblique is made acts as guide of the element during the oblique. At all other times the guide in a four or two is as indicated in par. 374 unless specially otherwise stated.

=376.= The guide of the squad habitually follows the leader at 3 yards distance, but the leader may designate a greater distance, in which case the guide marches accordingly.

=377.= When a guide temporarily is =directing guide= (par. 324), it is necessary that he continue accurately in the direction of march or in the direction indicated for him by the leader. This is an application of the marching upon fixed points prescribed in the =School of the Trooper= (par. 232).

MOVEMENTS EXECUTED BY THE SQUAD.

=378.= Any formation (close or extended order) prescribed for the squad may be taken directly from any other _close-order_ formation.

Being in extended order the squad, to pa.s.s directly to close order, must execute the a.s.sembly or rally.

=379.= Subject to such modifications as are indicated under the respective paragraphs describing the movements, the =dismounted squad= executes, at the same commands as prescribed for the mounted squad, such movements as are not obviously inapplicable to dismounted duty.

The execution of the dismounted movements will, where differences in the mounted and dismounted methods necessarily exist, be in accord with the principles explained in the =School of the Trooper, Dismounted=, corresponding changes in the details of execution being made.

=380.= The general principles regulating gait and pace for both mounted and dismounted movements are stated in pars. 333-339.

Modifications of those principles, if any, are stated under the corresponding paragraphs in the =School of the Squad=.

COMMANDS AND CORRESPONDING ARM SIGNALS.

=381.= Following is a list of the princ.i.p.al commands employed in the =School of the Squad=, together with the corresponding arm signals, if any. The list includes only a few of the commands also found in the =School of the Trooper= (mounted or dismounted.) The commands are arranged alphabetically for convenient reference. The description of the signals will be found in par. 990.

-------------------------------+-------+--------------------------- COMMANDS. PARS. ARM SIGNALS.

-------------------------------+-------+--------------------------- =1. a.s.semble, 2. MARCH= 414 =a.s.semble.=[7]

=1. Backward, 2. MARCH= 384 None.

=1. By the right (left) flank, 2. MARCH= 411 =March to the flank.=[7]

=CIRCLE HORSES= 428 None.

=1. Column, 2. MARCH= 399 =Column.=[7]

=1. Column half right (left), 2. MARCH= 396 Change direction.[7]

(_See_ par. 386.) =1. Column of twos, 2. MARCH= 399 =Column--twos.=[8]

=1. Column right (left), 2. MARCH= 396 =Change direction.=[7]

(_See_ par. 386.) =COUPLE HEAD AND TAIL= 427 None.

=DISMOUNT= 357 =Prepare to dismount.=[7]

(Given as explained in par.

357.) =1. Foragers, 2. MARCH= { 408 } =Foragers.=[7]

{ 410 } =1. Forward, 2. MARCH= { 382 } =Forward.=[7]

{ 412 } =1. Fours right (left), { 391 } =March to the flank.=[7]

2. MARCH= { 400 } =1. Fours right (left) about, { 401 } =To the rear[7] (left about 2. MARCH= { 402 } only).= =1. Fours right (left), 403-_c_ None.

column left (right)=; =2 MARCH.= =1. Fours (twos or troopers) 413 None.

at so many yards distance, 2. MARCH.= =1. Gallop, 2. MARCH= 382 From the trot only: =Increase the gait.=[7][9]

=HORSES BACK= 432 None =INCLINE TO THE RIGHT= { 390 } None { 396 } =1. Nos. 1, 2, and 4; 436 None.

2. FORM ON FOOT MOUNT= 355 =Prepare to mount.= (Given as explained in par. 355.) =1. Prepare to dismount, { 356 } =Prepare to dismount.=[7]

2. DISMOUNT= { 358 } =1. Prepare to mount, { 354 } =Prepare to mount.=[7]

2. MOUNT= { 358 } =RALLY= 416 =Rally= (no preparatory signal).

Oral command habitually accompanies signal.

=1. Right (left) by fours, 403-_a_ None.

2. MARCH= =1. Right (left) by troopers, {393-_b_} None.

2. MARCH= {403-_b_} =1. Right (left) by twos, 393-_a_ None 2. MARCH= 403-_b_ =1. Right (left) forward, 403-_d_ None.

fours right (left)=; =2. MARCH.= =1. Right (left) half turn, 388 =Change direction.=[7] The 2. MARCH; 3. Forward, signal of execution for the 4. MARCH=; or 3. =Squad=, change of direction is 4. =HALT.= followed by =forward or halt=[7] (par. 386).

=1. Right (left) front into 409 None.

foragers= (or =skirmishers=), 2. MARCH.= =1. Right (left) front into 397 None.

line, 2. MARCH= =1. Right (left) turn, 386 Change direction.[7] The 2. MARCH; 3. Forward signal of execution for the 4. MARCH; or 3. Squad, change of direction is 4. HALT= followed by =forward=[7] or =halt=.[7]

=1. Skirmishers, 2. MARCH= { 408 } =Skirmishers.=[7]

{ 410 } =1. Squad, 2. HALT= 383 =Halt.=[7]

=TO FIGHT ON FOOT.= When given 430 =To fight on foot.= (No orally the indication =ACTION preparatory signal.) RIGHT= (=LEFT, FRONT=) is habitually added to the above command. =FIRE AT WILL= may also immediately follow the above command (par. 430). =1. To the rear, 2. MARCH= 412 =To the rear.=[7]

=1. Troopers right (left) 402 To the rear[7] (left about about, 2. MARCH.= (Given only).

only from column of troopers.) =1. Troopers right (left) 385 None.

oblique, 2. MARCH.= =1. Trot, 2. MARCH= 239 From the =walk=: =Increase the gait.=[7][9]

From the =gallop=: =Decrease the gait.=[7][9]

=1. Twos right (left), 400 =March to the flank.=[7]

2. MARCH.= (Given only from column of twos and as an exceptional movement.) =1. Twos right (left) about, 402 To the =rear=[7] (left about 2. MARCH.= (Given only from only).

column of twos.) =1. Walk, 2. MARCH= 239 From the trot only: =Decrease= =the gait.=[7][9]

[Footnote 7: Signals marked thus are preparatory signals; the signal of execution in each case is made as prescribed in par. 990.]

[Footnote 8: In signals marked thus (combination signals) the preparatory signal consists of more than one element; the signal of execution follows the last element of the preparatory signal.]

[Footnote 9: See pars. 239, 333. When a gait signal is added to the preparatory command the resulting signal is given as a combination signal.]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MOVEMENTS, CLOSE ORDER.

=382.= =Being in line at a halt, to march to the front:= 1. =Forward=, 2. =MARCH.=

The leader moves forward, followed at a distance of 3 yards by the guide (par. 371). The other troopers conform to the march of the guide as explained in par. 367.

=Being at a halt, to move forward at a trot or gallop=, the commands are (par. 333): 1. =Forward, trot=, or 1. =Forward, gallop=; 2.

=MARCH.=

Increases of gait are habitually made progressively (par. 239).

The march of the squad in line, dismounted, is conducted in accordance with the provisions of pars. 68-74.

=383.= =Marching in line, to halt=: 1. =Squad=, 2. =HALT.=

All halt at the second command.