Manual of Military Training by James A. Moss (best value ebook reader .TXT) 📕

instant action. When practicable, troops should be instructed in advance as to what they are to do in case of attack at night. (602)

613. Night operations frequently advisable. Night operations are frequently advisable. With the small forces employed, control is not difficult. Irregular troops rarely provide proper camp protection, and they may frequently be surprised and severely punished by a properly conducted night march and attack. (603)

CEREMONIES General Rules for Ceremonies

614. Order in which troops are arranged for ceremonies; commander faces command; subordinates face to front. The order in which the troops of the various arms are arranged for ceremonies is prescribed by Army Regulations.

When forming for ceremonies the companies of the battalion and the battalions of the regiment are posted from right to left in line and from head to rear in column, in the order of rank of their respective commanders present in the formation, the senior on the right or at the head.

The commander faces the command; subordinate commanders face to the front. (708)

615. Saluting by lieutenant colonel and staffs. At the command present arms, given by the colonel, the lieutenant colonel, and the colonel's staff salute; the major's staff salute at the major's command. Each staff returns to the carry or order when the command order arms is given by its chief. (709)

616. Formation of companies, battalion and regiment. At the assembly for a ceremony companies are formed on their own parades and informally inspected, as prescribed in par. 646.

At adjutant's call, except for ceremonies involving a single battalion, each battalion is formed on its own parade, reports are received, and the battalion presented to the major, as laid down in par. 308. At the second sounding of adjutant's call the regiment is formed. (710)

REVIEWS General Rules

617. Indication of points where column changes direction; flank to pass 12 paces from reviewing officer; post of reviewing officer and others. The adjutant posts men or otherwise marks the points where the column changes direction in such manner that its flank in passing will be about 12 paces from the reviewing officer.

The post of the reviewing officer, usually opposite the center of the line, is indicated by a marker.

Officers of the same or higher grade, and distinguished personages invited to accompany the reviewing officer, place themselves on his left; their staffs and orderlies place themselves respectively on the left of the staff and orderlies of the reviewing officer; all others who accompany the reviewing officer place themselves on the left of his staff, their orderlies in rear. A staff officer is designated to escort distinguished personages and to indicate to them their proper positions, as prescribed in par. 73. (711)

618. Riding around the troops; saluting the color; reviewing officer returns only salute of commanding officer of troops. While riding around the troops, the reviewing officer may direct his staff, flag and orderlies to remain at the post of the reviewing officer, or that only his personal staff and flag shall accompany him; in either case the commanding officer alone accompanies the reviewing officer. If the reviewing officer is accompanied by his entire staff, the staff officers of the commander place themselves on the right of the staff of the reviewing officer.

The reviewing officer and others at the reviewing stand salute the color as it passes; when passing around the troops, the reviewing officer and those accompanying him salute the color when passing in front of it.

The reviewing officer returns the salute of the commanding officer of the troops only. Those who accompany the reviewing officer do not salute. (712)

619. Saluting by staffs. In passing in review, each staff salutes with its commander. (713)

620. Turning out of column by commanding officer of troops and staff. After saluting the reviewing officer, the commanding officer of the troops turns out of the column, takes post on the right of the reviewing officer, and returns saber; the members of his staff accompanying him take post on the right of the reviewing officer's staff and return saber. When the rear element of his command has passed, without changing his position, the commanding officer of the troops salutes the reviewing officer; he and the members of his staff accompanying him then draw saber and rejoin his command. The commanding officer of the troops and the members of his staff are the only ones who turn out of the column. (714)

621. Turning out of column by commanding officer of troops and staff. If the person reviewing the command is not mounted, the commanding officer and his staff on turning out of the column after passing the reviewing officer dismount preparatory to taking post. In such case, the salute of the commanding officer, prior to rejoining his command, is made with the hand before remounting. (715)

622. Salute by regimental color. When the rank of the reviewing officer entitles him to the honor, each regimental color salutes at the command present arms, given or repeated by the major of the battalion with which it is posted; and again in passing in review. (716)

623. The band. The band of an organization plays while the reviewing officer is passing in front of and in rear of the organization.

Each band, immediately after passing the reviewing officer, turns out of the column, takes post in front of and facing him, continues to play until its regiment has passed, then ceases playing and follows in rear of its regiment; the band of the following regiment commences to play as soon as the preceding band has ceased.

