By Patrick Fallon
2nd Virginia
It is necessary to first ensure that the differences and uses between general guides and markers is understood. The right and left general guides and the colors are used to define the flanks and center of a battalion by providing easily visible reference points (the guidons and colors). The guidons usually have distinctive markings to prevent confusion between each battalion. The general guides are chosen from the sergeants of the battalion in part for their ability to maintain their step and direction of march. Markers are two or more soldiers usually from the battalion pioneers (engineers) detailed to stand where ever placed to set the initial alignment of the battalion¹s formation or to indicate the direction of march or turning points for a column in march.
Frequently in reenacting the general guides are used interchangeably with the markers. While not wholly incorrect, the practice being allowed in the manuals, it was also recommended not to mix the duties of the two because of the importance of having the general guides readily available should the battalion need to form in line. The normal positions of the general guides when the battalion is formed for parade are directly behind the covering sergeants on each flank (the second sergeant of the left company and the first sergeant of the right company) on the line of file closers. The markers, being drawn from the ranks of the pioneers, would be with the pioneers unless or until placed otherwise.
When the battalion moves forward in line, the general guides move six paces directly in front of their respective covering sergeants and in line with the colors. This provides the company officers and non-commissioned officers with a well defined line to help prevent bowing as well as the proper direction of march and the boundaries of the battalion¹s front to prevent drifting off to the left and right.
The color guard itself can consist of either nine or six soldiers and carry one or two colors. When carrying two colors, the colors usually are a national flag and a regimental flag. A color guard of nine men with two colors would have the two color bearers in the front rank with a guard between them, the national colors on the right and the regimental color on the left. The second rank of the color guard would be three soldiers as would the third or rear rank. The rear rank would be on the same line as the file closers. The six man, two rank color guard became more predominant as the war went on due to attrition in the ranks. When only carrying one color, the front rank has two guards flanking the color bearer. All men in the color guard have a minimum rank of corporal with the color bearer usually being a sergeant. The color guard counts off with and follow the same orders given to the color company except for firing orders. When the color company is given the order to fire, the color guard takes one step to the rear as a unit, remaining there, reserving their fire, until the cease-fire is given. At that point, they resume their proper position in the ranks. The color guard does not fire unless the colors are being threatened with capture.
When forming the battalion the color guard, general guides and detailed markers (if any) are to be posted on the chosen line first. The colors generally are to remain cased until otherwise ordered. When posting the companies on line, the color company (the first company on the immediate right of the color guard) is posted first. The second sergeant of the color company posts on the left side of the rearmost rank of the color guard on the line of file closers. The next company to post on line is the company to the immediate left of the color guard. This alternate wing posting continues until all companies are on line.
When the battalion in ordered to advance, the color bearer(s) and the front rank guard(s) step six paces in advance of the battalion as do the general guides. The second and third ranks of the color guard take one step forward, filling in the gap in the ranks. This is to prevent the line from collapsing inward and blocking the passage of the color bearer(s) and guard(s) back into ranks as necessary.
These notes were drawn from Gilham¹s Manual of Instruction For The Volunteer And Militia, Casey¹s Infantry Tactics, volume two, Hardee¹s Rifle And Light Infantry Tactics, volume two and Kautz¹s Customs Of Service For The Non-Commissioned Officer And Soldier. Those who would like to obtain a more involved understanding of these matters would be well advised to purchase and study these manuals.
Showing posts with label Formation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Formation. Show all posts
Thursday, August 30, 2012
On Guide Left In Bttn Formation- When To Do It, When NOT to
A question on drill came to my mind during the maneuver of going company into line to then form columns of companies.
I noticed that many if not all of the company commanders automatically dressed to the left once the company finished their company into line so that they could gain the battalion guide left.
I had thought that this would be incorrect as I was thinking that the Col. should order the battalion to guide left after the companies are all in line. Therefore, the shift to the left guide order comes only after the Col orders it, not automatically. However, I wanted to do a little research before I said anything about it.
Let me cite chapter and verse:
1.) Casey's, School of the Battalion, page 24, par. 98... Even though this section addresses Breaking to the right into column by right wheeling, it instructs the companies to right wheel into line on the First Sgt.
Then the Col. commands a Guide Left at which time the second Sgts. cover the battalion left guide and the company shifts to that second Sgt. This left guide is also done on the march. All of this is referenced in School of the Company no. 190. In no 190 it instructs the platoons to finish their wheel before they guide left as well as the guide left being ordered by the instructor.
-Hardee's, School of the Battalion, page 21, par. 81
-Gilham's, School of the Battalion, page 246, par. 300
**Remember, all these maneuvers were written assuming that the companies are all the same size and does not anticipate the problem of having to shift as far as we do in reenacting since we can have companies differing by up to 4 files or even more.
