Gentlemen,
Please forgive this post, but I couldn’t find anything on this subject using the search function. Moderators: if this is not the correct folder, sorry. Please move to one that is more appropriate.
While trying to familiarize myself with ACW-era infantry drill I became puzzled when I read the position of the soldier as it relates to the manual of arms. My question relates to the position of “shoulder arms” as commonly used by Civil War reenactors and living historians versus what the original manuals seem to proscribe. My basic question is this: are we doing it wrong?
My question really stems from trying to learn more about McClellan’s bayonet exercises as published under the title McClellan’s Bayonet Exercises for the Army (1852). In this manual, it describes how to move from “shoulder arms” to the position of “middle guard”. As described in this manual, the position of “shoulder arms” is actually on the left side of the body, with the musket’s stock inclined slightly against the shoulder, the butt held by the left hand and the arm slightly bent; clearly not the position in common usage by most reenactors and living historians today. McClellan’s also goes on to describe “Sergeant’s shoulder” which is exactly the position commonly used by living historians as “shoulder arms” and most familiar to most of us. This led me to do more research on the subject.
Resources--During my research, I reviewed only original copies of all available “primary source” manuals (not reprints, reissues or extracts designed for use by reenactors). These resources included: Scott’s Tactics (1845), Cooper’s Tactics (1845), McClellan’s (1852), Hardee’s Tactics (1855), Gilham’s Tactics (1860), U.S. Infantry Tactics (1861 and 1863 editions) and Casey’s Tactics (1862).
Scott Tactics--Scott’s Tactics was translated by Scott from the French ordnances pertaining to infantry drill and adopted for use by the U.S. Army and various state militias in the early 1830s with a few modifications (eliminating the third rank in line of battle, among other things). Scott’s manual describes the position of “shoulder arms” in this manner: “(First motion.) Turn the piece with right hand, the barrel out, raise and support it against the left shoulder with the right hand, drop the left under the butt, the right hand resting on, without grasping, the handle. (Second motion.) Drop quickly the right hand into its position.” This description is exactly the same position of “shoulder arms” as described in McClellan’s manual.
Cooper and Gilham’s Tactics--It seems that between 1835 and 1861 a number of other officers (notably Cooper and later Gilham), catering to a market among volunteer and militia units, attempted to interpret, simplify or condense Scott’s original manual while consolidating several service manuals into one volume. However, all of these manuals reinforce Scott’s original manual and indicate that the proper position of the soldier at “shoulder arms” as already described in Scott’s.
Hardee’s and Casey’s--Not until Hardee’s manual comes along in the mid-1850s does the position of “shoulder arms” change to the position with which most of us are familiar. However, Hardee’s original manual, adapted from the French Chasseur a Pied ordnances, was intended specifically for soldiers armed as light infantry and armed with the two-banded rifle or rifled-musket; not the longer, three banded muskets associated with “heavy infantry.” The 1861 U.S. Infantry Tactics manual goes even further by dividing its manual of arms chapter into two sections; one for light infantry and one for heavy infantry. The main difference between the two is the position known as “shoulder arms”. Relating to heavy infantry, or those soldiers armed with the three-banded musket, the 1861 manual, essentially a renamed and expanded copy of Hardee’s, reinforces the earlier manuals (Scott’s, Cooper’s and Gilham’s) and specifically directs the “shoulder arms” position as originally described in Scott’s.
Based on my research, only Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1855 and the light infantry section in the 1861 manual) and Casey’s Tactics direct the use of shoulder on the right side as that most of us have accepted as the correct position.
What’s my point, you ask? Simply this: are we doing the manual of arms incorrectly? Of the eight period drill manuals consulted, six prescribed the method used in Scott’s, while only Hardee’s and Casey’s mandated the more familiar position as used by most reenacting units.
Is there some safety consideration that I have missed that required adoption of the light infantry version of shoulder arms or was the adoption “shoulder arms” as described in Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics simply because it was the only manual readily available or known during reenacting’s infancy? Is this something we can/should correct in our impressions? What do you guys think?
