BATTALION MANEUVERS

SCHOOL OF THE BATTALION ARRANGED INTO LESSONS

LESSON FIRST.
ARTICLE I. - Parade / cite to palmetto batt’n for now with a caveat about the trooping the colors - Here's a link to a discussion about the palmetto batt'n parade: http://p222.ezboard.com/fthegristmillfrm1.showMessage?topicID=981.topic

ARTICLE II. - Different firings faced by the front rank, No. 39, and faced by the rear rank, No. 54.
By Company - odds / evens
By Wing
By Batt’n
By File
By Rank
LESSON SECOND - COLUMNS
ARTICLE I.- Wheel by company to the right into column No. 69, or to the left, No. 74. “By company, right (left) wheel”

ARTICLE II.- March in column, No. 164. Change of direction, No. 231. “Head of Column to the right (left)”. March by column in retreat “Right about”, No. 170.
“Retreat by alternate batt’ns” 2529 of Scott. A link to this paragraph Scott's Evolutions of the Line is http://home.att.net/~Thespienne/SCOTTSEotL.htm

ARTICLE III.- Halt the column, No. 239. Form it to the left or right into line of battle, No. 390. “Left (right) into line - wheel”. Execute this formation, the column marching, No. 402.
LESSON THIRD.
ARTICLE I.- Break by company to the rear by the right or left, the battalion being at a halt, No. 87, or marching, No. 94.

ARTICLE II.-March in the route step, No. 198. Cause to be executed, at this gait and in double quick time, the diverse movements incident to the column in route, and cause the cadenced step to be resumed.

ARTICLE III.- Form the column forward into line of battle, Nos. 440, 452. Form the column forward into line, and continue the march in this order, No. 456.

ARTICLE IV. - Form the column on the right (“on the right, into line”), No. 416, or the left, No. 432, into line of battle.

ARTICLE V. - March by the flank, No. 722, and form companies into line, marching.
There are some great things in 722 about the positions of the locations of officers while marching by the flank.

ARTICLE VI. - Change front forward, No. 743, or in rear, No. 760, on the right or left of companies, in directions perpendicular or oblique.

ARTICLE VII.- March by the right flank, No. 722, or by the left flank, No. 725. Change direction by file, No. 730. Form the battalion into line of battle, on the right or left by file, No. 735. “On the right, by file into line.”
LESSON FOURTH. - Division Drill for Individual Companies
ARTICLE I.-Break by division to the rear, by the right or left, the battalion being at a halt or marching, No. 102.

ARTICLE II.- March in column by division, No. 161. Diminish and increase front by company, No. 196. This is the oblique method which will cause the distance between companies to be full wheeling distance.

ARTICLE III - Close the column in mass on the headmost or rearmost division, No. 279.

ARTICLE IV. - Take distances by the head, Nos. 323 and 830.

ARTICLE V - The column being by company, form divisions from a halt, No. 364, or in march, No. 376.

ARTICLE VI. - The column being by division, to form it to the left or right into line of battle at a halt, No. 401, or in march, No. 402. This is the closed in mass method caused by facing to a flank instead of moving at the oblique.
LESSON FIFTH. BATTALION DRILL BY DIVISIONS
ARTICLE I.-The battalion being in line of battle, and at a halt to deploy it by division into column closed in mass on the right division, No. 119, or on the left division, No. 141, or on an interior division, No. 143, the right or left in front, deploy the battalion marching in line of battle on the right or left division, No. 149.

ARTICLE II-Execute the countermarch, No. 352.

ARTICLE III.-Change direction to the right, No. 307, to the left, No. 313, by the flank of the column.

ARTICLE IV.-Deploy the column on the right division, No. 514, on the left division, No. 541, or on any interior division, the column being at a halt, or marching, No. 563.

ARTICLE V-Ploy the battalion by company, closed in mass, and form it on the right or left into line of battle, No. 577.

ARTICLE VII.-Ploy the battalion into double column closed in mass, No. 793, the battalion being at a halt, or marching.

ARTICLE VIII.-March in this order, and change direction, No. 794.

ARTICLE IX.-Deploy the column at a halt, No. 796, or marching, No. 800, and without suspending the march, No. 802.
LESSON SIXTH.
ARTICLE I.-March in line of battle, No. 587. Halt the battalion, No. 635, and align it, No. 640. “Guides on the Line”

ARTICLE II.-Change direction in line of battle, advancing, No. 652, or in retreat, No. 681. (The dreaded batt’n wheel.) Execute passage of obstacles, No. 682.

ARTICLE III.-Oblique march in line of battle, No. 623.

ARTICLE IV.-Disperse and rally the battalion in line of battle, No. 974. (This is the scatter and reform about which you and I discussed.)

