Chapter D: Caldwell, (40)

If it be intended that the front rank of the directing company or subdivision, should stand on the identical line which it occupied before the countermarch, it will be placed in that direction. In that case, after the subdivision has wheeled inwards, the wing which is to march in rear of it, must shift a few paces to the flank, in order to get clear of the rear ranks, and then proceed.

When one flank of a battalion or line is to occupy the spot where the other one stands, its most expeditious movement to arrive at it, will be along the prolongation of the line. If the flanks are to exchange places with each other, the countermarch on the centre, or on a flank, is the best method by which that exchange can be effected. The single battalion may do it by files, if its ground be confined, but a line must do it by countermarch of divisions in open column.

_The_ COUNTERMARCH _in column_, is the inversion of the different files which constitute the several divisions, subdivisions, or sections of which the column is composed. By which inversion the front of the column is completely reversed.

To COUNTERMARCH _a column, the right in front_, is to change the front, or aspect of the leading company, subdivision, or section, and to place it in the rear of its perpendicular formation. After the caution has been given to countermarch by files the whole will face to the right, by word of command. Each company or leading officer or serjeant, will immediately quit the pivot, and place himself on the right of his company, subdivision, or section, whilst his covering serjeant advances to the spot which he has quitted, and faces to the right about. At the word _march_ the whole move. The leader in the first instance wheels short round to the right, and proceeds, followed by his files of men, until he has placed his pivot front rank man close to his serjeant, who remains immoveable. As soon as the leading officer or serjeant of each company, subdivision, or section, has countermarched the extent of his front, he instantly gives the words _mark time_, so as to have it squared and closed in to the right, which is now become the pivot flank, and on which the officer or serjeant replaces the person that had advanced to ascertain the exact point of perpendicular formation; and who falls back behind the rear rank; and when dressed, _halt_. By means of this inversion of the files, the column will face to its rear, each company, subdivision, or section, having its original follower its head or leading object.

_To_ COUNTERMARCH _a column, the left in front_, is to make the left company, subdivision, or section, which is now in the rear of the column, become the head of it. After the caution, to countermarch by files, has been given, at the word _left face_, the whole face to the left, the officer or serjeant moves to the left of his company, subdivision, or section, and the person who has covered him, moves to his place, and faces about. At the word _march_, the officer turns short to the left, and proceeds as before until he is fixed on the left, which is now become the pivot flank, as the column stands with its right in front. In all countermarches, the facing is always to that hand which is _not_ the pivot, but which is to become such. The countermarch of each division, subdivision, or section, separately on its own ground, is an evolution of great utility on many occasions. It enables a column which has its right in front, and is marching in an alignement, to return along that same line, and to take such new positions in it as circumstances may require, without inverting or altering the proper front of the line. In many situations of forming from column into line, it becomes a previous operation which ought not to be dispensed with.

When a column countermarches by divisions, each on its own ground, unless the divisions be equal, the distances after the countermarch will not be the true wheeling distances, but will be such as are equal to the front of the preceding division, and therefore the true distances must be regained before the divisions can wheel up into line with the accuracy and completion of space which are required.

MARCHING _past by the cavalry_.--At a review, or inspection, regiments, brigades, or lines, do not march past in column of squadrons, but in column of half squadrons.

In passing by in half squadrons at open ranks, the commander of the squadron will be in front of his leading half squadron, covered by the standard, with which the other officers of the half squadron dress. In the second half squadron all its officers are in front, and in one line. The trumpets are all in front of the regiment, and when they have passed, wheel quickly round, and remain posted opposite the general, and sound till the regiment has passed; when they cease, (and those of the succeeding regiments commence) follow their regiment, and regain its front.

The half squadrons, or divisions, will dress, and cover to the passing hand; after the successive wheel, which brings them on the line of passing, they will open ranks, 60 or 70 yards, before they approach the general, and close them about the same distance after passing, and they will continue so to dress, and preserve the line, till each division wheels at the point, where the head one has changed its direction: there, and not before, the dressing and covering will be made to the proper pivot flank of divisions.

The whole pass, (whether at open or close ranks) as one column; nor is any division, squadron, or regiment, to increase, or alter the distances it possessed, at the moment it wheeled from line into column.

In passing by half squadrons or divisions, at close ranks, the standard may take the centre of the front rank of the leading one. The commanding officer is before it, other officers are at their squadron posts, and care is taken, that there shall be an officer on each passing flank.

At the drawing of swords, and general salute, on the general’s approach, the trumpets all sound the parade march. When the general passes along the line, each regiment successively sounds its own march, or such other as it shall be ordered, and the same is done by each regiment when it passes the general.

The general orders and field regulations have prescribed the soundings with which all generals, and other persons, are to be received; when they pass along the line, or the line before them, the trumpet soundings will be the same as when the president or governor of a state appears.

The trumpet flourish, in drawing swords, is used regimentally on their own ground, and is the sounding used in receiving a major general; it is repeated twice for a lieutenant-general, and to all superior generals the march is sounded.