Now, the reason that this is so and that the left guide (only when marching by the right , by the way) is gained only upon order of the Col. and not automatically is because of cohesiveness. If companies are moving around by them selves the guide will be very apt to move around, too. How will you know which guide left is the correct guide left if all the other companies are shifting around? No, the companies HAVE to finish their movement on the First Sgt. FIRST to establish their own cohesiveness before they try to shift to the left. I think we have all seen companies snaking back and forth as they try to go company into line at the same time that they try to gain a left guide in the battalion.
So, from now on, instruct your First Sgts. to keep the guide right until the company is fully in line BEFORE the left guide is gained. AND the left guide should only be gained at the order of the Col. (or instructor) so that we can be sure that all are in position and it is easy to find the biggest company to guide left to for the company commanders, their Second Sgts. AND the staff.
Yours in service, Warner Todd Huston, Col. cmmdng the INDEPENDENT GUARD
I noticed that many if not all of the company commanders automatically dressed to the left once the company finished their company into line so that they could gain the battalion guide left.
I had thought that this would be incorrect as I was thinking that the Col. should order the battalion to guide left after the companies are all in line. Therefore, the shift to the left guide order comes only after the Col orders it, not automatically. However, I wanted to do a little research before I said anything about it.
Let me cite chapter and verse:
1.) Casey's, School of the Battalion, page 24, par. 98... Even though this section addresses Breaking to the right into column by right wheeling, it instructs the companies to right wheel into line on the First Sgt.
Then the Col. commands a Guide Left at which time the second Sgts. cover the battalion left guide and the company shifts to that second Sgt. This left guide is also done on the march. All of this is referenced in School of the Company no. 190. In no 190 it instructs the platoons to finish their wheel before they guide left as well as the guide left being ordered by the instructor.
-Hardee's, School of the Battalion, page 21, par. 81
-Gilham's, School of the Battalion, page 246, par. 300
**Remember, all these maneuvers were written assuming that the companies are all the same size and does not anticipate the problem of having to shift as far as we do in reenacting since we can have companies differing by up to 4 files or even more.
Now, the reason that this is so and that the left guide (only when marching by the right , by the way) is gained only upon order of the Col. and not automatically is because of cohesiveness. If companies are moving around by them selves the guide will be very apt to move around, too. How will you know which guide left is the correct guide left if all the other companies are shifting around? No, the companies HAVE to finish their movement on the First Sgt. FIRST to establish their own cohesiveness before they try to shift to the left. I think we have all seen companies snaking back and forth as they try to go company into line at the same time that they try to gain a left guide in the battalion.
So, from now on, instruct your First Sgts. to keep the guide right until the company is fully in line BEFORE the left guide is gained. AND the left guide should only be gained at the order of the Col. (or instructor) so that we can be sure that all are in position and it is easy to find the biggest company to guide left to for the company commanders, their Second Sgts. AND the staff.
Yours in service, Warner Todd Huston, Col. cmmdng the INDEPENDENT GUARD
A Question About Right Shoulder Shift
Officers of the INDEPENDENT GUARD,
I was asked about automatically going to right shoulder shift when at double quick time during company into line and back to shoulder arms when arriving on the line. Here are the sections that tell us we are correct in this interpretation.
Since the right shoulder shift is taught in a stationary position in the school, of the soldier and movements often say something to the effect... following the principles laid out earlier, etc.
In this case, the instructions we want are sort of hidden.
...the SUBHEADING in which it is under is "To March Backwards" (Hardee's, "School of the Soldier," Paras. 349-350) we can refer to the exact words there in brief:
349. in marching at double quick time, the men will always carry their piece on the right shoulder, or at a trail. This rule is general. 350...[if the command to trail arms is 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.
Now, in Company into line, there is no command to "double quick" as it is implied in the movement... the men are to double quick...
Thus, see paras. 349-350 above.
We are right. The men should come to the shoulder (it would even make sense for them to come to the arms position that they were originally at before being ordered to come into line).
Warner Todd Huston
I was asked about automatically going to right shoulder shift when at double quick time during company into line and back to shoulder arms when arriving on the line. Here are the sections that tell us we are correct in this interpretation.
Since the right shoulder shift is taught in a stationary position in the school, of the soldier and movements often say something to the effect... following the principles laid out earlier, etc.
In this case, the instructions we want are sort of hidden.
...the SUBHEADING in which it is under is "To March Backwards" (Hardee's, "School of the Soldier," Paras. 349-350) we can refer to the exact words there in brief:
349. in marching at double quick time, the men will always carry their piece on the right shoulder, or at a trail. This rule is general. 350...[if the command to trail arms is 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.
Now, in Company into line, there is no command to "double quick" as it is implied in the movement... the men are to double quick...
Thus, see paras. 349-350 above.
We are right. The men should come to the shoulder (it would even make sense for them to come to the arms position that they were originally at before being ordered to come into line).