While marching in review but one band in each brigade plays at a time, and but one band at a time when within 100 paces of the reviewing officer. (717)

624. The national air, to the color, march, flourishes or ruffles,—when played. If the rank of the reviewing officer entitles him to the honor, the band plays the prescribed national air, or the field music sounds to the color, march, flourishes or ruffles when arms are presented. When passing in review at the moment the regimental color salutes, the musicians halted in front of the reviewing officer, sound to the color, march, flourishes or ruffles. (718)

625. Modifications of the review. The formation for review may be modified to suit the ground, and the present arms and the ride around the line by the reviewing officer may be dispensed with. (719)

626. When post of reviewing officer is on left of column. If the post of the reviewing officer is on the left of the column, the troops march in review with the guide left; the commanding officer and his staff turn out of the column to the left, taking post as prescribed above, but to the left of the reviewing officer; in saluting, the captains give the command: 1. Eyes, 2. LEFT. (720)

627. Cadence at which troops pass in review. Except in the review of a single battalion, the troops pass in review in quick time only. (721)

628. Reviews of brigades or larger commands; action of battalions after passing reviewing officer. In reviews of brigades or larger commands, each battalion, after the rear has passed the reviewing officer 50 paces, takes the double time for 100 yards in order not to interfere with the march of the column in rear; if necessary, it then turns out of the column and returns to camp by the most practicable route; the leading battalion of each regiment is followed by the other units of the regiment. (722)

629. Standing "at ease," "rest," etc., in review of brigade or larger command. In a brigade or larger review a regimental commander may cause his regiment to stand at ease, rest, or stack arms and fall out and resume attention, so as not to interfere with the ceremony. (723)

630. Review by inspector junior to commanding officer. When an organization is to be reviewed before an inspector junior in rank to the commanding officer, the commanding officer receives the review and is accompanied by the inspector, who takes post on his left. (724)

Battalion Review

631. Presenting battalion to reviewing officer; passing around battalion; battalion passing in review at quick time. The battalion having been formed in line, the major faces to the front; the reviewing officer moves a few paces toward the major and halts; the major turns about and commands: 1. Present, 2. ARMS, and again turns about and salutes.

The reviewing officer returns the salute; the major turns about, brings the battalion to order arms, and again turns to the front.

The reviewing officer approaches to about 6 paces from the major, the latter salutes, takes post on his right, and accompanies him around, the battalion. The band plays. The reviewing officer proceeds to the right of the band, passes in front of the captain to the left of the line and returns to the right, passing in rear of the file closers and the band. (See par. 625.)

On arriving again at the right of the line, the major salutes, halts, and when the reviewing officer and staff have passed, moves directly to his post in front of the battalion, faces it, and commands: 1. Pass in review, 2. Squads right, 3. MARCH.

At the first command the band changes direction if necessary, and halts.

At the third command, given when the band has changed direction, the battalion moves off, the band playing; without command from the major the column changes direction at the points indicated, and column of companies at full distance is formed successively to the left at the second change of direction; the major takes his post 20 paces in front of the band immediately after the second change; the band having passed the reviewing officer, turns to the left of the column, takes post in front of and facing the reviewing officer, and remains there until the review terminates.

The major and staff salute, turn the head as in eyes right, and look toward the reviewing officer when the major is 6 paces from him; they return to the carry and turn the head and eyes to the front when the major has passed 6 paces beyond him.

Without facing about, each captain or special unit commander, except the drum major, commands: 1. Eyes, in time to add, 2. RIGHT, when at 6 paces from the reviewing officer, and commands front when at 6 paces beyond him. At the command eyes the company officers armed with the saber execute the first motion of present saber; at the command right all turn head and eyes to the right, the company officers complete present saber, and the noncommissioned officers armed with the saber execute the first motion of present saber; at the command front all turn head and eyes to the front, and officers and noncommissioned officers armed with the saber resume the carry saber; without arms in hand, the first motion of the hand salute is made at the command right, and the second motion not made until the command front.

Noncommissioned staff officers, noncommissioned officers in command of subdivisions, and the drum major salute, turn the head and eyes, return to the front, resume the carry or drop the hand, at the points prescribed for the major. Officers and dismounted noncommissioned officers in command of subdivisions, with arms in hand, render the rifle or saber salute. Guides charged with the step, trace, and direction do not execute eyes right.

If the reviewing officer is entitled to a salute from the color the regimental color salutes when at 6 paces from him, and is raised when at 6 paces beyond him.

The major, having saluted, takes post on the right of the reviewing officer, returns saber and remains there until the rear of the battalion has passed, then salutes and rejoins his battalion. The band ceases to play when the column has completed its second change of