In parade, to receive the president, or the commanding general, the trumpets are assembled on the right of their regiments, (whether single or in line) in two ranks, and the staff beyond them.--The staff does not march past.

On all occasions of exercise, and manœuvre, trumpets are behind their troops and squadrons, unless otherwise detached.

If the president sees a brigade, he will be received at the point of his approach in the manner already directed, by the general commanding it. If a single regiment, in the same manner by its commanding officer.

After passing in parade, and in movements, and exercise, it will depend on the commanding officer of the regiment, to place the other field officers at the head of squadrons, or to assign them the superintendance of wings, in order the better to assist.

In general, regiments manœuvre at too great a distance from the person inspecting them; they ought to terminate many of their movements and formations within 20 or 30 yards of where he stands.

Cavalry regiments, when dismounted, and formed in line, will have an interval of six paces between each.

When the regiments dismount, field officers, and adjutants, do not dismount, but remain on horseback.

When the dismounted line advances in front, at close ranks, general officers, and commanding officers of regiments, are behind the centre; other field officers are behind the flanks of the battalion.

When the dismounted line is at open ranks, field officers are on the flanks of the battalion, in a line with the men, and general officers, and commanding officers of regiments, are in front.

In passing on foot, all mounted officers are in front of the regiment, except the adjutant, who is in the rear.

_General principles in_ MARCHING.--Where a large body is marching in column, or columns, through narrow ground, and when its parts are to be assembled beyond the defile in several lines, in a compact manner behind each other--such parts are not to begin to assemble when the leading one does, but the head of each line is successively first to come up to the ground on which it is to stand, and when it there halts, its proper followers (and not before) move into line with it, and thereby do not impede the bodies that are behind them, which are still in the defile, and are to perform the same operation.

When a new line to be marched, or formed upon, is taken up by guides, commanding officers of squadrons, of regiments, and all other persons whatever, will take care that during such operation they do not stand upon, or obscure the direction of that line. Too many guides should not be thrown out. In movements in column, commanding officers of squadrons, and regiments, should keep wide of the flanks, that the pivot leaders may more correctly follow each other, and that they themselves may the better see, and distinguish the relative situation of the whole.

We shall conclude our remarks on the principles of marching, by quoting a remarkable passage out of marshal Saxe’s Reveries, which may serve to undeceive many with regard to the over-rated importance that is given to the expert handling of the firelock.

He justly remarks, that the manual and platoon exercise does extremely well to render the soldier easy under arms, but it should not engross the whole of our attention on that account. It is, perhaps, of all others, the least important branch in military acquirements, after the soldier has been taught to carry his firelock on his left shoulder, to prime and load with accuracy and dispatch, and to fire in platoon.

When once a soldier has been rendered master of these essential requisites, (and it requires little to make him so) the full possession of his legs and feet becomes the principal object of his attention.

The secret of all manœuvres, and the consequent issue of engagements, depend upon the legs. Hence the necessity of moving to time and measure, and the wise practice of teaching the cadenced step. Whoever attempts to drill a recruit without paying attention to this important object, must be ignorant of the first elements of war.

_Il n’en est pas seulement aux elemens a qu’on appelle le métier de la guerre._--He does not even know the first rudiments of what is called the art of war.

These observations ought to be strongly impressed upon the minds of those persons who are too apt to devote all their time to the firelock, and consequently to neglect the more necessary object of marching, &c. Officers, in particular, should be taught to feel the justness of those principles of movement, by which large bodies are enabled to act together. The motions of the firelock are easily learned, but the various changes to which the human frame must submit in marching, require something more than mere mechanical operation.

MARCH _of a train of artillery_.--It has been observed in page 192, of Muller’s Treatise of Artillery, that the French march their artillery much in the same manner that the British do, with this difference, that the French artillery is divided into brigades. In page 191 of Muller’s treatise on Artillery, we find the following detail of a march of English artillery:--

1. A guard of the army. 2. The company of miners, with their tumbrel of tools, drawn by two horses. 3. The regiments of artillery front guard. 4. The kettle drums, drawn by four horses, and two trumpeters on horseback. 5. The flag gun drawn by 17 horses, and five twelve pounders more, by 15 horses each. 6. Eleven waggons with stores for the said guns, and one spare, by three horses each. 7. Six nine pounders, drawn by eleven horses each. 8. Nine waggons with stores for the said guns, and one spare, by three horses each. 9. Five long six pounders, by seven horses each. 10. Seven waggons with stores for ditto, and a spare one, drawn by three horses each. 11. Five long six pounders, drawn by seven horses each. 12. Six waggons with stores for ditto, and a spare one, by three horses each. 13. Four long six pounders, by seven horses each. 14. Five waggons with stores for ditto, and a spare one, by three horses each. 15. Two howitzers, by five horses each. 16. Four waggons with stores for ditto, by three horses. 17. Six short six pounders, by two horses each. 18. Three waggons with stores for ditto, by three horses each. 19. Six royals, with their stores, in four waggons, by three horses each. 20. One 12 pounder carriage, by seven horses; one nine pounder carriage, by five; one long six pounder carriage, by five; two short, by two; one short and one long limber, by one horse; and two forges, by two each. 21. Twenty ammunition carts, by three horses each. 22. Nineteen waggons with musquet cartridges, and one spare, by three horses each. 23. Thirty waggons with powder, and one spare, by three horses each. 24. Thirty waggons with musquet shot, and one spare, by three horses each. 25. Twenty-five waggons with intrenching tools, and one spare, by three horses each. 26. Twenty-five waggons with small stores, and one spare, by three each. 27. Six waggons for artificers, with four spare, each by three. 28. Thirty-two baggage waggons, nine by four horses, and 23 by three. 29. Thirty pontoons, and three spare carriages, each by seven. 30. The artillery rear guard. 31. The rear guard from the army.

