FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

[john duffer]

This is the first in a series of simple drill exercises. Your company is drawn up in line, centered on the road, covering the opening in a rail fence when you’re ordered to quickly move forward and take up position blocking the road 50 yards beyond the fence. The speed from the present position to the next is urgent.

DISCLAIMER: These are meant to be fun, they don’t represent any real event or likely situation and are intended for the reenactor officer rather than real combat. There is not one “right” answer but having the men fall out and meet back in the desired spot is definately a "wrong" answer. :)

[Huck]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Company, Forward march, Guide left up and over the fence! Once 50 yards on the other side, Company Halt.

[Silas]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Seems to me there is an easier way than that.

[Huck]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

I took it as, if speed was an issue, and the company is already in a line of battle, easiest way to keep all rifles to the front, is to just go over the fence.

[john duffer]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Dear Mr. Green

I don't believe climbing the fence would be as quick as you may think and might not be the most condusive to unit cohesion (not to mention safety). Didn't work all that well during a certain charge crossing the Emmitsburg Road.

Thanks

[Huck]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Only other ways to pass the fence is either one, break files from right and left to rear and reform on the other side, or go into four and march through the opening and by company into line. Both of which would make great targets for artillery to throw a nice iron bowling ball your way. Now as for safety, keeping in mind 19th century mind sets, if crossing that fence under fire or threat of fire, some lives could or will be lost, since speed is important in order to become a blocking force..

[john duffer]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

"Only other ways to pass the fence is either one, break files from right and left to rear and reform on the other side, or go into four and march through the opening and by company into line. Both of which would make great targets for artillery to throw a nice iron bowling ball your way. Now as for safety, keeping in mind 19th century mind sets, if crossing that fence under fire or threat of fire, some lives could or will be lost, since speed is important in order to become a blocking force.."

Dear Sir

Those aren't the "only other ways" per se, plus, in the best case you're bunched up in some disorder as men will climb at different rates, some might trip, etc and there will be a delay reforming on the far side. Now consider if there's a hedge along the fence, a deep drainage ditch on one or both sides, a family of rattlesnakes living underneath, it's a reenactment and there's a barbed wire fence and so on. As for safety you might not even be under fire (or it may be a reenactment) so taking a casualty or two for no reason seems rash. There's not necessarily one right answer but - other than surrender or retreat - I see this as a strong contender for most wrong. :) Please see the new and improved DISCLAINER.

Thanks for playing

[Silas]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

When I see that problem, I see it as a battalion assignment :

Your battalion of eight companies is marching down a road in a column of companies, right in front, and approaches Duffer's Defile. Said defile is as wide as a cart path. There is insufficient time to knock down the fence. Fifty yards beyond the defile is a slowly rising hill where shots are being fired on the blind side of the hill. The order to the battalion commander is to deploy quickly the battalion at the military crest straddling the road. You're the battalion commander.

Without halting your battalion, how do you get your battalion through Duffer's Defile in the quickest and most orderly manner so that you can be prepared to deploy the battalion in line of a battle as ordered?

What orders do you expect the company commanders to give before proceeding through Duffer's Defile?

Sorry to steal your exercise, Duffer, but this is the next step.

[Michael Comer]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

I might consider breaking into a column of sections right in front, pass through the opening, shake the lead section out as skirmishers for cover (although it doesn't say in the original post whether this is in an enemy's front or not), reform the other sections into company formation and advance to the stop point.

[john duffer]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Silas, I do plan on posting some battalion level problems although that reduces the gene pool of potential replies somewhat. I'm just starting out with simple things. How about a compromise where the battalion halts and the leading company is ordered to get thru Duffer's Defile :) , deploy as skirmishers and push to the ridgetop.

Thanks

[Cameron]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

I can't remember the exact commands but I believe you may diminish your front down to column of sections, if need be, to pass through a narrow obstacle. Command: Break into Platoons (Sections). March. (I think) By this method you keep the most muskets forward in the event firing is necessary. As soon as the defile is passed oblique to the right and allow the other sections to come back into line. Only if the defile is so narrow that you must diminsh to four files or fewer do you do so.


Great thread John.

I will look this up when I get home. Thanks

[jarednichols]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

In the modern military we call this a "Tactical Decision Excercise" or TDE for short. Normally you are given a short tactical problem and a sketch or map graphics and you are tasked with coming up with a solution to the tactical problem. If you are training junior Officer or NCOs in your organization this is a great way to "test' them so that when they get in front of the formation they are confident in what they are doing and not wasting time. This is a simple way to both evaulate someones tactical prowess and also have them practice the appropriate commands to move the unit into the desired formation(s) and solve the problem. Great idea to translate to this forum!

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

There are a lot of situational considerations to think about. Such as, whether or not the company is in line as part of a battalion front, location of the enemy, how they are armed (noting Huck's statements about artillery), etc.

Simply "movin' fast"...
Climbing a fence is fastest for the individual, by may force the company to take more time reforming and dressing once everyone is on the proper side. I would say face to the right, break two files to the front and march through the opening. Once the company is through, by company into line. The men could either oblique toward the 50-yard line ;) to recenter on the road, or the captain could place himself and/or the orderly out to the desired right flank of the company and have everyone dress to that spot... it would depend on how far forward you are at the time the company is back in line.

However, it the company is part of a battalion line, then listen to your colonel. Do what he tells you to do. I would imagine it would be poor form to leave a gap in the line the width of a company whilst your company crosses the fence and get itself sitchiated.

[dirtyshirt]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

It was mentioned loosely in previous posts, but I believe breaking into platoons would be the best way to do it. One platoon can give suppressive or covering fire while the other moves in to position at the double quick, halts, and fires while the 2nd platoon comes on to line.

[Steve Acker]

Re: FUN WITH DRILL - EXERCISE No. 1

Pass through the defile.
1st company right faces, breaks two files to the front then moves through the defile, forming on the other side. The remaining companies support the movement. Once 1st company is faced, in position, it supports the movements of the remainder of the companies as they individually move to the new position.

It sounds like fun anyway,

Steve Acker