Warner Todd Huston
Staff Officer's Duties
Staff Officers of the INDEPENDENT GUARD,
Re: New duties for all staff officers
Gentlemen,
Our battalion has become known as one of the most mobile and well trained battalions in all the hobby and much of this is due to the attention to detail that we have come to expect of our battalion staff officers. However, there are many more duties that we have yet to assume or even attempt to put into use. In pursuit of that I would like this directive to alert you all to the changes and additions to your staff duties that I would like to see added for next season.
Up to this point I, as Colonel, have taken on almost all the miscellaneous duties that I will describe here after but I have noticed that I have lost track of time here and there and have not had the time to pay attention to things like music and the camp, etc. Also, I will be taking on the role of overall commander at more events next season (Jackson and Billie Creek for instance) and will not be available to worry about some of the finer details of the battalion as I will have other duties that will necessarily take me from the battalion at times during the day. I do not want the battalion to hurt for attention to these details as it will tend to erase all the hard work we have put in thus far. We need to continue to evolve or we will stagnate and go fallow.
NEW DUTIES
LT. COL. According to "the 1865 Customs of Service for Officers of the Army", by August V. Kautz (Stackpole Books, $15.95) the Lt. Col. has "no duties specified by law", however Capt. Kautz does caution that the Lt.Col. has similar duties to the Major and is, naturally, second in command to the Colonel. This being the case I would like to specify the duties that the Lt. Col. will have from this point forward within our organization.
A). the Lt. Col. will stand as the officer of the day at all times. It is common for all the officers of companies to be in this pool of manpower in the real army, however, we have yet to get to the point where any of our officers are prepared to assume this duty. Once we get our people used to an officer of the day we might , in the future, add the company captains to this duty. Until then the Lt. Col. will be the permanent officer of the day.
Officer of the day duties will include:
1). Making sure each company has its anachronisms hidden
2). Making sure camp is in order: The nights are quiet for sleep time, camp is not a garbage mess, fire wood is supplied and water is available.
B). The Lt. Col. will make certain that the battalion schedule is followed and that the men are ready in time for specified drill and battle times.
C). With the assistance of the other junior staff officers the Lt. Col. will set the line for battalion parade and place the companies in line and in the order specified by the Colonel commanding. Also, I would like to see this made set for each weekend. Once a company is chosen as first company I feel it should stay as such for both days unless there is a pretty good reason to change the line of march.
D). On the field the Lt. Col. will continue to set the line, assure the direction of march and correct the alignment as well as command the right wing of the battalion as we always have done in the past.
E). The Lt. Col. will relay the direction of march to the Adjutant who will be leading the battalion field music as the musicians usually cannot hear the Colonel¹s direction on the march.
MAJOR
The Major is also to act as the officer of the day, but will not be designated as such in this organization. However, the Major will similarly execute camp duties to assist the Lt. Col. and his duties will include:
A). Assuring that camp musicians are following the battalion schedule.
B). Work with the Adjutant to assure diligent attention to the battalion paperwork.
C). Should we institute a pickett or camp guard schedule the Major will be in charge of this.
D). On the field the Major will continue to set the line, assure the direction of march and correct the alignment as well as command the left wing of the battalion as we always have done in the past.
ADJUTANT The Adjutant has many, many more duties that we have no real need for such as filling out paper work for clothing returns and even treasurer of the battalion funds, but we do need to pay a little more attention to the paper work we do use and the schedule with which we get it done. So, I would like to see the Adjutant assume that all paper work must be finished by 9 AM each morning for the Colonel¹s review and signature at every event.
Also, I would like to see the Adjutant keep a new book which will record the company strength and place in line of march for each weekend. This book should be larger than the pocket books we are all carrying. More like a ledger sized book in which we will record the company strengths, companies in attendance and place in line of march for each event. This book will become a record of activities for the past as well. The Adjutant will also be sure and fill this book out even when not in attendance at a particular event. it will be up to the adjutant to get the proper information to keep this book current. To reiterate the Adjutant¹s duties: A). The Adjutant will lead the battalion parade
B). Assist the Lt. Col. in alignment of the battalion on the field
C). In the line of march the Adjutant will direct the music in direction of march as the music cannot hear the Colonel¹s orders.
D). Prepare the morning paperwork by 9AM each morning.
E). Keep the battalion record ledger.
F). Will post the orders of the day in ink at the command post each morning
SGT. MAJOR The Sgt. Major will be the closest man to the company first Sgts. and will make sure that they are getting their company reports in before 9AM each morning and will assist the Adjutant in that duty. On the field his duties will not change from how we currently utilize the position as field marker in drill and file closer in battle.
Gentlemen, we have a great reputation and I expect to further that by these additions to your duties. I would like to say in closing that I have appreciated all the work you men have put into your jobs over the years. We expect so much more from our staff officers than other battalions in this hobby do and it shows in the ability we display on the field as well as that which we display in schedule. It is all due to you boys and the hard work you put in to this organization. I am proud to be your commander and feel I could not ask for better men for the job.