It must be observed that there are parties of gunners and matrosses marching with the guns: there are likewise some parties of pioneers interspersed here and there to mend the roads, when they are spoiled by the fore carriages.

We shall now present our military readers with an extract from a French work, which has appeared since the Memoires D’Artillerie, par M. Surirey de Saint Remy, and which may put them more especially in possession of the French manner of marching their artillery, than Mr. Muller has afforded.--We must however, at the same time, refer them for more copious information to the third volume of Saint Remy, page 187 to 201.

In the last edition of the Dictionnaire Militaire, the following observations are made on this important operation.

When the troops in the advanced camp of the army begin to assemble, the commanding officer of the artillery repairs to head-quarters, and communicates with the commander in chief.--Utensils, stores, and ammunition, are forwarded to the camp, and every soldier is provided with ten or twelve rounds of ball cartridge, before he commences his march against the enemy.--These articles having been distributed, the waggons and horses return to the train of artillery, and proper dispositions are made to connect the whole line of march.

The horses belonging to the train are narrowly inspected by the lieutenant-general of artillery, who marks or rejects them according to his judgment, and sends one report of their actual state to government, and another to the master general of the ordnance. He gives directions to the captain-general of the waggon-train to arrange matters in such a manner with each provincial commissary belonging to the park, that the different captains may know what brigades fall under their immediate superinterdance. The latter must not on any account leave the brigades with which they are entrusted during the march.

The ammunition waggons having been loaded, and the horses harnessed in, they are distributed into different brigades, and put in motion to join the main army, according to the following order:--

The first thing that precedes the march of a regular train of artillery, is a waggon loaded with utensils, such as spades, pick-axes, shovels, mattocks, wooden spades, with iron bottoms; grapples, hatchets, &c. These are under the care of a waggon-master, who is attended by forty pioneers to clear and point out the way.

In the rear of this waggon follow four four pounders, mounted on their several carriages, with every necessary appendage on each side, loaded with ball, and the cannoneers ready, each having a lighted match in his hand, and two steel prickers or _dégorgeoirs_. Next to these is a waggon loaded with different articles of ordnance, containing likewise one barrel of gunpowder, one ditto of ball, a bundle of matches, weighing together about fifty pounds, about fifty balls of the calibre of the guns and five or six sets stout drag-ropes or bricoles.

The military chest, and the king’s or royal stores, generally accompany this small train, when the army consists of one column only.

The pontoons, with every thing belonging to them, follow next; and after them the crab with its appendages, accompanied by the captain of artificers, with a certain number of carpenters.

Next follow the heavy ordnance.

Those pieces of artillery which are mounted, follow each other according to their several calibres, with all their necessary implements for service hanging on each side.

Then come the frames belonging to the pieces of heavy ordnance, with their implements, &c. placed upon them. The mortars follow next.

After these follow the caissons belonging to the escorts of the park of artillery, military chest, quarter-master general, and captain of artificers or workmen, in which are contained the tools belonging to the different workmen and miners, together with the forges, &c.

The baggage belonging to the commanding officer of artillery, and to the several officers of the train, follow next, each waggon succeeding the other according to the rank of the several officers. It frequently happens, that the carriages with stores and provisions, and those belonging to the royal regiment of artillery move together.

After these follow the tumbrels with gunpowder, matches, sand-bags, ropes, fuses for bombs and grenades, proof-pieces, if there are any, plummets, hand grenades, mining tools, mortar-carriages, bombs, balls, according to the different calibres of cannon, tools, and instruments for pioneers, with the spare carts.

In order to secure the regular progress and march of these different classes, it has been usual among the French, to divide them into five brigades, each brigade under the command of an artillery officer; and the whole subject to the orders of the commandant of artillery. All the equipage belonging to the train is distributed among these five brigades, and each brigade takes care to bring up its proportion every day to the park or spot of rendezvous. These are subject to a roster among themselves, some leading, and others bringing up the rear, according to its arrangement.

_Night_-MARCHES. Whenever marches are undertaken in the night, great precaution should be observed on the part of the commanding officer of the troops, to attach two or three faithful and intelligent guides to each column or detachment; for it may very easily happen, that in moving a considerable detachment during the night, some troops or squadrons may lose themselves, especially where there are cross-roads, and difficult passes.

