Correct orders

[firefly177]

You are marching merrily down the road in column formation. The CO issues a "To the right of companies into line" order and your formation is now companies in line formation marching in the same direction. My question is what would be the order(s) given to bring the whole battalion into a battle line formation? Would the CO halt the first company in line and have the other companies dress on first company to the right or left? I don't imagine it would be "dress on first company" because mayhem would ensue as companies dash to form. So what would the sequence of orders be?

 

[Cumpston1862]

This maybe of help. It's Hardees by the way.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/ACW/hardee toc.htm

 

[thomas aagaard]

column of Divisions? companies? platoons? ;-)
since you orders the regiment to change to column of companies, I guess you mean to start out in "column of four's"
If your are in "column of fours" I belive this is the correct order:

To Form Forward into Line of Battle from Fours
The battalion being in column of fours, right in front, marching or at a halt. The colonel commands :
1. Forward into line. 2. By the right of companies to the front. 3. MARCH.
The leading captain files his company to the right, and halts it when it has marched the length of its front ; he faces it o the front, and dress it to the right. Each of the other captains conducts his company by the flank over the shortest line towards the point on the line of battle where his left will rest ; and having arrived within three paces, he will command :

1. By file right. 2. MARCH. The left guide wil throw himself on the line of bat le, about wenty paces
in advance of his company. The captain wil finish the movement by the
commands :
1. (Such) company. 2. HALT. 3. FRONT. 4. Right - DRES . 5. FRONT.
--
found here: http://44tennessee.tripod.com/2ColAoTmanual.pdf page 21

 

[Stainless Steel Mucket]

That's a really confusing set of questions you ask. Could you please clarify what you mean. For example,

(1) Did you mean a battalion marching by a flank? Are they marching by the right or left flank?

(2) From a column of companies, are they right in front or left in front? Do you want this battle line formed to the right, left, front or - oh, no! - to the rear?

(3) Are the companies at full distance, half distance or closed in mass?

That Tennessee manual is pretty good. You might want to look there for your answers. Here's another link from that same guy : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/companyline.htm Is this what you're trying to accomplish?

- S.S. Mucket

 

[firefly177]

This maybe of help. It's Hardees by the way.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~roblewis/ACW/hardee toc.htm

Great, I didn't know it was online! Thanks.

 

[firefly177]

column of Divisions? companies? platoons? ;-)
since you orders the regiment to change to column of companies, I guess you mean to start out in "column of four's"
If your are in "column of fours" I belive this is the correct order:

To Form Forward into Line of Battle from Fours
The battalion being in column of fours, right in front, marching or at a halt. The colonel commands :
1. Forward into line. 2. By the right of companies to the front. 3. MARCH.
The leading captain files his company to the right, and halts it when it has marched the length of its front ; he faces it o the front, and dress it to the right. Each of the other captains conducts his company by the flank over the shortest line towards the point on the line of battle where his left will rest ; and having arrived within three paces, he will command :

1. By file right. 2. MARCH. The left guide wil throw himself on the line of bat le, about wenty paces
in advance of his company. The captain wil finish the movement by the
commands :
1. (Such) company. 2. HALT. 3. FRONT. 4. Right - DRES . 5. FRONT.
--
found here: http://44tennessee.tripod.com/2ColAoTmanual.pdf page 21

Yes, multiple companies (let's say a battalion) in column of fours marching. The Colonel's order was my question. Now when the leading Captain 'files' his company to the right, they go from a column of fours to a line formation forming to the right of the line of march still marching. I have done that maneuver and think I understand. I don't know what "marched the length of it's front" would look like though.

The rest I can visualize nicely. I will assume the 1. Forward into line. 2. By the right of companies to the front. 3. MARCH orders ends with the formation halted and dressed accordingly.

Thanks for your time and explanation!

 

[firefly177]

That's a really confusing set of questions you ask. Could you please clarify what you mean. For example,

(1) Did you mean a battalion marching by a flank? Are they marching by the right or left flank?

(2) From a column of companies, are they right in front or left in front? Do you want this battle line formed to the right, left, front or - oh, no! - to the rear?

(3) Are the companies at full distance, half distance or closed in mass?