Yours in service, Warner Todd Huston,
Col. cmmdng the INDEPENDENT GUARD
The Battalion Field Staff- An important But Neglected Role
By Warner Todd Huston
Since the 1980's the battalion formation has been the preferred way to organize and participate in civil war enacting and we have come a long way from the times when such an organization was simply a gaggle of separate companies banded together under one banner. Increasingly, a battalion has become expected to understand the drill manuals of the 1860'¹s with reprints of Hardee's, Casey's and Gilham's as well as a host of others filling the bookshelves of sutlers across the country. We have even had a few books written by knowledgeable hobbyists like Don Heitman and Dom Dal Bello who have parlayed their knowledge into how-to manuals, a sort of drill manual for dummies series! But, one aspect has seemed to evade the attention of many civil war enactment battalions. A properly working and trained battalion field staff.
It seems to many battalion staff members out there that they are finished with their efforts once they get the position and have bought that pretty new uniform. Let us take note of what August Kautz said of officers, " It is a great mistake to suppose that when the commission has been obtained there is nothing more to be done, except to draw the pay and display the uniform. In reality, the field of study has just opened..."(1) Nothing could be more correctly observed nor so often ignored in civil war enacting.
For what reason should we have a fully functional staff in a hobby situation? One reason that might easily be forgotten is simply a need for respect from the men of your battalion for the rank staff members represent. Another is the need for other organizations to respect your battalion because those staff officers are knowledgeable and able men. Surely if the men of your own battalion feel that certain staff members are useless or unnecessary the feeling must be shared by members of other groups. What could undermine the trust, respectability and effectiveness of your battalion faster than to have battalion members and others laughing at your staff behind their backs?
Secondly, without an energetic and learned staff a battalion simply cannot move with alacrity on the field in drill OR in a battle scenario. We have all observed those battalions out there that just don't seem to be able to move quickly. It is often due to the fact that just one man, the Colonel, is trying to get everything going while his subalterns stare off into space. This also hinders the safety of the battalion in relation to the other battalions moving about on the field.
Unfortunately, it is like pulling teeth to ascertain what the Lt. Col., Major, Adjutant and the Sgt. Major are supposed to be doing much of the time by reading the manuals of the day. It IS there but their duties, positions and actions are not too terribly clear. This might, perhaps, account for the general feeling that the positions have little TO do in a civil war battalion as we read those manuals so far removed form the war and its use of those officers. But nothing could be further from the truth. In reality these positions were extremely important to alignment, cohesion and the execution of orders of an Infantry battalion. They definitely were not empty uniforms and, naturally, the Lt. Col., Major, Adjutant and Sgt. Major had to be as knowledgeable about the manuals as the Colonel to assist the Colonel in drill and battle.
The most important job that the staff has on the drill field and in battle is execution of the Colonel's orders for maneuver and the alignment of that formation. Gilham¹s Manual for Volunteers and Militia notes, " The adjutant and sergeant major ... assist the Lt. Col. and Major ... in the maneuvers."(2) This informs us that the field staff must be able to execute the orders of drill and assist the Colonel in that duty.
It was, for instance, the Lt. Col's duty to set the markers to mark the line in most cases. "The Lt. Col. , placing himself in succession in rear of the left guides, will assure them on the direction as they arrive..."(3), and " The Lt. Col. will place a marker abreast with the right guide of the leading company."(4) goes another typical reference in Hardee's. Yet again: "The Lt. Col., placing himself in succession in rear of the left guides, will assure them on the direction as they arrive..."(3) Another citation states, " ...the leading one will move in the direction indicated to him by the Lt. Col."(5) This clearly indicates that the Lt. Col. had specific duties in drill, march and battle.
The Lt. Col. and the Major are, naturally, the commanders of the two halves, or wings, of the battalion; the Lt. Col. the right and the Major the left. The adjutant and Sgt. Major assist the Lt. Col. and Major respectively in those duties. All should be mounted, though this may be difficult and not always necessary in enacting the civil war.
We should address one important thing that is most often done incorrectly in an enactment battalion; echoing commands. As Dom Dal Bello notes in his Parade, Inspection and the Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion, "Members of the companies should remain silent* so that the Battalion Commander can continue to be heard. At most, company commanders warn their men in undertones what movements they are to execute."(6) The reason for this rule is to make certain that the battalion commander's orders are promptly executed by the battalion. If a battalion commander had to wait as umpteen company commanders and first sergeants echoed every order it would take that much longer for those orders to be executed.
No echoing is fine and proper in the calm and quite of the drill field where the Colonel's chief duty is instruction of the battalion but what of battle? In battle this directive can lead to a break down in command if strictly adhered to. It is incumbent upon the battalion staff, then, to develop a working relationship such that the Colonel's orders may be relayed to the men in the din and confusion of battle in a prompt fashion. In battle a Colonel's voice may not be heard from one end of the battalion to the other. Therefore, the staff officers must be paying close attention to their Colonel, keeping an eye on him at all times, and be ready to relay the Colonel's orders to their respective wings (And the company commanders should be watching their wing commanders and not necessarily the company allowing the 1st. Sgt. to command the men). The staff should develop such a working relationship that hand signals might be used, as well as verbal commands affording the Colonel the ability to have command of the wings when separated or together without himself being cut in half to do it!