The commanding officer at the head of the detachment must march slow, provided the nature of his expedition will admit of it: and wherever he finds any bye-roads on the march, he must post a few men there to direct the succeeding squadron; which squadron is to repeat the same caution, and so on throughout the whole.

As it is almost impossible for squadrons to keep constantly close together; and as it almost always happens, that, in order to conceal a march from the enemy, no trumpet must be sounded, (which would otherwise serve for a direction in the night time) a good non-commissioned officer, with four or six men, must be appointed to the rear of every squadron, who are to divide themselves, and form a chain in the interval, between it and the one succeeding, in order to prevent any mistake of the road.

Before the detachment matches off, the officer commanding must be careful to exhort the officers leading troops or squadrons, strictly to observe all the above directions: he must also have several orderly men to attend him; and, if possible, two or three guides in front.

The advanced guard must be reinforced in the night time, and march at a small distance from the main body, and whenever it shall happen unexpectedly to meet the enemy, it must instantly charge with all possible vigor; on which account, and in order to be in continual readiness, it must always march with advanced arms.

_Secret_ MARCHES, are made with a design to reconnoitre an enemy, surprize his camp, secure a post, or seize a place. They are likewise undertaken to succour troops that may be precariously situated, to relieve a besieged town, &c. It is in this service that a commander has occasion for his utmost sagacity and penetration, to prevent his being discovered or betrayed. In order to ensure success, the person who conducts the march, should have previously obtained good information relative to the different roads through which he is to pass, the disposition of the inhabitants, &c. He should also obtain correct intelligence respecting the situation of the enemy’s out-posts, &c.

_To_ MARCH _for the direct purpose of fighting an enemy_. In order to effect this important operation with confidence and safety, every army that marches from a distant point towards the ground which is occupied by an enemy, endeavors as much as possible, to preserve its regular front, and to advance in order of battle. Whenever obstacles occur, and the ground becomes so confined, that the march in line cannot be preserved, the different squadrons and battalions must approach the enemy in such a disposition of columns, as to be able to form line in the quickest manner, and before the enemy could possibly attempt to make an impression on the advancing columns, by charging with his cavalry.

The general officers who command the several columns, in leading them forward must attentively observe each other’s movement, so that their heads, at least, be upon a line; and that when they reach the ground where the whole are to deploy, this manœuvre may be accomplished with dispatch and safety, and the order of battle be fully made, out of the reach of the enemy’s horse.

The general or commander in chief, with his aids-de-camp, &c. takes his ground in such a manner as to be able to see the effect of the first fire. From being thus conveniently situated, he will know what orders to send, whether to support that part of the line which has gained ground, or to replace any particular one that may have given way. In order to accomplish this double purpose, he either makes use of the troops which have been drawn up between the two lines, as circumstances may require, or detaches from the reserve, as he judges best for the service.

The instant the line is formed, and the enemy appears in sight, every general officer must be found at the head of his division, actively employed either in leading on the troops, entrusted to his skill and valor, or in speedily remedying every symptom of disorder which may occur throughout the whole extent of his command.

The disposition of an army (to quote the words of mons. de Feuquieres) which comes to close action, differs essentially from that it assumes in a march, or previous movement. Were troops, indeed, to advance over a wide space of open and unembarrassed ground, the formation of them might be the same. But this is seldom or ever the case. The intervention of hills, woods, rivers, villages, and narrow passes or defiles, gives rise to so many obstacles, that a large body of men, such as constitutes an army, must necessarily be divided into many different corps, in order, that the collective force may arrive, at a given time, within the lines of a new camp, or within sight of an enemy.

On these occasions the movements of an army are attended with considerable risk, especially if the enemy has himself taken the field; for by ably manœuvring he may take advantage of the divided state of your army, and attack it piece-meal. The greatest precautions, however, are observed in modern warfare, which were either unknown to, or neglected by our ancestors. Most of these have already been discussed, as far as the limits of our undertaking would admit. The following additional observations may not, perhaps, be thought wholly superfluous.

In the first instance it will be necessary for the quarter master general, and for the different officers who compose the staff or etat-major of the army, to render themselves perfectly masters of the country through which the troops are to march. The corps of guides, especially if the march should be continued during the night, must be well chosen on these occasions; and the different captains that have the charge of them, are frequently to communicate with the principal officers on the staff, to facilitate the several movements. All the general officers must be in possession of correct topographical sketches of the country; and their aids-de-camp, &c. must not only know how to deliver orders, but they must themselves be able to calculate, (from a cursory view of the chart,) time and distance, The science of locality, has, indeed, become so manifestly useful in all military operations, that the French have formed regular companies of topographers, who accompany their armies; a new institution, at High-Wycombe, England, pays much attention to this branch of necessary knowlege.

