Zouave Drill

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Zouave Drill

While in skirmish formation you are supposed to take any available cover by crawling kneeling etc.

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Zouave Drill

Allow me to clarify some confusion one of my earlier posts may have caused. The zouave drill used by Ellsworth's US Zouave Cadets was quite theatrical. The Zouave Drill manual translated by Elsworth was an actual manual of tactics translated from the same sources used by Hardee and McClellan.

Regarding the reference to crawling, Robert is quite right. Skirmishers are instructed to take full advantage of cover.

From Hardee's Tactics General Instructions for Skirmishers:

"When skirmishers are ordered to move rapidly, the officers and non-commissioned officers will see that the men economize their strength, keep cool, and profit by all the advantages which the ground may offer for cover. It is only by this continual watchfulness on the part of all grades, that a line of skirmishers can attain success."

You also need to remember that all the major manuals of tactics include commands for laying down, rising up, and loading and firing from the prone position.

So, while advancing by crawling may have been a novel tactical improvisation used in action by the 11th Indiana, I don't think there is a command for, "As skirmishers, crawl."

Again, Elsworth's Zouave Drill is just an adaptation of the same sources used by Hardee and McClellan. The very description of the of volume Dusty pointed you too says, "Book covering French Bayonet Excercise, Skirmisher's Drill. Hints for the soldier when in battle." That is the same bayonet exercise McClellan copied, the same skirmish drill Hardee copied, and some "hints" Elsworth may or may not have come up with on his own.

Perhaps these hints include the suggestion that, under certain circumstances, sneaking up on the enemy by crawling or general stealth is advantageous. Even if that is the case, that is hardly a new concept in military tactics nor should it be consider a "zouave drill."

[John of the Skulkers Mess]

minor point

Ellsworth - two Ls


Sorry to butt in,
John Pillers

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Zouave Drill

Thanks. Typo

[FranklinGuardsNYSM]

Re: Zouave Drill

On page 107 of Ellsworth's, on the "menu" of the exhibition drill, he includes lying down as part of bayonet drill. There is a "Deploy lying down," a "couchant" after rallying by fours, a "couchant" after leaping to the rear, and also a "crawl to positions." Earlier, he includes firing while advancing from the prone position, and also a firing while advancing while kneeling!

While he acknowledges and cites Hardee's and McClellan's several times in the text, the published version of Ellsworth's manual was meant as a tool to be used by judges at drill competitions at which the Zouave Cadets would appear. Ellsworth specifically points out that any unit accepting their drill challenge could use any manual they chose, for whatever branch of service -- this was merely the tactics which the Zouave Cadets were choosing to follow. "Form pyramid," "form cross," and "revolving circles" (p. 104) are unique to this manual, and clearly for show.

[dpalyka]

Re: Zouave Drill

On page 107 of Ellsworth's, on the "menu" of the exhibition drill, he includes lying down as part of bayonet drill. There is a "Deploy lying down," a "couchant" after rallying by fours, a "couchant" after leaping to the rear, and also a "crawl to positions." Earlier, he includes firing while advancing from the prone position, and also a firing while advancing while kneeling!

While he acknowledges and cites Hardee's and McClellan's several times in the text, the published version of Ellsworth's manual was meant as a tool to be used by judges at drill competitions at which the Zouave Cadets would appear. Ellsworth specifically points out that any unit accepting their drill challenge could use any manual they chose, for whatever branch of service -- this was merely the tactics which the Zouave Cadets were choosing to follow. "Form pyramid," "form cross," and "revolving circles" (p. 104) are unique to this manual, and clearly for show.

My copy only has 63 pages, where can I get a copy like yours? :)