sharpiefan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sharpiefan) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
hm_jollies2012-03-19 03:35 pm
sharpiefan) wrote in hm_jollies2012-03-19 03:35 pm
Of Disciplining young Soldiers for Land-Service (Part 2)
(From A military treatise... by J. MacIntire)
The Field Exercise, on a March
In exercising on the March, all Motions begin with the right Foot, either in slow or quick Time, making one Motion for every pace in slow Time and one Motion for every two Paces in quick Time; according to this Rule the Field Exercise is to be performed on the March, only it must be observed, that in fixing Bayonets in slow Time, you are to make two Paces for the Motion of putting the Bayonet over the Sight, and the same in returning the Bayonet, as you point it into the Scabbard. When in slinging you bring the Firelock over your Head, you are to make two Paces at that Motion, and the same when you are unslinging.
I shall here add the Method of Firing &C on the March, as practised at present by the Regiments of Foot.
1.
Firing advancing! (3 Motions.)
The Preparative begins with the left Foot, and ends as the right Foot comes to the Ground; seiazing the Firelock with the right Hand, as the left Foot comes to the Ground, recover with your Right, stepping forward with your Left, bring the Butt down at the same Time.
2.
Firing retreating! (3 Motions.)
The Preparative must be ended when the left Foot comes to the Ground, then plant with the right Foot behind the Left, seizing the Firelock at the same Time with the right Hand, then face about, coming to a Recover. Tell 1, 2, and come down.
3.
Make ready in quick Time to the Front!
The Preparative begins with the right Foot, and ends with the same, making one Pace with the Left, bringing up the right Foot with a Plant. Count 1, 2, and then come down.
4.
To the Right about, make ready!
The Preparative begins and ends with the right Foot, making one Pace with the left Foot; bringing up the right Foot with a Plant, seizing the Firelock with the right Hand, at the same Time come about and recover. Count 1, 2, then come down as in slow Time.
5.
Loading on the March
After firing, recover your Arms, bringing the right Foot behind the Left, at the same Time turning on both Heels to the right about; stepping off with the right Foot and make five Paces, bring the Firelock to the priming Posture, making one Motion at every pace in slow Time and every second pace in quick Time, as the right Foot comes to the Ground.
Of varying the Exercise, and breaking through the Routine
When a Detachment is well drilled, the Exercise, Firings and Evolutions must not succeed one another regularly, according to the Regulation which must be observed in the writing of a Treatise. A Soldier never should know what he is to perform next; if he does, he will pay no Attention to the Word of Command; for which Reason, an Officer, who understands Discipline, will, perhaps, begin with the Firings, break off from that, and perform part of the Evolutions, and afterwards go through some Pieces of the Manual Exercise; and so diversify the Duty as he thinks proper, in order to try if the Soldiers are perfect in the Whole, and can perform any Part by itself, without having the least Connexion with another. Till a Soldier can do this, he does not understand his Duty.
Campell Dalrymple, page 83:
"The Evolutions and Firings should never succeed one another in any Order; in the contrary, they must be varied in the most trying Way, and every Means used to break through that Routine to which Troops are too much accustomed, even Cautions are given much oftener than necessary; for the Word of Command pronounced audibly and distinctly, should always suffice.
"In fine, a Soldier is never to be allowed to judge when he is to do his Business well or in a slovenly Manner; but must at all Times exert himself and do his Duty with the greatest Punctuality and Spirit; and where Officers permit the contrary, they neglect their Duty; and, by their indulgence, not only lessen their Authority, but bring themselves under the Contempt of the very Men they mean to favour."
Of a sham Fight
As Discipline improves Courage, and the Soldier requires but an Occasion to execute what he is sure he has properly learnt; we must endeavour to reduce to Reality, in some Measure, what he has been practising, in oder to give him a strong Idea of Land-Service; which can be attempted, by performing a sham Fight on a large Quarter-Deck.
Campell Dalrymple, Page 206:
"Ai first, the men will be found very inattentive, observing more the Motions of their Adversaries, than minding their own: They will have the same Hurry of Spirits as in real Action; and those who have try'd both, will find that it is not the Danger of real Service which alone produces the Confusion, and Disorder incident to it; but a good deal may be imputed to the above Causes."
Let us suppose the Detachment of a first Rate to be formed in two Parties, the first Party on the Starboard, and the second on the Larboard side of the Quarter-Deck, facing each other; and that they are to perform the Firings &c according to the annexed Plan
The first Party is to attack the second, and try to dislodge it from the Post it is supposed to occupy. Each Party must be regularly divided into Platoons , as in the Firings, and commanded by a Subaltern, who is to Manoeuvre in the same Manner as if he was in Action on Shore, so far as the Deck will permit. As Serjeants will be wanted here, the Corporals must supply their Place, and command some of the Platoons.
The Captain, or Commanding Officer of the Detachment is to look on, and determine the Victory, ascribing it to the Party which behaves best: But to prevent any Animosity, he should order them alternately to give Way to one another, which will accustom both Sides to rally and pursue.
When a Detachment is to perform a sham Fight on board, the Bayonets must be taken from the Men; as by fixing them, Accidents might happen; especially when young Soldiers are roused by the Noise of Drums, and the Idea of their being opposed. As we cannot fire, we will propose to burn priming, which will heighten the Imagination of Action to a greater Degree than that of snapping with wooden Pieces instead of Flints.
