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A question arose during the quasi-parade we conducted at Picket Post regarding the first company forming on line for assembly and when it supports arms. I learned that a well accepted practice in some regions of the country is for the first company (usually the color company) to be set in place and then support arms. This constitutes a signal to all that this first company on the line will not move again and that other companies may form upon the line shown by the first or color company.
This was the first time I had heard of such a practice. I disagreed with the practice and indicated that the first company on line does not support arms until after the second company dresses upon the line and fronts. I promised to look it up once I returned to the modern world. So, I'm back, have Iooked it up and here I am.
First, here is the language for assembly of the companies for parade from Gilham. I cite Gilham because it is in one of the regular manuals. Gilham cut and pasted his language for his pre-war manual from the U.S. Regulations. Duplicate language can also be found in the C.S. Regulations. I'd cite Hardee's Revised or Casey, but it's not there. You'll have to look at Gilham or the applicable regulations.
Unfortunately, the language here says nothing about supporting arms. This may explain the origin of the practice of the first company supporting arms before other companies assemble on the line. The ambiguity needed a solution. Someone devised a reasonable one which others accepted. Unfortunately, the real solution can be found in other paragraphs in the schools of the battalion.
The below text derives from the School of the Battalion from Revised Hardees. For users of Casey and Gilham, the language is identical to Revised Hardee. See, para's 420-21 of Casey's School of the Battalion and para. 328 in Gilham's School of the Battalion. Here is the language :
Since assembly for parade is a successive formation - in particular, it's alternate succession - the above language from the schools of the battalion applies to assembly. Accordingly, the first company which is normally the color company, sets itself upon the line established by the markers and dresses upon its captain. The second company should not send its left guide to the line of markers until the first captain commands, front, to his company. With the first company set, the second successive company may now commence setting itself upon the line.
As noted above, the second company halts behind the line. It NEVER dresses directly upon the line. The left guide for the second company places himself on the line of markers at a distance less than the length of his company. At the same time, the captain of the second company places himself in the front rank and on the left of the first company. (Being alternate successive formation, the captain of the color company moves to the rear rank.) Satisfied that the left guide for the second company is upon the line of markers, its captain commands, right dress. Only after he commands, front, to his company does the first or color company support arms. This is in accord with SoB 436-37 of Hardee's Revised, Casey and Gilham.
If you need some illustrations about assembling the battalion for parade, go to my single page flyer in pdf : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/settingtheline.pdf
To understand why the guides set themselves upon the line at a distance less than the length of their companies, see another of my single page flyers in pdf : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/wor...ndsergeant.pdf
Since I'm dropping links for my flyers, here's the one for forming companies on the right wing : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/rightwingforms.pdf and the left wing : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/leftwingforms.pdf
One last link is to my tome on opening and closing ranks for parade. There's a ton of mystery and misunderstanding in parade. My rather long document in pdf format has illustrations and explanation for each step. http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/parade.pdf
I am interested in the opinions of others regarding the practice of the first company supporting arms before other companies assemble for parade. In particular, I'm looking for battalions which use this practice and any basis from any period manual regarding same.
This was the first time I had heard of such a practice. I disagreed with the practice and indicated that the first company on line does not support arms until after the second company dresses upon the line and fronts. I promised to look it up once I returned to the modern world. So, I'm back, have Iooked it up and here I am.
First, here is the language for assembly of the companies for parade from Gilham. I cite Gilham because it is in one of the regular manuals. Gilham cut and pasted his language for his pre-war manual from the U.S. Regulations. Duplicate language can also be found in the C.S. Regulations. I'd cite Hardee's Revised or Casey, but it's not there. You'll have to look at Gilham or the applicable regulations.
[Gilham] 297. At the signal, called the adjutant's call, the companies are marched from the company parades by their captains, the music playing. The color company serves as the basis of the formation, and is the first to form ; the color-guard being at the point where the centre of the line is to rest, one marker is placed in front of it, his elbow touching the right corporal of the color guard, and another on the line at a little less than company distance from him, on his right, and facing towards him ; the color company is halted three paces behind this line, faced to the front, and dressed up upon the line by the captain, who aligns it to the left. The company on the left of the color is the next to take its post ; it is halted three paces behind the line, its right nearly behind the left file of the color guard, and faced to the front ; as soon as it halts the left guide of the company throws himself out, so as to be opposite one of the three left files of the company, faces to the right, and aligns himself upon the two markers ; the captain then places himself on the left of the color guard, on a line with its front rank, and aligns the company to the right. The company on the right of the colors forms next upon the same principles ; the right guide posts himself upon the line opposite one of the three right files of the company, and faces to the left ; the captain places himself on the right of the color company, and aligns his company to the left.
The below text derives from the School of the Battalion from Revised Hardees. For users of Casey and Gilham, the language is identical to Revised Hardee. See, para's 420-21 of Casey's School of the Battalion and para. 328 in Gilham's School of the Battalion. Here is the language :
[SoB, Revised Hardee] 436. Every captain will always observe, in placing himself on that line, not to give the command, dress, until after the guide of his company shall have been assured on the direction by the lieutenant colonel. This rule is general for all successive formations.
[SoB, Revised Hardee] 437. Each captain will cause his company to support arms, the instant that the captain, who follows him,shall have commanded, front. This rule is general for all successive formations.
[SoB, Revised Hardee] 437. Each captain will cause his company to support arms, the instant that the captain, who follows him,shall have commanded, front. This rule is general for all successive formations.
As noted above, the second company halts behind the line. It NEVER dresses directly upon the line. The left guide for the second company places himself on the line of markers at a distance less than the length of his company. At the same time, the captain of the second company places himself in the front rank and on the left of the first company. (Being alternate successive formation, the captain of the color company moves to the rear rank.) Satisfied that the left guide for the second company is upon the line of markers, its captain commands, right dress. Only after he commands, front, to his company does the first or color company support arms. This is in accord with SoB 436-37 of Hardee's Revised, Casey and Gilham.
If you need some illustrations about assembling the battalion for parade, go to my single page flyer in pdf : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/settingtheline.pdf
To understand why the guides set themselves upon the line at a distance less than the length of their companies, see another of my single page flyers in pdf : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/wor...ndsergeant.pdf
Since I'm dropping links for my flyers, here's the one for forming companies on the right wing : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/rightwingforms.pdf and the left wing : http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/leftwingforms.pdf
One last link is to my tome on opening and closing ranks for parade. There's a ton of mystery and misunderstanding in parade. My rather long document in pdf format has illustrations and explanation for each step. http://draytons.tripod.com/drill/parade.pdf
I am interested in the opinions of others regarding the practice of the first company supporting arms before other companies assemble for parade. In particular, I'm looking for battalions which use this practice and any basis from any period manual regarding same.
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