These are a few of the main points of the use and training of a field staff and the importance of that staff. Certainly, there is much, much more to it than what I delineated here. One has but to thoroughly read the manuals to find that out. Just remember, the field staff is NOT just men in pretty uniforms. They had important and detailed duties and our enactment battalions would increase their abilities and efficiency if we treat these positions with the respect due them.
* Mr. Dal Bello also notes, however, that the execution orders of March and Halt should be echoed by company officers so that the battalion executes these order all at the same time eliminating marching and halting by fits and starts.
Footnotes
1. Customs of Service , Page 191, article 574, by August Kautz (1864)
2. Gilham's Manual for Volunteers and Militia , page 35, section 10
3. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 130, Close column by division.
4. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 86 to break the companies to the right to march to the left.
5. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 97 to march by the left flank.
6. Parade, Inspection and the Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion , 4th Edition, Page 68, On Repeating Commands, by Dom Dal Bello
Since the 1980's the battalion formation has been the preferred way to organize and participate in civil war enacting and we have come a long way from the times when such an organization was simply a gaggle of separate companies banded together under one banner. Increasingly, a battalion has become expected to understand the drill manuals of the 1860'¹s with reprints of Hardee's, Casey's and Gilham's as well as a host of others filling the bookshelves of sutlers across the country. We have even had a few books written by knowledgeable hobbyists like Don Heitman and Dom Dal Bello who have parlayed their knowledge into how-to manuals, a sort of drill manual for dummies series! But, one aspect has seemed to evade the attention of many civil war enactment battalions. A properly working and trained battalion field staff.
It seems to many battalion staff members out there that they are finished with their efforts once they get the position and have bought that pretty new uniform. Let us take note of what August Kautz said of officers, " It is a great mistake to suppose that when the commission has been obtained there is nothing more to be done, except to draw the pay and display the uniform. In reality, the field of study has just opened..."(1) Nothing could be more correctly observed nor so often ignored in civil war enacting.
For what reason should we have a fully functional staff in a hobby situation? One reason that might easily be forgotten is simply a need for respect from the men of your battalion for the rank staff members represent. Another is the need for other organizations to respect your battalion because those staff officers are knowledgeable and able men. Surely if the men of your own battalion feel that certain staff members are useless or unnecessary the feeling must be shared by members of other groups. What could undermine the trust, respectability and effectiveness of your battalion faster than to have battalion members and others laughing at your staff behind their backs?
Secondly, without an energetic and learned staff a battalion simply cannot move with alacrity on the field in drill OR in a battle scenario. We have all observed those battalions out there that just don't seem to be able to move quickly. It is often due to the fact that just one man, the Colonel, is trying to get everything going while his subalterns stare off into space. This also hinders the safety of the battalion in relation to the other battalions moving about on the field.
Unfortunately, it is like pulling teeth to ascertain what the Lt. Col., Major, Adjutant and the Sgt. Major are supposed to be doing much of the time by reading the manuals of the day. It IS there but their duties, positions and actions are not too terribly clear. This might, perhaps, account for the general feeling that the positions have little TO do in a civil war battalion as we read those manuals so far removed form the war and its use of those officers. But nothing could be further from the truth. In reality these positions were extremely important to alignment, cohesion and the execution of orders of an Infantry battalion. They definitely were not empty uniforms and, naturally, the Lt. Col., Major, Adjutant and Sgt. Major had to be as knowledgeable about the manuals as the Colonel to assist the Colonel in drill and battle.
The most important job that the staff has on the drill field and in battle is execution of the Colonel's orders for maneuver and the alignment of that formation. Gilham¹s Manual for Volunteers and Militia notes, " The adjutant and sergeant major ... assist the Lt. Col. and Major ... in the maneuvers."(2) This informs us that the field staff must be able to execute the orders of drill and assist the Colonel in that duty.
It was, for instance, the Lt. Col's duty to set the markers to mark the line in most cases. "The Lt. Col. , placing himself in succession in rear of the left guides, will assure them on the direction as they arrive..."(3), and " The Lt. Col. will place a marker abreast with the right guide of the leading company."(4) goes another typical reference in Hardee's. Yet again: "The Lt. Col., placing himself in succession in rear of the left guides, will assure them on the direction as they arrive..."(3) Another citation states, " ...the leading one will move in the direction indicated to him by the Lt. Col."(5) This clearly indicates that the Lt. Col. had specific duties in drill, march and battle.
The Lt. Col. and the Major are, naturally, the commanders of the two halves, or wings, of the battalion; the Lt. Col. the right and the Major the left. The adjutant and Sgt. Major assist the Lt. Col. and Major respectively in those duties. All should be mounted, though this may be difficult and not always necessary in enacting the civil war.