Artificers and workmen with appropriate escorts, precede the several columns, in order to clear the roads, and to remove obstacles that occur. Light troops, and large detachments of cavalry, are pushed forward for the purpose of keeping the enemy in awe, and to send the earliest intelligence respecting his movements. Bridges are thrown across rivers with astonishing activity and dispatch; every thing in a word which relates to the movement of the army, is so well digested before-hand, and subsequently so well executed, that all the different corps co-operate, and readily succour each other should the enemy attack. The natural formation of the battalion is preserved, whether the grenadiers are disposed in front, or the light companies lead; and the several piquets come regularly up with the rear during the march, and are as readily stationed in the front when their corps halt.

When a forced march is undertaken for the specific purpose of rendering some design of an enemy abortive, it is the duty of the commissariat to have provisions ready at hand, during the transient halts which are made in this harassing and fatiguing enterprise.

It is usual for great armies to march in several columns, in conformity to the order of battle which has been laid down by the general or commander in chief, at the beginning of the campaign. Those battalions and squadrons which compose the right, take their line of march through that direction of the country; those which compose the left, preserve their relative time and distance in that quarter. The artillery and heavy baggage are generally disposed of in the centre column.

When an army marches directly forward to attack or meet an enemy, the artillery is almost always distributed in the centre: sometimes a brigade of that corps, with a body of select troops in front, precedes each column; but the heavy baggage invariably moves in the rear under cover of the reserve.

When an army marches through a woody or close country, the heads of the different columns are usually covered by a strong detachment of riflemen, preceded by squadrons of horse. Should the enemy be in your rear, when it is found expedient to make a movement, the hospital stores, ammunition, baggage, and artillery, escorted by some squadrons of horse, must be sent forward, and the best disciplined troops, with a certain quantity of artillery, are in that case to make up the rear guard. If the enemy should hang upon your flank (the right, for instance,) the artillery, stores, and baggage, must be conducted by the left: should the enemy direct his operations from the left, the same movements must take place on the right.

A small army may march in one column, having its artillery and baggage between the advanced and rear guards. Should it be brought to action, the dragoons and light cavalry belonging to the advanced guard will compose one wing, and the troops that are disposed of in the rear, will form the other: the infantry will be distributed in the centre with the artillery in its front.

The French seem to have paid the greatest attention to the various details and incidental circumstances which attend the march of any considerable body of troops. It was not, however, until the reign of Louis XIII. that any sort of regular system began to prevail. There was certainly less necessity for such an arrangement, because the baggage was by no means so great, nor was the train of artillery half so extensive. The only dangers, indeed, which were to be guarded against, when the enemy was near, seemed confined to the loss of baggage and artillery. These were, of course, provided against by every able general, who naturally observed the greatest secrecy with respect to his encampment, and practised various stratagems to conceal his march from the enemy.

Some very sensible observations, relative to the manner in which troops should be managed previous to an engagement, may be found in the _Rêveries de M. le Maréchal de Saxe_; and considerable information may be derived from _Les Reflexions de M. le Baron d’Espagnac_, on the best method of forming the infantry for battle. See _Supplément aux Rêveries_, page 19. See likewise _Oeuvres Militaires_, tom. 1. p. 124.

_General observations on the march of troops._ Observations from a French work, applicable to general service. When troops are ordered to march, four principal objects should be well considered, viz. locality, time, possible ambuscades, and the ultimate end for which the march is undertaken. In order to secure these important points, some topographers (without whom no army can be said to be well constituted, or its staff ably appointed) should be directed to give in plans of the country, to shew where it is intersected, where hills with their different incurvations appear, where the roads are narrow, where the ground is soft or marshy, and unfavorable to the passage of artillery, where intricate passes occur, where there are woods, hedges, rivers, or marshes, and finally where the country becomes totally impervious.

When these different objects have been well ascertained, and thoroughly digested at head quarters, the component parts of the army must be so distributed with respect to the battalions of infantry, squadrons of horse, artillery, and baggage, that the front of the leading column shall invariably correspond with the extent of the road or defile which is to be marched over.

When troops are ordered to march through an inclosed country, the whole army is divided into a given number of columns, which successively follow each other, and are encamped, cantoned, or quartered separately. Sometimes the country is cleared, as much as circumstances will admit, in order that the several columns may advance, while the artillery, under an escort of infantry on each side, and with cavalry distributed upon both wings of the army, makes the best of its way through the main road. Small detachments, consisting of active, spirited young men, headed by intelligent and enterprising officers, are sent forward to take possession of the different defiles, woods, passes, and to post themselves close to an enemy’s post, for the purpose of blocking it up until the whole of the army has marched by.

The leading columns should always be composed of tried and steady soldiers; and the front of each should invariably consist of the best men in the army.

The advanced and rear guards must be well supported by infantry, with the addition of some light field pieces. The order of battle is so arranged, that the heavy ordnance, the baggage, and the greatest part of the cavalry, which can be of little use on the wings, may be distributed in the centre.

When it is necessary to cross a river, the artillery must be planted directly opposite to the post which the army intends to occupy. Considerable advantage will accrue should the river wind in such a manner as to form a rentrant angle in that particular spot, which advantage would be greatly increased by having a ford near.

