infomanpa
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2017
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Just finished Hess' book, Civil War Infantry Tactics. (yes @novushomus I finally took your suggestion.) I liked how the author showed which formations were actually used during the Civil War as opposed to those described in the tactics manuals (Casey, Hardee, Scott).
I was most confused by Hess describing moving by the flank as a 2 man abreast formation as opposed to Casey's manual and others who describe it as 4 men abreast. That amazed me because whenever I see troops marching in Civil War movies, they seem to be marching by ranks of 4. Are they marching by the flank when they go along a road? I couldn't find any reference to this in Hess' book.
I was most confused by Hess describing moving by the flank as a 2 man abreast formation as opposed to Casey's manual and others who describe it as 4 men abreast. That amazed me because whenever I see troops marching in Civil War movies, they seem to be marching by ranks of 4. Are they marching by the flank when they go along a road? I couldn't find any reference to this in Hess' book.