18th Texas Volunteer Infantry Re-enactors - Black Confederate Soldiers

SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER

The men having learned, in the first and second parts, to march with steadiness in common time, and to take steps equal in length and swiftness, will be exercised in the third part only in quick time, double quick time, and the run; the instructor will cause them to execute successively, at these different gaits, the march to the front, the facing about in marching, the march by the flank, the wheels at a halt and in marching, and the changes of direction to the side of the guides.

The instructor will inform the recruits that at the command march, they will always move off in quick time, unless this command should be preceded by that of double quick.

To March to the front.

The rank being correctly aligned, when the instructor shall wish to cause it to march by the front, he will place a well instructed man on the right or the left, according to the side on which he may wish the guide to be, and command:

1. Squad, forward. 2. Guide right (or left). 3. MARCH

Forward. March. (SoS:326)

At the command march, the rank will step off smartly with the left foot; the guide will take care to march straight to the front, keeping the shoulders always in a square with that line.

The instructor will observe, in marching to the front, that the men touch lightly the elbow towards the side of the guide; that they do not open out the left elbow, nor the right arm; that they yield to pressure coming from the side of the aide, and resist that coming from the opposite side; that they recover by insensible degrees the slight touch of the elbow, if lost; that they maintain the head direct to the front, no matter on which side the guide may be; and if found before or behind the alignment, that the mail in fault corrects himself by shortening or lengthening the step, by degrees. Almost insensible.

The instructor will labor to cause recruits to comprehend that the alignment can only be preserved, in marching, by the regularity of the step, the touch of the elbow, and the maintenance of the shoulders in a square with the line of direction; that if, for example, the step of some be longer than that of others, or if some march faster han others, a separation of elbows, and a loss of the alignment, would be inevitable; that if (it being required that the head should be direct to the front) they do not strictly observe the touch of elbows, it would be impossible for an individual to judge whether he marches abreast with his neighbor, or not, and whether there be not an interval between them.

The impulsion of the quick step having a tendency to make men too easy and free in their movements, the instructor will be careful to regulate the cadence of this step, and to habituate them to preserve always the erectness of the body, and the due length of the pace.

The men being well established in the principles of the direct march, the instructor will exercise them in marching obliquely. The rank being in March, the instructor will command:

1. Right (or left) oblique. 2. MARCH.

Right Oblique. March. (SoS:331)

At the second command, each man will make a half face to the right (or left), and will then march straight forward in the new direction. As the men no longer touch elbows, they will glance along the shoulders of the nearest files towards the side to which they are oblique, and will regulate their steps so that the shoulders shall always be behind that of their next neighbor on that side, and that his head shall conceal the heads of the other men in the rank. Besides this, the men should preserve the same length of pace, and the same degree of obliquity.

the instructor, wishing to resume the primitive direction, will command:

1. Forward. 2. MARCH.

At the second command, each man will make a half face to the left (or right), and all will then march straight to the front, conforming to the principles of the direct march.

Right About. March. (SoS:334)

To March to the front in double quick time.

When the several principles, heretofore explained, have become familiar to the recruits, and they shall be well established in the position of the body, the bearing of arms, and the mechanism, length, and swiftness of the step, the instructor will pass them from quick to double quick time, and the reverse observing not to make them march obliquely in double quick time, till they are well established in the cadence of this step.

The squad being at a march in quick time, the instructor will command:

1. Double quick. 2. MARCH.

At the command march, which will be given when either foot is coming to the ground, the squad will step off in double quick time. The men will endeavor to follow the principles laid down in the first part of this book, and to preserve the alignment.

When the instructor wishes the squad to resume the step in quick time, he will command:

1. Quick time. 2. MARCH.

At the command march, which will be given when either foot is coming to the ground, the squad will retake the step in quick time.

The squad being in march, the instructor will halt it by the commands and means prescribed Nos. 98 and 99. The command halt, will be given an instant before the foot is ready to be placed on the ground.

The squad being in march in double quick time, the instructor will occasionally cause it to mark time by the commands prescribed in No. 240. The men will then mark double quick time, without altering the cadence of the step. He will also cause them to pass from the direct to the oblique step, and reciprocally, conforming to what has been prescribed No. 330, and following

The squad being at a halt, the instructor will cause it to march in double quick time, by preceding the command march, by double quick.

The instructor will endeavor to regulate well the cadence of this step.

To face about in marching

If the squad be marching in quick, or double quick time, and the instructor should wish to march it in retreat, he will command:

1. Squad right about. 2. MARCH.

At the command march, which will be given at the instant the left foot is coming to the ground, the recruit will bring this foot to the ground, and turning on it, will face to the rear; he will then place the right foot in the new direction, and step off with the left foot.

To march backwards

The squad being at a halt, if the instructor should wish to march it in the back step, he will command:

1. Squad backward. 2. Guide left (or right). 3. MARCH.

Backward. March. (SoS:347)

The instructor, in this step, will be watchful that the men do not lean on each other.

As the march to the front in quick time should only be executed at shouldered arms, the instructor, in order not to fatigue the men too much, and also to prevent negligence in gait and position, will halt the squad from time to time, and cause arms to be ordered.

In marching at double quick time, the men will always carry their pieces on the right shoulder or at a trail. This rule is general.

If the instructor shall wish the pieces carried at a trail, he will give the command trail arms, before the command double quick. If, on the contrary, this command be not given, the men will shift their pieces to the right shoulder at the command double quick. In either case, at the command halt, the men will bring their pieces to the position of shoulder arms. This rule is general.