Part Second
General Rules
The Instructor will not pass the men to this second part until they shall be well established in the position of the body, and in the manner of marching at the different steps
He will then unite a squad of eight, whom he will place in the same rank, elbow to elbow, and instruct them as follows
Lesson 1.Principles of shouldered arms.
Lesson 2.Manual of arms.
Lesson 3.To load and fire in nine times and at will.
Lesson 4.Firings, direct, oblique, by file and by rank.
Lesson 5.To fire and load, kneeling and lying.
Lesson I Principles of shouldered arms
The recruit being placed as explained in the first lesson of the first part, the Instructor will cause him to bend the right arm slightly, and place the piece in it, in the following manner:
The piece in the right hand,-the barrel nearly vertical and resting in the hollow of the shoulder-the guard to the front. The arm hanging nearly at its full length near the body - the thumb, and fore-finger embracing the guard. The remaining fingers closed together, grasping the swell of the stock just under the cock, which rests on the little finger.
Recruits are frequently seen with natural defects in the conformation of the shoulders, breast and hips. These, the instructor will labor to correct in the lessons without arms, and afterwards, by steady endeavors, so that the appearance of the places, in the same line, may be uniform, and this without constraint to the men in their positions.
The Instructor will have occasion to remark that recruits, on first bearing arms, are liable to derange their position by lowering the right shoulder and the right hand, or by sinking the hip and spreading out the elbows.
He will be careful to correct all these faults by continually rectifying the position. He will sometimes take away the piece to replace it the better; he will avoid fatiguing the recruits too much in the evening, but labor by degrees to render this position so natural and easy that they may remain in it a long time without fatigue.
Finally, the instructor will take great care that the piece, at a shoulder, be not carried too high nor too low. If too high, the right elbow would spread out, the soldier would occupy too much space in his rank, and the piece be made to waver. If too low, the files would be too much closed, the soldier would not have the necessary space to handle his piece with facility, the right arm would become too much fatigued, and would draw down the shoulder.
The Instructor, before passing to the second lesson, will cause to be repeated the movements of eyes right, left, front, and the facings.
Lesson II Manual of arms
The manual of arms will be taught to eight men, placed, at first, in one rank, elbow to elbow, and afterwards in two ranks of four.
Each command will be executed in one time (or pause), but this time will be divided into motions, the better to make known the mechanism.
The rate (or swiftness) of each motion, in the manual of arms, with the exceptions herein indicated, is fixed at the ninetieth part of a minute. In order not to fatigue the attention, the instructor will, at first, look more particularly to the execution of the motions, without requiring a nice observance of the cadence, to which he will bring the recruits progressively. In a short time they shall have become a little familiarized with the handling of the piece.
The Instructor will labor to cause these motions to be executed with promptness, and above all, with regularity
The last syllable of the command will decide the brisk execution of the first motion of each time (or pause).The commands two, three, and four, will decide the brisk execution of the other motions. As soon is the recruits shall well comprehend the positions of the several motions of a time, they will be taught to execute the time without resting on its different motions. The mechanism of the time will nevertheless be observed, as well to give a perfect use of the piece, as to avoid the sinking of, or slurring over either of the motions.
The manual of arms will be taught in the following progression: The, instructor will command:
Support- ARMS.
One time and three motions.
(First motion.) Bring, the piece, with the right hand, perpendicularly to the front and between the eyes the barrel to the rear; seize the piece with the left hand at the lower hand, raise this hand as high as the chin, and seize the piece at the same time with the right hand four inches below the cock.
(Second motion.) Turn the piece with the barrel to the front; carry the piece to the left shoulder, and pass the fore-arm extended on the breast between the right hand and the cock; support the cock against the left fore-arm, the left hand resting on the right breast.
(Third motion.) Drop the right hand by the side.
When the instructor may wish to give repose in this position, he will command:
REST.
At this command, the recruits will bring up smartly the right hand to the handle of the piece (small of the stock), when to preserve silence, or steadiness of they will not be required to position.
When the instructor may wish the recruits to pass from this position to that of silence and steadiness, he will command:
1. Attention.
2. SQUAD.
At the Second word., the recruits will resume the position of the third motion of support arms
Shoulder- ARMS.
One time and three motions.
(First motion.) Grasp the piece with the right hand under and against the left fore-arm; seize it with the left hand at the lower band, the thumb extended; detach the piece slightly from the shoulder, the left fore-arm along the stock.
(Second motion.) Carry the piece vertically to the right shoulder with both hands, the rammer to the front. Change the position of the right hand so as to embrace the guard with the thumb and fore-finger. Slip the left hand to the height of the shoulder, the fingers extended and joined, the right arm nearly straight.
(Third motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the Side.