We should address one important thing that is most often done incorrectly in an enactment battalion; echoing commands. As Dom Dal Bello notes in his Parade, Inspection and the Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion, "Members of the companies should remain silent* so that the Battalion Commander can continue to be heard. At most, company commanders warn their men in undertones what movements they are to execute."(6) The reason for this rule is to make certain that the battalion commander's orders are promptly executed by the battalion. If a battalion commander had to wait as umpteen company commanders and first sergeants echoed every order it would take that much longer for those orders to be executed.
No echoing is fine and proper in the calm and quite of the drill field where the Colonel's chief duty is instruction of the battalion but what of battle? In battle this directive can lead to a break down in command if strictly adhered to. It is incumbent upon the battalion staff, then, to develop a working relationship such that the Colonel's orders may be relayed to the men in the din and confusion of battle in a prompt fashion. In battle a Colonel's voice may not be heard from one end of the battalion to the other. Therefore, the staff officers must be paying close attention to their Colonel, keeping an eye on him at all times, and be ready to relay the Colonel's orders to their respective wings (And the company commanders should be watching their wing commanders and not necessarily the company allowing the 1st. Sgt. to command the men). The staff should develop such a working relationship that hand signals might be used, as well as verbal commands affording the Colonel the ability to have command of the wings when separated or together without himself being cut in half to do it!
These are a few of the main points of the use and training of a field staff and the importance of that staff. Certainly, there is much, much more to it than what I delineated here. One has but to thoroughly read the manuals to find that out. Just remember, the field staff is NOT just men in pretty uniforms. They had important and detailed duties and our enactment battalions would increase their abilities and efficiency if we treat these positions with the respect due them.
* Mr. Dal Bello also notes, however, that the execution orders of March and Halt should be echoed by company officers so that the battalion executes these order all at the same time eliminating marching and halting by fits and starts.
Footnotes
1. Customs of Service , Page 191, article 574, by August Kautz (1864)
2. Gilham's Manual for Volunteers and Militia , page 35, section 10
3. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 130, Close column by division.
4. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 86 to break the companies to the right to march to the left.
5. Hardee's school of the battalion , Part II, Para 97 to march by the left flank.
6. Parade, Inspection and the Evolutions of the Infantry Battalion , 4th Edition, Page 68, On Repeating Commands, by Dom Dal Bello
The Proper Battalion Parade
The Battalion Parade: a how to guide
The battalion parade is something many battalions in this hobby do not do and those who do the procedure often only follow the manual in fits and starts. Yet, the parade is something that the soldiers we emulate participated in many, many times during their years in service. In the "Regulations for the Army" of both forces the Dress Parade is called for daily at either the beginning of the day or the end. Though, it may have been less on active campaign in the field it was done daily in garrison and it is something we should make more efforts to learn.
The battalion parade is not just lining up to get ready for drill. There is a whole litany of procedures to follow. There are even specific things for the Adjutant, Lt. Col., and Major to do making these positions quite important for the properly recreated battalion parade. In the following I will present these procedures in layman's terms but the Morning Parade procedures are delineated in Gilham's at the very beginning of the school of the battalion. Also see "The Regulations for the Army" of either side under the Forms of Parade section or any of the other manuals. But one must read several manuals because it is not completely delineated, step by step in all of them.
The first thing to realize is that Battalion parade does NOT start by each company coming to the parade ground and lining up in a battalion front on their own. Naturally, being that it's the army, there is a procedure to that, too.
Forming the line
The musicians will play "Adjutant's call" which will alert the companies to march to the parade grounds under command of their captains and will await the directions of the battalion staff to take their place on the battalion line.
The staff will place the right and left general guides facing each other to mark the direction of the line proscribed by the Colonel (If you do not have battalion guides, use the First Sgt. and Second Sgt. Of the Color Company for this). Then the color company will align itself on those guides with it's captain to the left of the company, in the front rank and ordering the company to," Left, Dress." After the company is properly dressed, the captain of the Color Company will order, "Front" and will then step to the rear rank position of his company.
Next, the company to the left of the Color Company will come to the line. This company's Second Sgt. will place himself on the line of guides opposite the left general guide and will be properly aligned by the battalion staff. It's officer will place himself on the right of the company and right in front of the officer of the color company and will order, "Right, Dress". His company will take their place on the battalion line. He will then order, "Front" which will be the cue for the next company to begin to align on the battalion line. This company's First Sgt. will place himself in the file closer position until he can take his proper place behind his Captain when the Colonel orders "Guides, post".
The company to the right of the Color Company is the third company to align on the battalion line. The company First Sgt. will join the line of guides to mark his company front and will be aligned by the battalion staff. The company Captain will place himself on the left of the company, in front of the color company's First Sgt. and will order, "Left, Dress".
Each company will take their place in line, alternating one after the other as described above. The Adjutant will take his place two paces to the right of the front rank of the battalion line. The battalion Musicians will be formed in two ranks on the right of the battalion line two paces further from the Adjutant. The Sgt. Major will place himself in the front rank of the battalion and two paces to the left. The Lt. Colonel will place himself four paces opposite the center of his division and the Major his. The Colonel will place himself to the front center of the battalion a "suitable distance" from it, facing the battalion.
