The Plattsburg Manual Part 16

At the command attention the pieces are brought to the right shoulder and the cadenced step in quick time is resumed.

RULES FOR GUIDES

A guide is a noncommissioned officer or a private upon whom the company regulates its march.

It is not difficult for an inexperienced man learn, with a little practice, the duties and the correct positions of a guide. Remember the rule of thumb, The guide and the file closers are on the opposite flanks when the company is in column of squads. In squads right about it would be ridiculous for the file closers to move from one flank to another. Guides are permitted and supposed look around to see if they are in their proper places; most new men are timid about this.

The following general rules and examples will help you:

The guide of a company or platoon in line is right, unless otherwise announced.

The guide of a company or platoon in column of squads is toward the side of the guide, who places himself on the side of the company away from the file closers.

The guide of a deployed line (a skirmish line) is always center unless otherwise announced.

EXAMPLES

Suppose the company to be in line.

In executing:

1. Squads right. The guides go to the left flank.

2. Right by squads. The guides go to the left flank.

3. Squads left. The guides go to the right flank.

4. Left by squads. The guides go to the right flank.

If the company is in column of squads and the command is either squads right or left about, the guides simply remember to remain on the flank opposite from the file closers. It is very easy to see that a world of confusion would be caused by the file closers attempting to move to the opposite flank during squads right or left about. If the guides are in doubt look to see where the file closers are and then apply the rule of thumb: File closers and guides are always on opposite flanks.

TO DIMINISH THE FRONT OF A COLUMN OF SQUADS

Being in column of squads: 1. Right (left) by twos, 2. MARCH.

At the command march all files except the two right files on the leading squad execute "in Place Halt"; the two left files of the leading squads oblique to the right when disengaged and follow the right files at the shortest practicable distance. The remaining squads follow successively in like manner.

Being in column of squads or twos:

1. Right (left) by file, 2. MARCH.

At the command march, all files execute "In Place Halt," except the right file of the leading two or squad. The left file or files of the leading two or squad oblique successively to the right when disengaged and each follows the file on its right at the shortest practicable distance. The remaining twos or squads follow successively in like manner.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RIGHT BY TWOS]

Being in column of files or twos, to form column of squads; or, being in column of files, to form column of twos: 1. Squads (twos), right (left) front into line, 2. MARCH.

At the command march, the leading file or files halt and come to order arms. The remainder of the squad, or twos, obliques to the right and halts on line with the leading file or files. The remaining squads or twos close up and successively form in rear of the first in like manner.

The movement described in this paragraph will be ordered right or left, so as to restore the files to their normal relative positions in column of twos or in column of squads.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RIGHT BY FILE]

The movements prescribed in the three preceding paragraphs are difficult of execution at attention and have no value as disciplinary exercises.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Executing twos left front into line.

Executing squads left front into line.]

Marching by twos or files can not be executed without serious delay and waste of road s.p.a.ce. Every reasonable precaution will be taken to obviate the necessity for these formations.

The remainder of chapter on close order drill, School of the Company, is in general for those above the grade of private, therefore, unless we are perfectly clear in what we have had so far, let us not go too deeply into these special features until we have more experience.

The captain is responsible for the theoretical and practical instruction of his officers and noncommissioned officers, not only in the duties of their respective grades, but in those of the next higher grades.

If the left squad contains less than six men, it is either increased to that number by transfers from other squads or is broken up and its members a.s.signed to other squads and posted in the line of file closers.

These squad organizations are maintained, by transfers if necessary, until the company becomes so reduced in numbers as to necessitate a new division into squads. No squad will contain less than six men.

The company is further divided into two, three, or four platoons, each consisting of not less than two nor more than four squads. In garrison or ceremonies the strength of platoons may exceed four squads.

Platoons are a.s.signed to the lieutenants and noncom-missioned officers, in order of rank, as follows: 1, right; 2, left; 3, center (right center); 4, left center.

The noncommissioned officers next in rank are a.s.signed as guides, one to each platoon. If sergeants still remain, they are a.s.signed to platoons as additional guides. When the platoon is deployed, its guide, or guides, accompany the platoon leader.

The first sergeant is never a.s.signed as a guide. When not commanding a platoon, he is posted as a file closer opposite the third file from the outer flank of the first platoon; and when the company is deployed he accompanies the captain.

Musicians, when required to play, are at the head of the column. When the company is deployed, they accompany the captain.

Guides and enlisted men in the line of file closers execute the manual of arms during the drill unless especially excused, when they remain at the order. During ceremonies they execute all movements.

In taking intervals and distances, unless otherwise directed, the right and left guides, at the first command, place themselves in the line of file closers, and, with them, take a distance of 4 paces from the rear rank. In taking intervals, at the command march, the file closers face to the flank and each steps off with the file nearest him.

In a.s.sembling the guides and file closers resume their positions in line.

Being in line at a halt, the captain directs the first sergeant, dismiss the company. The officers fall out; the first sergeant places himself faced to the front, 3 paces to the front and 2 paces from the nearest flank of the company, salutes, faces toward opposite flank of the company, and commands: 1. Inspection, 2. ARMS, 3. Port, 4. ARMS, 3.

DISMISSED.

The alignments are executed as prescribed in the School of the Squad, the guide being established instead of the flank file. The rear-rank man of the flank file keeps his head and eyes to the front and covers his file leader.

At each alignment the captain places himself in prolongation of the line, 2 paces from and facing the flank toward which the dress is made, verifies the alignment, and commands: FRONT.

Platoon leaders take a like position when required to verify alignments.