That Tennessee manual is pretty good. You might want to look there for your answers. Here's another link from that same guy : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/Drill/companyline.htm Is this what you're trying to accomplish?

- S.S. Mucket

I hope my other answer your questions. I will reference the Tennessee manual. Thanks!

 

[firefly177]

So if I understand correctly, Hardee's was the standard for the school of the infantry for the Union infantry since before the war. Were there one or more publication that served the Confederate infantry in the same capacity?

 

[28thNewYork]

So if I understand correctly, Hardee's was the standard for the school of the infantry for the Union infantry since before the war. Were there one or more publication that served the Confederate infantry in the same capacity?

Hardee became a Confederate general. His "manual" was used by both sides in the ACW.

 

[Stainless Steel Mucket]

I still don't understand what you are trying to accomplish because you're using terms incorrectly. Take a look at one of the manuals online, think a little, and try again. Here's a place where you can look : http://www.zipcon.net/~silas/links.htm#N_5_I This guy has links to many scanned original manuals and many downloadable booklets. I've been to the ASU site to review that manual, but this guy both volumes of Hardee's Revised Tactics, not just volume one.

Also bear in mind that there isn't one way to do things. In Dom DalBello's "Parade, Inspection and Evolutions of the Line" aka PIE, he says that the manuals are like a big tool box. Many tools will work for a situation, but some are better than others. For example, a cresent wrench can be adjusted to fit and tighten a nut, but a sized wrench may be better.

Using what was done at a reenactment doesn't help. Many battalion commanders are good at looking the part or bringing people to events, but can be lousy at drill. So they make things up. Joe Private doesn't realize that Colonel Gold Braid is clueless until Joe starts comparing what was done at a reenactment to what is stated in the manuals.

Regarding the manuals, the very generalized common thread on the blue side is Scott (post War of 1812) ---> Hardee's Rifle Tactics (1855) --- > US 1861 Tactics (Hardee's by another name) --> Casey (1862).

On the gray side it's Scott (post War of 1812) ---> Hardee's Rifle Tactics (1855) and Gilham (VA - post John Brown) --- > Hardee's Revised Tactics (1861) and Gilham.

There are many other lesser manuals which can be helpful when something is not clear in the other manuals. Baxter, Ellsworth and Upton are some examples.

With so many manuals, which one is best? Use the one which fits your impression ; meaning, of your usual company, with the people you've joined for a weekend, at an anniversary weekend or pick your variance. Keep in mind, they aren't all that different.

If you perform a line by line comparison of the instructions for skirmishers, schools of the company and schools of the battalion found in Gilham, Casey and the two Hardee's, you'll find they are pretty much the same. There are some differences, but they are few and far between. There is far more alike than not. The real differences in these manuals can be found in the manuals of arms.

There's only one way to learn drill : on your own. It takes reading, time and reevaluation of what you've read and seen. Forums can be helpful, but ultimately you'll have to figure it out on your own.

- S.S. Mucket

 

[thomas aagaard]

marched the length of it's front"

If your company front (the lenght) when in line is 15m, then you march 15m.

So the company in front turn 90 degrees to the right march x m, and stop, and "left face" from the 4 man wide colunm to the two rank line. The rest of the regiment will deploy to the left of them.
---

But generally, Silas Tackitt is "the guy" when we are talking drill and debating about it online. (the owner of the site s.s.m. linked to)


(just note that I actually never tried battalion drill... we are simply to few danes having this hobby... but I do read a lot and his collection of both original manuals and his "booklets" about different topics are great... and he are actively writing new articles about drill and making new booklets)

And yes, way too many reenactores don't do things correctly. And it don't help that the movies are not correct.
Fire at will... Reload... Come to the shoulder when ready...
Watch some of the older movies... especially north and south and many of the reenactores do "right shoulder shift arms and Supports arms in a way that is not correct.

if you look under "Articles about Drill" then you can find articles about much of this...

-------------
Upton is post war, and he changes a lot of the basics on how the company do things...

 

[firefly177]

If your company front (the lenght) when in line is 15m, then you march 15m.

So the company in front turn 90 degrees to the right march x m, and stop, and "left face" from the 4 man wide colunm to the two rank line. The rest of the regiment will deploy to the left of them.

Ahhh, OK. Thanks!