James A. Page
Unaffiliated
Please forgive this post, but I couldn’t find anything on this subject using the search function. Moderators: if this is not the correct folder, sorry. Please move to one that is more appropriate.
While trying to familiarize myself with ACW-era infantry drill I became puzzled when I read the position of the soldier as it relates to the manual of arms. My question relates to the position of “shoulder arms” as commonly used by Civil War reenactors and living historians versus what the original manuals seem to proscribe. My basic question is this: are we doing it wrong?
My question really stems from trying to learn more about McClellan’s bayonet exercises as published under the title McClellan’s Bayonet Exercises for the Army (1852). In this manual, it describes how to move from “shoulder arms” to the position of “middle guard”. As described in this manual, the position of “shoulder arms” is actually on the left side of the body, with the musket’s stock inclined slightly against the shoulder, the butt held by the left hand and the arm slightly bent; clearly not the position in common usage by most reenactors and living historians today. McClellan’s also goes on to describe “Sergeant’s shoulder” which is exactly the position commonly used by living historians as “shoulder arms” and most familiar to most of us. This led me to do more research on the subject.
Resources--During my research, I reviewed only original copies of all available “primary source” manuals (not reprints, reissues or extracts designed for use by reenactors). These resources included: Scott’s Tactics (1845), Cooper’s Tactics (1845), McClellan’s (1852), Hardee’s Tactics (1855), Gilham’s Tactics (1860), U.S. Infantry Tactics (1861 and 1863 editions) and Casey’s Tactics (1862).
Scott Tactics--Scott’s Tactics was translated by Scott from the French ordnances pertaining to infantry drill and adopted for use by the U.S. Army and various state militias in the early 1830s with a few modifications (eliminating the third rank in line of battle, among other things). Scott’s manual describes the position of “shoulder arms” in this manner: “(First motion.) Turn the piece with right hand, the barrel out, raise and support it against the left shoulder with the right hand, drop the left under the butt, the right hand resting on, without grasping, the handle. (Second motion.) Drop quickly the right hand into its position.” This description is exactly the same position of “shoulder arms” as described in McClellan’s manual.
Cooper and Gilham’s Tactics--It seems that between 1835 and 1861 a number of other officers (notably Cooper and later Gilham), catering to a market among volunteer and militia units, attempted to interpret, simplify or condense Scott’s original manual while consolidating several service manuals into one volume. However, all of these manuals reinforce Scott’s original manual and indicate that the proper position of the soldier at “shoulder arms” as already described in Scott’s.
Hardee’s and Casey’s--Not until Hardee’s manual comes along in the mid-1850s does the position of “shoulder arms” change to the position with which most of us are familiar. However, Hardee’s original manual, adapted from the French Chasseur a Pied ordnances, was intended specifically for soldiers armed as light infantry and armed with the two-banded rifle or rifled-musket; not the longer, three banded muskets associated with “heavy infantry.” The 1861 U.S. Infantry Tactics manual goes even further by dividing its manual of arms chapter into two sections; one for light infantry and one for heavy infantry. The main difference between the two is the position known as “shoulder arms”. Relating to heavy infantry, or those soldiers armed with the three-banded musket, the 1861 manual, essentially a renamed and expanded copy of Hardee’s, reinforces the earlier manuals (Scott’s, Cooper’s and Gilham’s) and specifically directs the “shoulder arms” position as originally described in Scott’s.
Based on my research, only Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics (1855 and the light infantry section in the 1861 manual) and Casey’s Tactics direct the use of shoulder on the right side as that most of us have accepted as the correct position.
What’s my point, you ask? Simply this: are we doing the manual of arms incorrectly? Of the eight period drill manuals consulted, six prescribed the method used in Scott’s, while only Hardee’s and Casey’s mandated the more familiar position as used by most reenacting units.
Is there some safety consideration that I have missed that required adoption of the light infantry version of shoulder arms or was the adoption “shoulder arms” as described in Hardee’s Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics simply because it was the only manual readily available or known during reenacting’s infancy? Is this something we can/should correct in our impressions? What do you guys think?
James A. Page
Unaffiliated
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