In proportion as the construction of the bridge advances, some steady troops must be marched forward, and a regular discharge of musquetry must be kept up against the enemy on the opposite bank.

The instant the bridge is finished, a corps of infantry, with some cavalry, some pieces of artillery, and a certain number of pioneers, to fortify the head of the bridge, must be ordered over. Should there be the least ground to suspect an attack upon the rear guard, the inside tête de pont must also be fortified.

Proper precautions will have been taken to prevent any surprise during the construction of the bridge, and while the troops are crossing. Each side of the river above and below the bridge, will on this account have been well reconnoitred, to ascertain that there are not any armed barges or floating rafters with infernals upon them, kept ready to blow up the bridge, when a considerable part of the army shall have passed the river. If the preservation of the bridge be considered as an object, both ends must be fortified, and adequate guards stationed to defend them.

Each corps that marches separately, such as the advanced and rear guards, and the main body, must be provided with shovels, pick-axes, and a sufficient number of pioneers and guides, to clear the roads, and to direct it on its march.

The following general rules in route marching have been laid down by the celebrated Montecuculli:--

No officer or soldier is on any account to quit his post or rank. The battalion companies must never intermix with the squadrons or troops of cavalry. Squadrons or troops of cavalry must always take care not to leave such wide intervals between them, as will expose them to be suddenly cut off, or such contracted ones as might enable the enemy to throw them into confusion.

In summer, troops should quit their ground or quarters at day-break.

In winter, great care should be taken by the commissariat, to see that the troops are well supplied with fuel whenever they halt. During very inclement weather the march of troops should be greatly contracted.

Some steady old soldiers must be stationed at the different cross roads, to prevent the rear men from mistaking the line of march.

The leading columns of those troops that precede them, must instantly fall upon any body of the enemy that may attempt to oppose their progress.

Three things are always to be considered and well weighed, viz. whether there be much ground to apprehend a serious attack from the enemy; whether there be little ground to fear him; or whether there be no ground at all.

In the latter case each corps of cavalry and infantry, marches separately, and with its own baggage.

All convoys, containing stores and ammunition, move with the artillery accompanied by an officer from the adjutant or quarter-master general’s department, who has the direction of the march, as far as regards the convoy itself; but cannot interfere with the artillery; the commanding officer of the latter being presumed to know best, when and where his park should halt, &c. A very sensible observation on this head may be found in a recent French publication, intituled, _Manuel des Adjudans Généraux_, by Paul Thiébault. The whole of which is published under the article STAFF in the _Am. Mil. Lib._ On the evening preceding a march, each corps is specifically furnished with the necessary orders in writing.

At the hour which is named in general orders for the troops to commence their march, the quarter-master general, and the captain of guides, repair to the advanced guard.

If the army has been encamped, the lines of entrenchment are levelled or cleared in such a manner, that the troops may move with an extended front. As soon as the troops have marched off, the different guards belonging to the camp will be withdrawn.

Pioneers must be sent forward to clear the roads, preceded by small detachments of light and select troops, together with estaffettes or mounted messengers and vedettes, who are to reconnoitre in front, rear, and round the wings of the army. To these must be added appropriate guards and escorts to accompany the artillery, and to protect the baggage. It will belong to this latter description of troops, to take possession of advantageous heights, to discover ambuscades, and to send a faithful detail of all they observe to head quarters. These communications will be made by the chief of the etat major who accompanies them.

The advanced guard of the army will be composed of one half of the cavalry, the main body will consist of the infantry, attended by pioneers and detached corps of light artillery, which will be preceded by an iron instrument made in the shape of a plough-share, for the purpose of tracing out the paths, which must be kept by the waggon-train. In the rear of the main body must follow the heavy ordnance, the baggage-waggons belonging to the several regiments, and the train of artillery. The other half of the cavalry will be disposed of in the rear-guard, in which the army stores and ammunition are to be escorted by a regiment of horse.

If the army should be divided, and march in different columns by indirect roads, a rendezvous or place d’armes must be marked out in writing, where the whole may conveniently meet on the line of march. The utmost attention must be paid to the selection of this spot, by the adjutant and quarter-master general, lest it should be exposed to a surprise from the enemy; on which account it is kept as secret as possible, lest any intelligence should be given to him by deserters or spies. The hour and the manner in which the several columns are to arrive, is specifically stated to the different leaders; and scouts, &c. are sent round the country to discover the enemy’s movements.

If there should be any reason to apprehend an attack, the various precautions must be increased in proportion to the alarm.

An army must always march, if it possibly can, in that order from which it may easily and expeditiously deploy into line; that is, it should invariably preserve the order of battle; every column bearing a natural front towards the enemy. Montecuculli further adds, that an army must invariably march the right or left in front, and not from its centre.

Field-pieces, with a sufficient quantity of ammunition, shovels, spades, and pick-axes always at hand, must be disposed along the most vulnerable part of the rendezvous; these must be guarded by a body of cavalry and infantry, who are to be selected for that specific duty.

Care is likewise taken to lodge the baggage-waggons, &c. in the most secure and best defended spot.