Once the companies are placed on line at the direction of the staff the Adjutant will order, "Guides, Post." At this each Captain will take his proper place at the right of his company, in front of the First Sgt. as will the First Sgts. take theirs. The Second Sgts. will take their places at the rear of the battalion in the file closer positions. The Right and Left General Guides will take their place in the front rank on the right and left side of the battalion respectively.
The Adjutant will alert the Captain of the first company to order, "Order, Arms. Parade, Rest." After that each company going down the line will order the same for their companies. This is how the battalion shall always form (unless under fire, of course).
The Dress Parade
Once the battalion is formed the Adjutant will order the music to, "Beat, Off". The musicians will troop the front of the battalion, playing and back again to their place in line. The Adjutant will step forward two paces to the front and will face to the left so that the entire battalion may hear his orders. He will give the following orders:
1). Attention, Battalion
2). Shoulder, Arms
3). Prepare to open ranks,
4). To the rear, Open order
5). March
On "Prepare to Open Ranks", the Lt. Colonel will go to the right of the battalion and next to the right of the line of file closers. The Major will take a position four paces from the front rank of the battalion behind the Lt. Colonel.
On "Open order", the First Sgts. And the last company's Second Sgt. will move backward and align themselves on the Major. The Second Sgt. on the far left of the battalion is to raise his rifle, inverted, between his eyes so that the Major may see he is in the right place.
On "March", the rear rank will move backwards, pass the line of Sgts. and will then move back into alignment with those Sgts. The line of file closers will move to their proper place two paces further to the rear of the rear rank and will align on the Lt. Colonel who also moved to two paces from the rear of the rear rank on the order "March". Also on March the company officers will step forward four paces forward from their positions in the front rank.
Once all ranks are aligned the Adjutant will order, "Front". The Lt. Colonel and Major Sgt. will retake their positions six paces in front of their divisions. The left most Sgt. will retake his position in the front rank on the left of the battalion. After the Adjutant orders the battalion to front he will march inward to the center of the battalion, will turn to face the Colonel and March eight paces toward that officer, then about face to face the battalion. He will command, "Present, Arms."
The Adjutant will turn to the Colonel, salute and say, "Sir, the Parade is formed." Once the Colonel orders the Adjutant to post, the Adjutant will take his place three paces to the left and one pace to the rear of the colonel, facing the battalion.
The Colonel will order, "Battalion. Shoulder, Arms" At this point he may go through the manual of arms if he so desires and will end with, "Order, Arms." The Colonel will sheath his sword and direct the Adjutant to receive the reports of the First Sgts.
The Adjutant will step in front of the Colonel half way between that officer and the line of company officers and will order, "First Sgts., to the front and center, March." The First Sgts. will step two paces from the front rank and face inward toward the center of the battalion. They will march to the center of the battalion and will halt there. The Adjutant will order. "Front, Face. Report." The First Sgts. will turn to face the Adjutant.
Beginning with the Sgt. on the right each Sgt. will salute by bringing their left hand across their chest, will report the numbers of Officers and men present and absent and will then finish the salute.
When each Sgt. is done with his report the Adjutant will order, "First Sgts., outward, face. To your posts, March." Once the Sgts. are back in their proper positions the Adjutant will about face to the Colonel and give him the report of officers and men missing and present.
The Colonel will order the Adjutant to read the orders of the day. The Adjutant will order, "Attention to Orders", and will read the orders of the day to the battalion. The Colonel may wish to say a word to the battalion after the report is given. When the Colonel shall decide that the battalion parade is over will let the Adjutant know this.
The Adjutant will order, "Parade is dismissed". At this the officers will return their swords, face inward and March to the center. The Adjutant will order, "Front, Face. Forward, March." They will march to the Adjutant with the Lt. Colonel on the right and the Major on the left of this line of officers. Once they are within six paces of the Colonel the Adjutant will command, "Halt."
The company and staff officers will salute the Colonel with their right hands. They will await the Colonel's orders for them. Meanwhile the First Sgts. will call their companies to attention and will close the ranks. Once the officers are done and are dismissed by the Colonel the First Sgts. will march their companies to their own company parade ground. The band will play from the time the Officers are dismissed by the Colonel until the companies leave the battalion parade grounds. This concludes the battalion parade.
Col Warner Todd Huston
Thoughts on Guiding on the Colors
By Patrick Fallon
Although a battalion derives both its basis of alignment and direction of march from the right and left general guides and the colors and its guard this does not eliminate or diminish the necessity of the individual company corporals and sergeants to control and maintain their particular company alignment and guidance when participating in the battalion's general direction of march. Every company's sergeants and corporals must continue to work at controlling the tendencies to drift away from or to crowd in towards the center of the line just as they would when marching in line as a lone company even though they are within a battalion.
