"Head of Column to the ...

[Silas]

... left - MARCH!

Have downloaded a small section from a much larger booklet of drill I compiled from Col. Witherspoon's 1862 Card of Evolutions. His card contained a list of manoeuvers he expected his troops to perform at a weekend camp of instruction for militia reserves in October, 1862.

Here, the primary subject concerns moving a column of companies to the right and to the left with emphasis on the duties of markers and guides.

Attachment is six sheets of paper in my usual pair of half pages per sheet style. Contained is drill manual specific instruction for some common manoeuvers we take for granted. Source is School of the Battalion from Hardee's Revised (1861). His instruction here is not for Confederates only as the text is virtually, if not completely, identical to text for the same manoeuvers found in Gilham and Casey.

This attachment heavy on illustrations. You'll find nine illustrations on twelve half pages of text. All are new illustrations repurposed from period manuals.

2ColCardOfEvolutionsHeadColumn.pdf

[Silas]

Re: "Head of Column to the ...

...left.

Since my header mentions Head of Column to the Left, thought I'd download the illustration.

Tough part #1 is switching the guide from the left of the battalion to the right of the battalion before wheeling occurs. Tough part #2 is preventing the companies from wheeling before reaching the marker on the right of the column. Tough part #3 is switching the guide back to the left.

Why does it switch back? The general rule is "right in front : guide is left."

[Silas]

Re: "Head of Column to the ...

There are a lot of moving parts in the command, "Head of Column to the Left." To wheel the column to the left, the battalion guide changes from the left to the right before the wheels and back to the left after the wheels. (This assumes the first company leads the column in the standard, right-in-front/guide-is-left method of marching.)

There is a way to wheel the head of column to the left with fewer moving parts : Break to the Right to March to the Left. Rather than starting the manoeuver from column, the battalion is in line of battle.

(1) From a battalion line of battle, each company wheels right. The battalion is now in column. Normally, the battalion commander orders that the guide be placed on the left. Instead, no change of guide is ordered. Guide remains on the right.

(2) When the battalion is "put in motion," the first company of the column wheels left.

(3) Each following company wheels left upon reaching the designated location where the first company wheeled.

(4) The first company marches ten paces and wheels left again.

(5) After completing its second company wheel, the captain shifts guide to the left.

NOTE. The intent of the manoeuver is that the first company will wheel twice before it shifts its guide to the left.

The big picture is that the battalion, formerly in line of battle, will march in column of companies to the left across its former front. (They call it, Break to the Right to March to the Left, for a reason.)

A battalion commander could just as easily command, "Break to the Right to March to the FRONT." First company wheels with its guide still on the right. After completion of the wheel, its captain shifts guide to the left. Each company wheels at that spot and shifts its guide to the left. Ta-da! The battalion now moves in column of companies to the front with a minimum of moving parts.

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Says that Hardee fellow :

PART SECOND.
Different modes of passing from the order in battle to the order in column.

ARTICLE FIRST.
To break to the right or the left into column.

[ ]

86. When a battalion has to prolong itself in column towards the right or left, or has to direct its march in column perpendicularly or diagonally in front, or in rear of either flank, the colonel will cause it to break by company to the right or left, as has just been prescribed ; but when the line breaks to the right, in order to march towards the left, or the reverse, the colonel will command :

Break to the right to march to the left, or
Break to the left to march to the right,

before the command,

by company, right (or left) wheel.

As soon as the battalion is broken, the lieutenant colonel will place a marker abreast with the right guide of the leading company. The instant the column is put in motion, this company will wheel to the left (or right) march ten paces to the front without changing the guide, and wheel again to the left (or right.) The second wheel being completed, the captain will immediately command,

guide left (or right.)

The guide of this company will march in a direction parallel to the guides of the column. The lieutenant colonel will be careful to place a second marker at the point where the first company is to change direction the second time.