~ ~ ~
Note: The Author's Plan will go into a third Post on this Subject. :D 'Snapping' is the dry firing of the lock mechanism, which we call 'sparking' in modern re-enactment.
In exercising on the March, all Motions begin with the right Foot, either in slow or quick Time, making one Motion for every pace in slow Time and one Motion for every two Paces in quick Time; according to this Rule the Field Exercise is to be performed on the March, only it must be observed, that in fixing Bayonets in slow Time, you are to make two Paces for the Motion of putting the Bayonet over the Sight, and the same in returning the Bayonet, as you point it into the Scabbard. When in slinging you bring the Firelock over your Head, you are to make two Paces at that Motion, and the same when you are unslinging.
I shall here add the Method of Firing &C on the March, as practised at present by the Regiments of Foot.
Firing advancing! (3 Motions.)
The Preparative begins with the left Foot, and ends as the right Foot comes to the Ground; seiazing the Firelock with the right Hand, as the left Foot comes to the Ground, recover with your Right, stepping forward with your Left, bring the Butt down at the same Time.
Firing retreating! (3 Motions.)
The Preparative must be ended when the left Foot comes to the Ground, then plant with the right Foot behind the Left, seizing the Firelock at the same Time with the right Hand, then face about, coming to a Recover. Tell 1, 2, and come down.
Make ready in quick Time to the Front!
The Preparative begins with the right Foot, and ends with the same, making one Pace with the Left, bringing up the right Foot with a Plant. Count 1, 2, and then come down.
To the Right about, make ready!
The Preparative begins and ends with the right Foot, making one Pace with the left Foot; bringing up the right Foot with a Plant, seizing the Firelock with the right Hand, at the same Time come about and recover. Count 1, 2, then come down as in slow Time.
Loading on the March
After firing, recover your Arms, bringing the right Foot behind the Left, at the same Time turning on both Heels to the right about; stepping off with the right Foot and make five Paces, bring the Firelock to the priming Posture, making one Motion at every pace in slow Time and every second pace in quick Time, as the right Foot comes to the Ground.
When a Detachment is well drilled, the Exercise, Firings and Evolutions must not succeed one another regularly, according to the Regulation which must be observed in the writing of a Treatise. A Soldier never should know what he is to perform next; if he does, he will pay no Attention to the Word of Command; for which Reason, an Officer, who understands Discipline, will, perhaps, begin with the Firings, break off from that, and perform part of the Evolutions, and afterwards go through some Pieces of the Manual Exercise; and so diversify the Duty as he thinks proper, in order to try if the Soldiers are perfect in the Whole, and can perform any Part by itself, without having the least Connexion with another. Till a Soldier can do this, he does not understand his Duty.
Campell Dalrymple, page 83:
"The Evolutions and Firings should never succeed one another in any Order; in the contrary, they must be varied in the most trying Way, and every Means used to break through that Routine to which Troops are too much accustomed, even Cautions are given much oftener than necessary; for the Word of Command pronounced audibly and distinctly, should always suffice.
"In fine, a Soldier is never to be allowed to judge when he is to do his Business well or in a slovenly Manner; but must at all Times exert himself and do his Duty with the greatest Punctuality and Spirit; and where Officers permit the contrary, they neglect their Duty; and, by their indulgence, not only lessen their Authority, but bring themselves under the Contempt of the very Men they mean to favour."
As Discipline improves Courage, and the Soldier requires but an Occasion to execute what he is sure he has properly learnt; we must endeavour to reduce to Reality, in some Measure, what he has been practising, in oder to give him a strong Idea of Land-Service; which can be attempted, by performing a sham Fight on a large Quarter-Deck.
Campell Dalrymple, Page 206:
"Ai first, the men will be found very inattentive, observing more the Motions of their Adversaries, than minding their own: They will have the same Hurry of Spirits as in real Action; and those who have try'd both, will find that it is not the Danger of real Service which alone produces the Confusion, and Disorder incident to it; but a good deal may be imputed to the above Causes."
Let us suppose the Detachment of a first Rate to be formed in two Parties, the first Party on the Starboard, and the second on the Larboard side of the Quarter-Deck, facing each other; and that they are to perform the Firings &c according to the annexed Plan
The first Party is to attack the second, and try to dislodge it from the Post it is supposed to occupy. Each Party must be regularly divided into Platoons , as in the Firings, and commanded by a Subaltern, who is to Manoeuvre in the same Manner as if he was in Action on Shore, so far as the Deck will permit. As Serjeants will be wanted here, the Corporals must supply their Place, and command some of the Platoons.
The Captain, or Commanding Officer of the Detachment is to look on, and determine the Victory, ascribing it to the Party which behaves best: But to prevent any Animosity, he should order them alternately to give Way to one another, which will accustom both Sides to rally and pursue.
When a Detachment is to perform a sham Fight on board, the Bayonets must be taken from the Men; as by fixing them, Accidents might happen; especially when young Soldiers are roused by the Noise of Drums, and the Idea of their being opposed. As we cannot fire, we will propose to burn priming, which will heighten the Imagination of Action to a greater Degree than that of snapping with wooden Pieces instead of Flints.
~ ~ ~
Note: The Author's Plan will go into a third Post on this Subject. :D 'Snapping' is the dry firing of the lock mechanism, which we call 'sparking' in modern re-enactment.