REMARKS ON THE SCHOOL OF THE BATTALION (from Wm. Hardee)
In every course of instruction, the first lesson will be executed several times in the order in which it is arranged; but as soon as the battalion shall be confirmed in the principles of the lesson, the fires will be executed after the advance in line, and after the various formations Into line of battle, and into square. Particular attention will be given to the fire by file, which is that principally used in war. Every lesson of this school will be executed with the utmost precision; but the second, which comprehends the march in column, and the march in line of battle, being of the most importance, will be the oftenest repeated, especially in the beginning. Great attention ought, also, to be given to the fourth lesson, which comprehends the march in column by division, and the dispositions against cavalry. The successive formations will sometimes be executed by inversion. In the beginning, the march in column, the march in line of battle, and the march by the flank, will be executed only in quick time, and will be continued until the battalion shall have become well established in the cadence of this step. The non-cadenced step will be employed in this school only in the repetition of the movements incident to a column in route, or when great celerity may be required. When it may be desired to give the men relief, arms may be supported, if at a halt, or marching by the flank. In marching by the front, arms may be shifted to the right shoulder; but not in the march in line of battle until the battalions shall be well instructed. After arms have been carried for some time on the right shoulder, they may be shifted, in like manner, to the left shoulder. When a battalion is manoeuvring, its movements will be covered by skirmishers. All the companies will be exercised, successively, in this service. When a battalion, instructed in this drill, shall be required to manoeuvre in the evolutions of the line, its movements will be regulated by the instructions contained in the third volume of the Tactics for Heavy Infantry, approved by the War Department, April 10th 1835.
Finally, here's the manoeuver we discussed, Retreating by Alternate Battalions, as found in Scott's:

2529. The retreat by alternate, or odd and even battalions, will be executed as follows.

2530. (Pl. LX.) The general, intending to execute the retreat by alternate battalions, will give information of his purpose to the two next officers in rank, who are respectively to command the lines of odd and even battalions, and at the same time indicate to the one who is to com-mence the movement the position in which he will halt his line. The general will then com-mand:
1. Retreat by alternate battalions. 2. Odd (or even) battalions, commence the movement.
2531. These commands having been repeated, the officer (first major general or first brigadier) entitled to command the line of odd battalions, and which line it is supposed ought to commence the movement, will command:
1. Odd battalions, face to the rear.
2532. This having also been repeated, the colonels of the designated battalions will cause them to face about.

2533. The commander of the odd battalions will then add:
3. The (—) the battalion of direction. 3. Bat-talions, forward 4. Quick—MARCH.
2534. At the command march, briskly repeat-ed by the colonels of the odd battalions, these battalions will commence the march, and direct themselves perpendicularly to the rear. The co-lonels of the subordinate battalions will maintain them abreast with the directing one in conformity with what is prescribed, No. 2242, when the line arrives at the position indicated by the general-in-chief, the general of this line will command:
1. Battalions. 2. HALT.
2535. At the second command, the line will halt, each colonel will immediately face his battalion about, the commander of the line will rectify the alignment of the directing battalion, the other battalions will be dressed by that, without constraint, however, as to being absolutely on the same general alignment.

2536. As soon as the odd battalions which form the second line have faced about, the general of the first line (of even battalions) will command:
1. Face to the rear.
2537. This will be executed as prescribed, No. 2532; the general of this line will then command:
2. The (—) the battalion of direction. 3. Battalions, forward. 4. Quick—MARCH.
2538. The first line will march in retreat by the means prescribed, No. 2534; each battalion will be directed upon the middle of the corre-sponding interval in the second line, cross this line, and march perpendicularly to the rear. When it arrives at the position indicated by the general-in-chief, the first line will be halted and faced about, by the commands and means indicated, Nos. 2534—5.

2539. The second line, become first, will exe-cute the same movement, and so on alternately.

2540. The general-in-chief will superintend both lines, and determine, according to the ground and the distance he may wish to have between the lines, the position each ought suc-essively to occupy.
To re-form the line.
2541. The general-in-chief, wishing to re--form the line, will cause the drums to beat a short roll after the first line (the one actually in front) is put in march, which roll will be briskly re-peated by all the drums of this line.

2542. The battalions of the first line will con-tinue to march, and when they find themselves exactly in their intervals of the second, their respective colonels will halt them, face them about and rectify their alignment: the general-in-chief, will then give a general alignment if he judge it necessary.
Remarks on the retreat by alternate battalions.
2543. The general of each line will endea-vour to maintain the necessary harmony between its battalions, notwithstanding the intervals be-tween them; to this end, he will look to the strict execution of what is prescribed, Nos. 2534—5.

2544. He will more particularly see that all the battalions, after crossing the second line, direct themselves perpendicularly to the rear, this being the only means by which the intervals can be preserved with sufficient accuracy to enable the two lines to re-form into one.
This is a fantastic manoeuver which can just as easily be performed by the companies or divisions as it is by battalions.