The two main mistakes which upset the alignment of the battalion when moving forward in line of battle are drifting away from the center and crowding in toward the center. The problem of drifting away from the center is usually most pronounced in those companies on the ends of the lines, especially those who are in contact with he flanking company of the next battalion. The flanking battalion heads in a direction away from your battalion's line of march and in an attempt to maintain the juncture of the two battalions, that company mistakenly guides on their neighbor's movement instead of following their own battalion guides and colors. Crowding the center comes from a misinterpretation of how to properly align within your own company. The misunderstanding rises from attempting to maintain their line with too firm of a contact between the soldiers in each rank. You should strive for a gentle touch of the elbows to maintain that contact without developing any real pressure. If you start pushing at all you have already lost your proper alignment.
There is also a tendency to mistake guiding on with guiding towards. To guide on means to maintain a position and direction relative to a point. To guide towards means to make that point your destination. Learning how to properly gauge the speed, distance and direction necessary to keep your positions in alignment is not impossible, it just takes practice.
The building blocks for all of this are 1), to teach the company to maintain its alignment; 2), to teach the sergeants and corporals how to control and direct that alignment and line of march both within the company and within the framework of the battalion; and 3), to learn how to use the general guides and colors to guide the battalion's alignment and direction of march. The sergeants and the company officers have to learn how to trust in the judgment and guidance of the battalion officers and general guides to continually correct the whole battalion¹s alignment and direction. Only the officer commanding the battalion can change the direction of the color guard when the battalion is moving in line. Once the officer leading the battalion has given the Color Sergeant the line he wants followed that remains the direction the colors will head towards. If the battalion starts to drift from the rest of the brigade or to crowd onto them it is up to the battalion officers to correct that by giving the general guides and colors a different line of march to bring things back to their proper distances.
Again, the key elements to all of this are the proper instruction of the companies and their corporals and sergeants in maintaining their alignment, learning how to use the general guides and colors as points of reference to maintain the battalion's alignment and direction and learning how to listen to and follow the instructions of the battalion officers.
I would like to acknowledge the excellent body of work Dom Dal Bello has created regarding the formation of battalions and their evolutions and of course the original masters, Messer's Scott, Casey, Gilham and Hardee for helping me to arrive at a basis for these observations.
Although a battalion derives both its basis of alignment and direction of march from the right and left general guides and the colors and its guard this does not eliminate or diminish the necessity of the individual company corporals and sergeants to control and maintain their particular company alignment and guidance when participating in the battalion's general direction of march. Every company's sergeants and corporals must continue to work at controlling the tendencies to drift away from or to crowd in towards the center of the line just as they would when marching in line as a lone company even though they are within a battalion.
The two main mistakes which upset the alignment of the battalion when moving forward in line of battle are drifting away from the center and crowding in toward the center. The problem of drifting away from the center is usually most pronounced in those companies on the ends of the lines, especially those who are in contact with he flanking company of the next battalion. The flanking battalion heads in a direction away from your battalion's line of march and in an attempt to maintain the juncture of the two battalions, that company mistakenly guides on their neighbor's movement instead of following their own battalion guides and colors. Crowding the center comes from a misinterpretation of how to properly align within your own company. The misunderstanding rises from attempting to maintain their line with too firm of a contact between the soldiers in each rank. You should strive for a gentle touch of the elbows to maintain that contact without developing any real pressure. If you start pushing at all you have already lost your proper alignment.
There is also a tendency to mistake guiding on with guiding towards. To guide on means to maintain a position and direction relative to a point. To guide towards means to make that point your destination. Learning how to properly gauge the speed, distance and direction necessary to keep your positions in alignment is not impossible, it just takes practice.
The building blocks for all of this are 1), to teach the company to maintain its alignment; 2), to teach the sergeants and corporals how to control and direct that alignment and line of march both within the company and within the framework of the battalion; and 3), to learn how to use the general guides and colors to guide the battalion's alignment and direction of march. The sergeants and the company officers have to learn how to trust in the judgment and guidance of the battalion officers and general guides to continually correct the whole battalion¹s alignment and direction. Only the officer commanding the battalion can change the direction of the color guard when the battalion is moving in line. Once the officer leading the battalion has given the Color Sergeant the line he wants followed that remains the direction the colors will head towards. If the battalion starts to drift from the rest of the brigade or to crowd onto them it is up to the battalion officers to correct that by giving the general guides and colors a different line of march to bring things back to their proper distances.
Again, the key elements to all of this are the proper instruction of the companies and their corporals and sergeants in maintaining their alignment, learning how to use the general guides and colors as points of reference to maintain the battalion's alignment and direction and learning how to listen to and follow the instructions of the battalion officers.
I would like to acknowledge the excellent body of work Dom Dal Bello has created regarding the formation of battalions and their evolutions and of course the original masters, Messer's Scott, Casey, Gilham and Hardee for helping me to arrive at a basis for these observations.
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