The two first lines of the army will consist of the mounted artillery in front, next to which will stand the different squadrons of horse that are posted in intervals between the infantry battalions: after these will follow the train of caissons, &c. in as many files as the road will admit; then the stores and baggage, and finally the reserve.

Whenever the leading columns have passed an obstacle, the front man must be halted till the rear have completely cleared it likewise; and when the whole enters an open country, the line must be formed, and the march be continued in order of battle until a fresh obstacle occurs, when the troops must be prepared to pass the defile, the advanced guard leading, the main body following next, and the reserve bringing up the rear.

When an army is thus advancing, the right or left flank (according to circumstances) of its line of march, must be covered by rivers, and banks, rising grounds, or eminences; and if these natural advantages do not present themselves, artificial ones must be resorted to. These may consist of waggons, chevaux de friezes or other temporary means of defence; the quantity, &c. must depend upon the nature of the country, and the number of troops that compose the columns.

It is, however, impossible to set down general rules for all cases; these must vary with the manifold circumstances that occur, and the different designs which are to be accomplished or pursued.

When the movements of an army are to be concealed, the march must be undertaken at night through woods, vallies, and concealed ways; all frequented and inhabited places must be carefully avoided; no loud instruments must on any account be played; and if fires are made, they must only be lighted on the eve of breaking up camp; in which case they must be left burning, for the purpose of deluding the enemy into a supposition, that the troops have not moved.

Small parties of cavalry are sent forward to seize all stragglers or scouts from the enemy, or to take possession of the different passes. In order to avoid being discovered in the object of the march, a different road must be taken from the one which you really propose to march through; and a fit opportunity must afterwards be embraced to get into the real track. Before you march out of a town or fortified place, the utmost care must be observed to prevent your intended route from being conveyed to the enemy. On this account the troops must be first marched out, and the gates immediately shut upon the rear, so that no stranger, &c. may be able to slip out with the men.

During a march of this nature, the troops must be provided with subsistence, stores, and ammunition, to last out until the object is attained. No scout or vedette is sent forward, when an army, or any part of it, advances to take possession of a post or place, to succour a town, to surprize an enemy, in a close or woody country, by favor of the night, or in hazy weather, or on any occasion when orders have been given to oppose and fight every thing it meets.

When an army marches for the direct purpose of forcing a passage, which is guarded by an enemy, a feint must be made in one quarter, whilst the real object is vigorously pursued in another. Sometimes you must appear suddenly disposed to make a retrograde movement, and then again as suddenly resume your progress; sometimes march beyond the spot you wish to occupy, insensibly drawing off the enemy’s attention; and whilst the whole army is thus pushing forward and is closely watched by its opponents, (who hang upon the flanks, and hug its line of march) let detached parties of cavalry and foot, that have lain in ambush, suddenly surprise the passage, and post themselves upon it.

When it is found expedient to advance rapidly into a country for the purpose of surprising an enemy, getting possession of a town or place, or avoiding superior forces, every species of baggage must be left behind (even the common necessaries of the men: if circumstances require,) the cavalry must be sent forward, and the infantry put in carts, carriages, and chaises, or mounted behind the dragoons. If there be spare horses enough in the different troops, or any can be procured from the inhabitants of the country, they must be led in order to relieve those that are double mounted, in the manner which is practised by the Tartars. Marches of this description and urgency, must be kept up night and day; and it is on such occasions that the value of a good staff or etat-major will have all its weight.

It must be observed, as a general maxim, that whenever troops are retiring from a weak position, or to avoid the approach of a superior force, the retreat must be so managed, as not to bear the least resemblance of a flight.

_Order of_ MARCH, _which is observed in the Turkish army_: this order of march may be considered as the movement of an army that combines its several operations according to some established system of military art. The Turks usually divide this movement into time distinct operations: the first comprehends that by which troops of several denominations, and from different quarters, assemble together at some given spot or rendezvous. Such, for instance, is the march of various corps of militia, both in Asia and Europe, belonging to the Ottoman empire, who must necessarily pass through several quarters, and cross the sea, to form a junction. From the many inconveniences which troops must unavoidably experience on these occasions, and from the irregularity that always grows out of them, this _march_ cannot be strictly called a systematic movement of the army.

The second order of march among the Turks is that which they call _alay_; when the troops arrive, under the command of their several bachas, at the camp or given spot of rendezvous, for the purpose of being reviewed by the serasquier, the grand vizier or the sultan. This order is observed likewise by the janizaries when they repair to a similar place.

The third order of march must be considered as a real military movement. It is that which is performed by the army that first takes up its ground in a regular manner, and encamps. This is the commencement or beginning of military marches, because from a situation or arrangement of this sort, troops either leave one camp to pitch their tents elsewhere, or return again to their old one after having made an attempt against an enemy’s post, &c.

It is an established law in Turkey, whenever the sultan or grand vizier takes the field, to have their magnificent tents, with seven or five horse-tails displayed above them, regularly pitched on the plains of Constantinople, or in those of Adrianople, accordingly as the court happens to be in either of those imperial residences; which circumstance is announced throughout the empire, that every province, &c. may be made acquainted with the march of the sultan or grand vizier.

