Gilham's Inspection Arms

[LonestarRifles]

Inspection of - ARMS.

One time and three motions.

First motion. Face to the right once and a half on the left heel, carrying the right foot perpendicularly to the rear of the alignment, about six inches from, and at right angles with, the left foot; seize promptly the piece with the left hand a little above the middle band, incline the muzzle to the rear without displacing the heel of the butt, the rammer turned towards the body; carry at the same time the right hand to the bayonet and seize it as has been prescribed, No.130.
Second motion. Draw the bayonet from the scabbard, carry and fix it on the muzzle; seize next the rammer, draw it as has been explained in loading it twelve times, and let it glide to the bottom of the bore.
Third motion. Face promptly to the front, seize the piece with the right hand, and retake the position of ordered arms.
The instructor will then inspect in succession the piece of each man, in passing along the front of the rank. Each, as the instructor reaches him, will raise smartly his piece with his right hand, seize it with the left between the tail-band and the feather-spring, the lock to the front, the left hand at the height of the chin, the piece opposite to the left eye (Fig. 40); the instructor will take it with the right hand at the handle, and, after inspecting it, will return it to the soldier, who will receive it back with the right hand, and replace it in the position of ordered arms.
When the instructor shall have passed him, each soldier will retake the position prescribed at the command inspection of arms, and return the rammer; after which he will face to the front.

In regards to the Third Motion, each time I read the text I interpret it to mean that once the piece is ready for the instructor to take it from the man, while the man is holding it, it would be in the soldier's left hand, lockplate to the front and the butt resting against the hip. However, nothing is said that states the butt is against the hip in the text, so the piece could merely be suspended with the left hand vertically. The accompanying picture
(found here near number 139- http://47thva.org/gilham/article3.html#94 )
contrasts my interpretation and makes me think perhaps the lockplate is not facing front but is facing to the right, with the butt resting on the left hip. This interpretation based on the image makes sense if the instructor were to proceed down the line without making a left face to face the front of the soldier he is inspecting, but instead only stays in a straight line, receiving each piece given to him thus. However I also fail to find anything about the manner of the instructor, which leads me to ask,

What are your interpretations of this situation?

[BrianHicks]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

It appears that your interpretations neglects a few vital words in the text (and more importantly, one vital illustration).

the lock to the front, the left hand at the height of the chin, the piece opposite to the left eye (Fig. 40);

This is the illustration from Fig. 40 in the Manual:



In Article XII, paragraphs 735 and 736, you'll find further instructions as to how the Battalion/Regt. is to be inspected, but I don't think it describes specifically how the Officer moves and faces as he goes down the line in front of each individual soldier.

The text as found in Gilham's Manual is not unlike what is found in Both Hardees (Vol. 1, Para. 229) and Casey's (Vol. 1, Para. 238) as well as in Baxter's The Volunteer's manual. Additionally, in Baxter's The Volunteer's Manual Fig. 102 (as shown below) you'll see a front view of this position (and in the accompanying Fig. 101, the footwork for fixing of the Bayonet as described above).

[DougCooper]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

To properly inspect arms, the inspector must obviously face the soldier being inspected if the intent is to handle the weapon (see photo of federal guard mount taken at Fort Wagner in 1865). As the inspector approaches each man, he faces to the left, then faces right after returning the weapon and steps in front of the next man, again facing left. As for the weapon position, the inspector grasps the weapon "at the handle" (small of the stock) with the right hand and this would be ackward indeed unless the lock were to the front and the weapon held as shown in the illustrations from the manuals. Takes a while to inspect an entire company of course, and is one reason why the next companies can remain at stack arms awaiting their turn.

It is somewhat rare to see an entire company do this right in the hobby - from the inspector to the soldiers. Mistakes most often seen are position of the weapon held by the soldier (wrong height, wrong hand position on the weapon, elbow not against the body, etc), returning the weapon to order arms (using the left hand to take it back vice the right hand), position of the file closers and the method of grasping and returning the weapon by the inspector (left vs right hand, not at the handle, etc). As anything else, this was a precise military drill.

[LonestarRifles]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

It appears that your interpretations neglects a few vital words in the text (and more importantly, one vital illustration).

In my original post I both referenced the quote "lock to the front" and the image you thankfully included out of Gilham's. I was merely observing that while the text states "lock to the front" the accompanying image in Gilham's seems to contradict that, as the lock appears to be to the right. The image from Baxter's shows a much clearer interpretation of lock to the front though.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

In my original post I both referenced the quote "lock to the front" and the image you thankfully included out of Gilham's. I was merely observing that while the text states "lock to the front" the accompanying image in Gilham's seems to contradict that, as the lock appears to be to the right.

Sir,

Not desiring to be argumentative, and so that you can understand were my response came form, and what my thought process was which lead me to it, allow me explain how my response was predicated on your words which stated:

so the piece could merely be suspended with the left hand vertically. The accompanying picture
(found here near number 139- http://47thva.org/gilham/article3.html#94 )
contrasts my interpretation and makes me think perhaps the lockplate is not facing front but is facing to the right, with the butt resting on the left hip.

A key phrases therein: suspended with the left hand vertically along with the illustration you referenced seems to disregard the instructions pertaining to the left hand at chin level, and the rifle before the left eye.

