INFANTRY TACTICS,
FOR THE
INSTRUCTION, EXERCISE, AND MANŒUVRES
OF
THE SOLDIER, A COMPANY, LINE OF SKIRMISHERS,
BATTALION, BRIGADE,
OR
CORPS D’ARMÉE.
BY
BRIG.-GEN. SILAS CASEY,
U. S. ARMY.
____________________
Vol. I.
SCHOOLS OF THE SOLDIER AND COMPANY.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SKIRMISHERS AND MUSIC.
____________________
NEW YORK:
D. VAN NOSTRAND, 192 BROADWAY
1862.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862,
By D. VAN NOSTRAND,
In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States,
for the Southern District of New York.
WASHINGTON, August 11, 1862.
The System of Infantry Tactics, prepared by Brigadier General SILAS CASEY, U.S.A., having been approved by the President, is adopted for the instruction of the Infantry of the Armies of the United States, whether Regular, Volunteer, or Militia, with the following modifications viz.:—
First. – That portion which requires that two companies shall be permanently detached from the battalion as skirmishers, will be suspended.
Second. – In Title First, Article First, the following will be substituted for paragraph 6, viz.:
“A regiment is composed of ten companies, which will be habitually posted from right to left in the following order: first, sixth, fourth, ninth, third, eighth, fifth, tenth, seventh, second, according to the rank of Captains.”
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
_______________
VOL. I.
_______________
TITLE I.
ARTICLE I.
FORMATION OF INFANTRY IN ORDER OF BATTLE.
Formation if line of battle composed of several brigades (No. 1)
Formation in line of battle of a brigade (No. 5)
Formation in line of battle of a regiment (No. 6)
Position of companies of skirmishers (No. 9)
Manner of forming company in two ranks (No. 15)
Posts of company officers, sergeants, and corporals (No. 19)
Posts of field officers and regimental staff (No. 33)
Posts of field music and band (No. 41)
ARTICLE II.
Instruction of the battalion (No. 49)
Instruction of officers (No. 60)
Instruction of sergeants (No. 63)
Instruction of corporals (No. 66)
TITLE II.
SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER
PART FIRST.
General rules and division of the School of the Soldier (No. 77)
LESSON I.
Position of the soldier (No. 85)
Remarks on position of a soldier (No. 86)
Eyes right, left, front (No. 87)
LESSON II.
LESSON III.
Principles of the direct step—common time (No. 101)
LESSON IV.
Principles of the double quick step (No. 111)
PART SECOND.
LESSON I.
Principles of shouldered arms (No. 127)
LESSON II.
Support arms, rest at support arms (No. 139)
Shoulder arms, from support arms (No. 147)
Shoulder arms from present arms (No. 152)
Position of order arms (No. 156)
Shoulder arms from order arms (No. 161)
Load in nine times from the shoulder (No. 163)
Load from position of aim (No. 186)
Shoulder arms from the position of aim (No. 189)
Shoulder arms from position of loading (No. 193)
Shoulder arms from position of fix bayonet (No. 200)
Shoulder arms from position of charge bayonet (No. 204)
Shoulder arms from position of trail arms (No. 208)
Shoulder arms from position of unfix bayonet (No. 211)
Shoulder arms from position of secure arms (No. 216)
Right shoulder shift arms from position of shoulder arms (No. 219)
Shoulder arms from position of right shoulder shift arms (No. 221)
Right shoulder shift arms from position of support arms (No. 224)
Support arms from position of right shoulder shift arms (No. 226)
LESSON III.
To load in four times (No. 259)
LESSON IV.
Position of two ranks in oblique fire to the right (No. 276)
Position of two ranks in oblique fire to the left (No. 279)
LESSON V.
To fire and load kneeling (No. 299)
To fire and load lying (No. 307)
LESSON VI.
Guard against infantry (No. 314)
Guard against cavalry (No. 317)
PART THIRD.
LESSON I.
Right or left dress, front (No. 326)
Right or left backward dress, front (No. 331)
LESSON II.
To march to the front (No. 334)
Right or left oblique (No. 340)
To march to the front in double quick time (No. 343)
To face about in marching (No. 352)
To face about and halt (No. 355)
LESSON III.
The march by the flank (No. 362)
To change by file to left or right (No. 372)
To face by right or left flank in marching (No. 374)
To face by right or left flank and halt (No. 379)
To march by flank in double quick time (No. 381)
LESSON IV.
General principles of wheeling (No. 390)
Right or left wheel from a halt (No. 396)
Remarks on the principles of the wheel from a halt (No. 405)
Wheeling in marching on a movable pivot (No. 406)
Right or left wheel when marching (No. 407)
Turning or changing directions to the side of the guide (No. 413)
Wheeling and changing direction to the side of the guide in double quick time (No. 416)
LESSON V.
Long marches in double quick time, and the run (No. 418)
TITLE III.
SCHOOL OF THE COMPANY.
General rules and division of the School of the Company (No. 1)
In each rank count twos (No. 4)
LESSON I.
Alignments in open ranks (No. 18)
Alignments and manual of arms in closed ranks (No. 30)
LESSON II.
To load in four times and at will (No. 44)
To fire by the rear-rank (No. 68)
LESSON III.
To advance in line of battle (No. 84)
To halt the company marching in line of battle, and to align it (No. 99)
Oblique march in line of battle (No. 101)
To mark time, to march in double quick time, and the back step (No. 109)
LESSON IV.
To march by the flank (No. 137)
To change direction by file (No. 144)
To halt the company marching by the flank and to face it to the front (No. 147)
LESSON V.
To break into column by platoon either at a halt or on march (No. 176)
LESSON VI.
To break the company into platoons and to reform the company (No. 270)
Being in column, to break files to the rear and to cause them to re-enter into line (No. 294)
To march in column in route, and to execute the movements incident thereto (No. 311)
Being in column by platoon to form on the right or left into line of battle (No. 352)
Formation of a company from two ranks into single rank and reciprocally (No. 368)
Formation of a company from two ranks into four and reciprocally at a halt and marching (No. 380)
TITLE IV.
INSTRUCTION FOR SKIRMISHERS.
General principles and division of the Instruction (No. 1)
ARTICLE I.
To deploy by the flank (No. 37)
To relieve a company deployed as skirmishers (No. 66)
ARTICLE II.
To march by the flank (No. 96)
ARTICLE III.
ARTICLE IV.
To form column to march in any direction (No. 146)
ARTICLE V.
To deploy a battalion as skirmishers (No. 172)
To rally the battalion deployed as skirmishers (No. 193)
MANUAL OF THE SWORD OR SABRE, FOR OFFICERS.
Position of the sword or sabre, under arms
To salute with the sword or sabre
COLOR-SALUTE.
MANUAL FOR RELIEVING SENTINELS.
INSTRUCTION FOR THE DRUM-MAJOR (OR PRINCIPAL MUSICIAN).
Beats on the drum for skirmishers
Calls on the bugle for skirmishers
Signals of the drum-major for the principal beats and sounds
Signals for the manœuvres of the field music and band
BEATS OF THE DRUM.
Explanation of the signs for the drum
Length and proportion of the notes and rests
Beats on the drum for skirmishers
Explanation of the signs for the bugle
Calls on the bugle for skirmishers
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Transcribed by Scott Gutzke, 2004-2006.