Right Shoulder Shift

[nc69th]

I was always puzzled by this picture, in my recent studies on the drill manuel of Federal Infantry, I always thought at a right shoulder shift the rifle had to be up right not slanted to the clear right, but I guess different units have different ways of doing things.

[Rob]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

It's got nothing to do with the unit. Look at the diagrams here:

http://www.southernguard.org/education/rss.html

[GermanDraftee]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

The Right-Shoulder-Shift used by many reenactor groups is described in Baxter's 1861 "The Volunteer Manual". Its on page 43, if you own a copy. If not, you can view it online on "The Drill Network!" http://home.att.net/%7EMrsMajor/Baxters.htm

Scroll down to figures 68, 69 & 70.

"Second. With both hands raise the piece, turn it barrel to the rear, rest the hammer on the right shoulder, muzzle inclining backwards at about an angle of thirty degrees; at the same time slip the right hand down to the butt; the toe or beak of the butt projecting between the first and second fingers.

Third. Drop the left hand."

Figure 70 seems out of place. It makes more sense as the first motion for returning to shoulder arms.

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

The Right-Shoulder-Shift used by many reenactor groups is described in Baxter's 1861 "The Volunteer Manual". Its on page 43, if you own a copy. If not, you can view it online on "The Drill Network!" http://home.att.net/%7EMrsMajor/Baxters.htm

Scroll down to figures 68, 69 & 70.

"Second. With both hands raise the piece, turn it barrel to the rear, rest the hammer on the right shoulder, muzzle inclining backwards at about an angle of thirty degrees; at the same time slip the right hand down to the butt; the toe or beak of the butt projecting between the first and second fingers.

Third. Drop the left hand."

Figure 70 seems out of place. It makes more sense as the first motion for returning to shoulder arms.

Sir,

I believe you are describing an altogether different maneuver. The text above has the barrel to the rear, the hammer resting on the shoulder. For "RSS", the lock plate is to the front, not the triggerguard.

[ThehosGendar]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

As illustrated excellently by John Stillwagon in the SG article, the lockplate-out-and-barrel -vertical RSS can fairly well be ruled an 'enactorism. Most of the photographs in the LOC of soldiers carrying their arms at the RSS show them at a pronounced angle with the barrel over the left shoulder.

Baxter's is a minor little monkeywrench that is an alternate way of performing RSS, with the barrel to the rear, hammer on the shoulder, and trigger guard to the front, and has one clear photographic reference in LC-DIG-cwpb-04113, "Washington, D.C. View across Chain Bridge over the Potomac."

The pamphlet was printed in Philadelphia... maybe it was used by early PA units?

[nc69th]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

Thanks for the information I just thought it would be interesting to see the picture I posted. For one thing I never seen it done that way in the reenacting world.

[Pvt_6thnhvi]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

Very odd indeed..

Most excellent image! Look at the hats in the crowd and what appears to be most common. Very cool. I assume this is the grand review in 65.

Thanks for sharing. We can glean so much from these old images.

YHS
R.C.Tarbox

[nc69th]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

Yes this is the April 1865 review

[M_Kupsch]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

"Baxter's is a minor little monkeywrench that is an alternate way of performing RSS, with the barrel to the rear, hammer on the shoulder, and trigger guard to the front, and has one clear photographic reference in LC-DIG-cwpb-04113, "Washington, D.C. View across Chain Bridge over the Potomac.""

This is also how RSS is excecuted in Scott's.

[GermanDraftee]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

As mentioned above, Scott's also describes this method of R-S-S, specifically, School of the Soldier, Part II.
"To right shoulder, shift- ARMS.
*One time and one motion.
246. (Pl. IX, fig. 2.) Turn the piece with the left hand, the lock to the front, seize it at the same time with the right hand at the handle, place it on the right shoulder, the left hand not
quitting the butt, the cock above and resting on the shoulder, the muzzle up; sustain the piece in this position by placing the right hand on the flat of the butt, so that the toe of the butt may be between the first two fingers, the other two on the butt plate; let fall the left hand by the side."

[flattop32355]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

Scott's is different from Casey's/Hardee's in a number of ways, including shoulder arms on the left shoulder, different RSS, and a different "ready" position, as in "Ready, Aim, Fire". Some CW units used Scott's drill for at least part of the war.

When doing the Iron Brigade at Brawner's Farm during the Summer of '62 reenactment, we stayed with Scott's drill for the weekend. Once we got it down, it was not difficult, and looks very dramatic when all those rifle-musket barrels drop at the "Aim" command.

[Rob Weaver]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

From experience, we have found that the "straight up and down" RSS is very firmly entrenched in reenacting. I used to teach our unit a couple different ways to do the command, as appropriate to the drill employed. There is some kind of reenactor myth that anything less than vertical is unsafe and should be roundly denounced. When you know different drills, just make sure you clarify what is appropriate for the unit portrayed and coordinate beforehand with the unit command to avoid those embarassments.
PS: As a Black Hat, I concur: Scott's is definitely cool. The Wisconsin men hated to give it up.

[Blackhatter1]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

PS: As a Black Hat, I concur: Scott's is definitely cool. The Wisconsin men hated to give it up.

Ditto Rob's comments. I've had only a few opportunities to use Scott's, and when everyone is drilled and familiar with it for an appropriate event, it can look right smart. ;)

[nc69th]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

I agree Scott's is a fine manuel to use, but to be honest I was always fond of Casey's and Hardee's 1855 tactics and not to mention McClellands Tactics Manuel over Scott's I guess its because those are the drill manuels I have learned more over the years.

[Eric Tipton]

Re: Right Shoulder Shift

Saw this posted by Bill Watson while perusing LinkedIn of all places:

http://www.explicitlyclear.com/wp/support-arms/