Present- ARMS
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) With the right hand bring the piece erect before the center of the body, the rammer to the front; at the same time seize the piece with the left hand half-way between the guide sight and lower band, the thumb extended along the barrel and against the stock, the, fore-arm horizontal and resting against the body, the band as high as the elbow.
(Second motion.) Grasp the small of the stock with the right hand below and against the guard.
Shoulder- ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Bring the piece to the right shoulder, at the same time change the position of the right band so as to embrace the guard with the thumb and fore-finger, slip up the left hand to the height of the shoulder, the fingers extended and joined, the right arm nearly Straight.
(Second motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the Side.
Order- ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Seize the piece briskly with the left hand near the upper band, and detach it slightly from the shoulder with the right hand -loosen the grasp of the right hand, lower the piece with the left, re-seize the piece with the right band above the lower band, the little finger in rear of the barrel, the butt about four inches from the ground, the right hand supported against the hip, drop the left hand by the side.
(Second motion.) Let the piece slip through the right hand to the ground by opening slightly the fingers, and take the position about to be described. Position of order arms
The hand low, the barrel between the thumb and fore-finger extended along the stock; the other fingers extended and joined; the muzzle about two inches from the right shoulder; the rammer in front; the toe (or beak) of the butt, against, and in a line with, the too of the right foot, the barrel perpendicular.
Trail- ARMS
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) The same as the first motion of order arms.
(Second motion.) Incline the muzzle slightly to the front, dip the right shoulder and slide the right hand down the piece to corresponding distance, and re-square the shoulders. The butt of the piece will rise to the rear and about four inches from the ground.
When the instructor may wish to give repose, he will command:
REST.
At this command, the recruits will not be required to preserve silence or steadiness.
When the instructor may wish the recruits to pass from this position to that of silence and steadiness, he will command:
1. Attention. 2.SQUAD.
At the second word, the recruits will resume the position of order arms.
Shoulder- ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Raise the piece vertically with the right hand to the height of the right breast, and opposite the shoulder, the elbow close to the body; seize the piece with the left hand below the right, and drop quickly the right hand to grasp the piece at the Swell of the stock, the thumb and fore-finger embracing the guard; press the piece against the shoulder with the left hand, the right arm nearly straight.
(Second motion.) Drop the left hand quickly by the side.
Right shoulder shift- ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Detach the piece perpendicularly from the shoulder with the right hand, and seize it with the left between the lower band and guide-sight, raise the piece, the left hand at the height of the shoulder and four inches from it; place, at the same time, the right hand on the butt, the beak between the first two fingers, the other two fingers under the butt plate.
(Second motion.) Quit the piece with the left hand, raise and place the piece on the right shoulder with the right hand, the look plate upwards; let fall, at the same time, the left hand by the aide.
Arms- AT WILL.
One time and one motion.
At this command, carry the piece at pleasure on either shoulder, with one or both bands, the muzzle either elevated, or pointing directly down, if slung.
Ground- ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Turn the piece with the right hand, the barrel to the left; at the same time seize the cartridge box with the left hand, bend the body, advance the left foot, the heel opposite the lower band. Lay the piece on the ground with the right hand, the toe of the butt on a line with the right toe, the knees slightly bent, the right heel raised.
(Second motion.) Rise up, bring the left foot by the side of the right, quit the cartridge box with the left hand, and drop the hands by the side.
Recover ARMS
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Seize the cartridge box with the left hand, bend the body, advance the left foot opposite the lower band, and seize the piece with the right hand.
(Second motion.) Raise the piece., bringing the left foot by the side of the right; turn the piece with the right hand, the rammer to the front; at the same time quit the cartridge box with the left hand, and drop this hand by the side.
Port Arms Arms at the Ready
Inspection-ARMS.
One time and two motions.
(First motion.) Seize the piece with the left hand below and near the upper band, carry it with both bands opposite the middle of the body, the butt between the feet, the rammer to the rear, the barrel vertical, the muzzle about three inches from the body; grasp the piece with the left hand below and near the upper band, seize the rammer with the thumb and fore-finger of the right band bent, the other fingers closed.
(Second motion.) Draw the rammer, and let it glide to the bottom of the bore, replace the piece with the left hand opposite the right shoulder, and retake the position of ordered arms.
The instructor will then inspect in succession the piece of each recruit, in passing along the front of the rank. Each, as the instructor reaches him, will raise smartly his piece with his right hand, seize it with the left between the lower band and guide sight, the lock to the front, the left hand at the height of the chin, the piece opposite to the left eye; the instructor will take it with the right hand at the handle, and, after inspecting it, will return it to the recruit, who will receive it back with the right hand, and replace it in the position of ordered arms.
When the instructor shall have passed him, each recruit will retake the position proscribed at the command inspection arms, return the rammer, and resume the position of ordered arms.