As soon as these pavilions or tents have been thus pitched, all the different armed corps that have not yet commenced their march receive their route: and those that are already on the march, advance with all the expedition they can, to the spot of general rendezvous. The troops from Egypt and Asia are particularly alert on these occasions, most especially if the war should be carried into Hungary. All the points from whence embarkations are to take place, appear conspicuously marked along the coast of the Marmora, Propontides, and the Archipelago, in order that the different bodies of troops may take the direct road to Constantinople, Andrianople, Philipolis Sophia, Nissa, and Belgrade, in which places was the general rendezvous of all the troops, when the Ottoman empire flourished. Those, however, were not included which were destined to act in Hungary and Bosnia. They met together, after having passed the bridge of Osek, and formed a junction with the main army. Kara-Mustapha followed these dispositions when he went to besiege Vienna.

The second march of the Turkish or Ottoman army, is a business of mere parade or ceremony. This movement is observed by all the different corps, and it is executed with great magnificence by the Bachas, particularly so when they repair the first time to the camp of general rendezvous.

With respect to the third march, it is a real and essential movement, and ought to be called the _military march_ or _route_. Four principal branches or objects of service, constitute the nature of this march, and form its disposition. These are the cavalry, infantry, artillery, and baggage; in which latter are included the stores, &c. belonging to the Turkish militia, the royal provisions, public stores, and ammunition, comprehending gunpowder, shot, matches, spades, pick-axes, &c.

There is, however, no invariable rule attached to this arrangement, it alters according to circumstance and place.

The real or military march of the troops is entirely managed by the grand vizier, or the seraskier. Written instructions are issued out for this purpose; for the Turks never give out verbal orders, except in matters of little or no importance, or in cases of extreme emergency, when they cannot commit them to writing.

It is an invariable maxim among the Turks, whenever their troops are upon the march, to throw new bridges over rivers, or to repair old ones, to clear public or bye roads, to fill up ditches, and to cut down trees, &c. so as to facilitate their movements, and to obviate delay. They moreover throw up small heaps of earth, which they call _unka_, at the distance of half a league from each other, and often nearer, especially on high grounds. When the sultan marches at their head they make two heaps of this description.

The Turks pay very particular attention to their movements or _marches_ on service: the whole of the army is under arms during the night, in order to make the necessary dispositions; on which occasions the soldiers make use of small vessels with fire lighted in them, and tie them to the ends of long pikes or poles. The greatest silence is observed during the march; neither drums, trumpets, nor cymbals are heard. Sometimes, indeed, but this rarely happens, the drummers belonging to the band of the grand vizier, accompany the salutes or ceremonial compliments which are paid by the salam-agasi, or master of ceremonies.

When they march through a country in which there is no cause to apprehend surprise or hostility, the infantry generally takes the lead, two or three days march, in front of the main army. The troops march in the loosest manner, being neither confined to particular companies, nor formed in columns. They chuse what roads they like best, halt where they please, and reach the camp in detached parties; with this injunction, however, that the whole must arrive at the spot of rendezvous before evening prayers.

Next to these follow the cavalry, headed by a general officer. Their march, notwithstanding his presence, is as irregular as that of the infantry. The men frequently halt out of mere laziness, and under pretence of refreshing their horses; and little or no attention is paid to system and good order. The baggage and ammunition waggons, together with such stores, &c. as are carried by beasts of burthen, move in the same manner.

When the army enters an enemy’s country, the whole of the infantry is collected together, and marches in one body. The capiculy and the seratculy, for instance, form one column. There is this distinction, however, observed, that every janizary marches under his own colors, and every officer remains attached to his oda or company, for the purpose of executing, in the speediest manner, the commander in chief’s directions.

The cavalry is often divided into two wings; it is likewise frequently formed in one body. Every man is ranged under his own standard. The squadrons are commanded by the alay-begs, who receive orders through the chiaous; and the other officers are near the bacha.

The baggage sometimes moves in the front, and sometimes in the rear of the janizaries. A particular body of cavalry, called topracly, are an exception to this arrangement: the men belonging to this corps are obliged to furnish themselves with all the necessaries of life, and consequently carry provisions, &c. with them in all their marches; which circumstance unavoidably creates much confusion.

The artillery is generally attached to the infantry; sometimes, however, it moves with the cavalry.

When the Turkish army marches through an enemy’s country, it is covered by an advanced and a rear guard. The advanced guard is composed of five or six thousand of the best mounted cavalry. This body is under the immediate orders of a commanding officer, called _kialkagy-bacy_, whose appointment lasts during the whole of the campaign. The advanced guard usually moves six, seven, or eight leagues in front of the main body; but it falls back in proportion as the enemy retires. When there are bodies of Tartars or auxiliary troops from any of the rebellious provinces with the army, they are detached in front of the advanced guard, for the purpose of harassing the enemy’s rear, pillaging the country, and committing those excesses which are not countenanced by regular troops.