And that is why my response came as it did.

If it came across as confrontational, I assure you, that was not the intent. I merely desired to provide the proper references to the movement the manual is describing.

And yes... the illustration does appear to show the lock plate facing other than to the front due to how it represents the shape of the butt stock of the weapon. But the other described attributes of the movement are far better illustrated, to wit: the left hand at chin level and the rifle before the left eye.

[Silas]

What Scott had to say

It's worthwhile to examine the prior manuals to get an idea about similar practices from which Gilham and Baxter derived their texts. I'm talking about the Old Man himself, Winfield Scott. Per his 1830 Abstract of Infantry Tactics :

Inspection of Arms.

231. The recruits being at ordered arms, the instructer will command.

Inspect—ARMS.

232. ONE MOTION. Face once and a half to the right, on the left heel, carrying the right foot perpendicularly to the rear of the alignment six inches from, and forming a right angle with, the line of the left; seize the firelock smartly, with the left hand raised to the level of the lowest button of the waistcoat, inclining the muzzle to the rear, without moving the butt from its place, the ramrod turned towards the body; carry, at the same time, the right hand to the bayonet, seizing It by the socket and shank, in such a manner, that the extremity of the socket may be an inch above the hand, and that, in drawing it, the thumb may extend on the hand; draw it from the scabbard, carry it to the muzzle of the firelock, and fix it there; immediately seize the ramrod, drawing it as has been prescribed; spring it into the barrel, and then face back immediately to the front, into the position of ordered arms, No. 224.

233. (Pl. IV. Fig. 4 and 5) The instructer will then inspect successively the firelock of each soldier, passing in front of the rank. Each sol**dier, as the instructer passes him, will raise his firelock smartly with the right hand, seize it with the left hand between the tail-pipe and feather**-spring, the lock outwards, the left hand as high as the chin, the firelock opposite the left eye; the instructer shall take it with his right hand at the small, and, after having inspected it, shall return it to the soldier, who will receive it back within the left hand, half-cock and shut pan, if necessary. and resume the position of ordered arms.

234. When the instructer has passed the recruit, he will return his ram**rod, resuming the position of ordered arms.

Scott's Abstract of Tacitics (1830)
Although I've added a link to a scanned copy of the text on google within the quoted text, here is a quick look at how that plate appears :


Take a gander at his 1821 manual for an interesting discussion about inspecting arms : http://books.google.com/books?id=OJL...ry_r#PPA117,M1

I post the drawing from Scott's Abstract to show that the text is virtually the same, but it is clear from Gilham that he believed the weapon should be sloped, not straight, when presenting it to the inspector.

Having inspected hundreds of weapons in the field, I appreciate when guys slope the weapon towards me. Yeah, I have to reach for it, but when the soldier lets go, the weapon commences to fall towards me which makes it easier for me to keep it under control. If the soldier hands it to me from a vertical position, the weapon has a chance to fall towards the soldier or to his right/left. This throws the inspector off balance and may cause the inspectee to reach for the unsteady weapon.

The motion should be one fluid motion where the inspector halts before the soldier then the weapon is thrust forward and seized. The soldier should not present it early as this causes him to stand there in an awkward position with this dead weight dangling in front of him. Likewise, the inspector should not expect the weapon to be waiting for him when he arrives and halts before the soldier. It's a dance with sequences : the inspector halts and fronts ; the weapon is presented, seized and inspected ; the inspector returns it with his right hand on the handle ; the soldier seizes it with the right hand bringing the weapon to the order position in one fluid motion. As the soldier's left hand does not touch the weapon when returned, the inspector must return the weapon vertically. As the soldier seizes the weapon above the balance point - between the first and second bands - there is little chance the weapon will fall in an unexpected manner.

The weapon is seized between the two bands and not below the first band because that is the same position from which the weapon was first produced. Huh?

First, go to your closet. Pick up your musket and go to order arms. Notice where your right hand rests on the weapon - between the first and second bands. This is also the position where you want to end the manoeuving when you receive the weapon from the inspector and return to order arms.

Second, bring the weapon from order to inspection arms. The left hand seizes the weapon so it can be presented to the officer. When returning the weapon, the officer should return it the weapon when it's about the same height before you thrust the weapon at him with that left hand. If the officer does his job, he'll be making it easier for the soldier to return the musket to order with minimal effort : i.e., the inspector returns it in such a way so the soldier can seize it with his right hand and scoot it down to the order position.

I like this discussion as too many soldiers and officers don't understand their respective duties during the exchanges of the weapon. This adds time to how long it takes to inspect the entire company. Dirty and rusty weapons add time, too.

[LonestarRifles]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

My apologies, I should have made my inquiry clearer: I am not questioning the placement of the left hand nor that the musket is before the left eye, all evidence makes these tributes strikingly obvious. However there are some inconsistencies in the facings of the lockplate and the position of the butt. Referencing other manuals clears up some issues, but the main problem comes from the illustration in Gilham's. Both this illustration and the Baxter's illustration allows us to assume that the butt is on the left hip (although it may be difficult to sit in one's own lap...:sarcastic) but they contradict eachother as to whether the lock is to the front.

[BrianHicks]

Re: Gilham's Inspection Arms

Patrick,

Good to go. I just wanted to share with you my thought process, etc.