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

SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER

The march by the flank

At the last part of the first command, the rank will face to the right; the even numbered men, after facing to the right, will step quickly to the right side of the odd numbered men, the latter standing fast, so that when the movement is executed, the men will be formed into files of two men abreast.

At the third command, the squad will step off smartly with the left foot; the files keeping aligned, and preserving their intervals.

The march by the left flank will be executed by the same commands, substituting the word left for right, and by inverse means; in this case, the even numbered men, after facing to the left, will stand fast, and the odd numbered will place themselves on their left.

The instructor will place a well-instructed soldier by the side of the recruit who is at the head of the rank, to regulate the step, and to conduct him; and it will be enjoined on this recruit to march always elbow to elbow with the soldier.

The instructor will place himself habitually five or six paces on the flank of the rank marching in file, to watch over the execution of the principles prescribed above. He will also place himself sometimes in its rear, halt, and suffer it to pass fifteen or twenty paces, the better to see whether the men cover each other accurately.

When he shall wish to halt the rank, marching by the flank, and to cause it to face to the front, he will command:

1. Squad. 2. HALT. 3. FRONT.

At the second command, the rank will halt, and afterwards no man will stir, although he may have lost his distance. This prohibition is necessary, to habituate the men to a constant preservation of their distances.

At the third command, each man will front by facing to the left, if marching by the right flank, and by a face to the right, if marching by the left flank. The rear rank men will at the same time move quickly into their places, so as to form the squad again into one rank.
When the men have become accustomed to marching by the flank, the instructor will cause them to change direction by file for this purpose, he will command:

1. by file left (or right). 2. MARCH.

By file right. March. (SoS:362)

At the command march, the first file will change direction to the left (or right) in describing a small are of a circle, and will then march straight forward; the two men of this file, in wheeling, will keep up the touch of the elbows, and the man on the side to which the wheel is made, will shorten the first three or four steps. Each file will come successively to wheel on the same spot where that which preceded it wheeled.

The instructor will also cause the squad to face by the right or left flank in marching, and for this purpose will command:

1. Squad by the right (or left) flank. 2. MARCH.

By the right flank. March. (SoS:364)

At the second command, which will be given a little before either foot comes to the ground, the recruits will turn the body, plant the foot that is raised in the new direction, and step off with the other foot without altering the cadence of the step; the men will double or un-double rapidly.

If, in facing by the right or left flank, the squad should face to the rear, the men will, come into one rank, agreeably to the principles indicated No. 360. It is to be remarked that it is the men who are in rear who always move up to form into single rank and in such manner as never to invert the order of the numbers in the rank.

If, when the squad has been faced to the rear, the instructor should cause, it to face by the Left flank, it is the even numbers who will double by moving to the right of the odd numbers; but if by the right flank, it is the odd numbers who will double to the left of the even numbers. Observe the two following rules in the facings, via:
1. Never gain ground to the front in doubling.
2. Never reverse the order of the numbers in un-doubling.
The front referred to, is the original or real front. The numbers would be reversed, if in counting, beginning on the right of the company, number two should call before number one. These rules apply to all facings, whether the company be marching or at a halt.

This lesson, like the preceding one, will be practiced with pieces at a shoulder; but the instructor may, to give relief by change, occasionally order support arms, and he will require of the recruits marching in this position, as much regularity as in the former.

The march by the flank in double quick time.

The principles of the march by the flank in double quick time, are the same as in quick time. The instructor will give the commands prescribed No. 351, taking care always to give the command double quick before that of March.

The instructor will cause the change of direction, and the march by the flank, to be executed in double quick time, by the same commands, and according to the same principles as in quick time.

The instructor will cause the pieces to be carried either on the right shoulder or at a trail.

The instructor will sometimes march the squad by the flank, without doubling the files.

The principles of this march are the same as in two ranks, and it will always be executed in quick time.

The instructor will give the commands prescribed No. 351, but he will be careful to caution the squad not to double files.

The instructor will be watchful that the men do not bend their knees unequally, which would cause them to tread on the heels of the men in front, and also to lose the cadence of the step and their distances.

The various movements in this lesson will be executed in single rank. In the changes of direction, the leading man will change direction without altering the length or the cadence of the step. The instructor will recall to the attention of the men, that in facing by the right or left flank in marching, they will not double, but march in one rank.