Tweet
Is the oblique march as cavalry 45 degrees or 22.5 degrees?
This discussion came up between two different units that we were riding with recently. With documentation for both, the "Who, where, when" questions will help answer this.
So...here is the answer...
If you are using Poinsett's, the answer is found in drill no. 12:
(Pl. 9, fig. E. & F.) At the second command, which is
FACE, raise the right foot a little, turn upon the left, raising
the toes slightly, and then replace the right heel by the side
of the left, on the same line, taking care not to make more
than a quarter face
If this leaves some doubt, it is specified in Drill 288 Plate 52:
At the command MARCH, open a little the right rein,
and close slightly the right leg, in order to make the horse
execute a quarter turn to the right; cause the horse to feel,
almost at the same time, the effect of the rein and the left
leg, to terminate the movement without increasing the
degree of obliquity.
In other parts of the manual a "Turn" is described as a 90 degree turn. Therefore, a half "turn" would be 45 degrees, while a quarter turn would be half of that...22.5 degrees.
Plate 52(e) specifically states 22 degrees.
When we finally found documented "proof" of what a cavalry oblique is, it was another example to our group that we still have to confirm many of the simple elements of drill and not go off of what our previous instructors have told us. While this really doesn't make that big of a difference in the field, it is an example to check first hand sources from time to time.
Just thought it was interesting and if we found it valuable, I figured some of our other cavalry brothers might also find it interesting.
So what say you all?...Do you do a 45 degree or a 22 degree oblique?
This discussion came up between two different units that we were riding with recently. With documentation for both, the "Who, where, when" questions will help answer this.
So...here is the answer...
If you are using Poinsett's, the answer is found in drill no. 12:
(Pl. 9, fig. E. & F.) At the second command, which is
FACE, raise the right foot a little, turn upon the left, raising
the toes slightly, and then replace the right heel by the side
of the left, on the same line, taking care not to make more
than a quarter face
If this leaves some doubt, it is specified in Drill 288 Plate 52:
At the command MARCH, open a little the right rein,
and close slightly the right leg, in order to make the horse
execute a quarter turn to the right; cause the horse to feel,
almost at the same time, the effect of the rein and the left
leg, to terminate the movement without increasing the
degree of obliquity.
In other parts of the manual a "Turn" is described as a 90 degree turn. Therefore, a half "turn" would be 45 degrees, while a quarter turn would be half of that...22.5 degrees.
Plate 52(e) specifically states 22 degrees.
When we finally found documented "proof" of what a cavalry oblique is, it was another example to our group that we still have to confirm many of the simple elements of drill and not go off of what our previous instructors have told us. While this really doesn't make that big of a difference in the field, it is an example to check first hand sources from time to time.
Just thought it was interesting and if we found it valuable, I figured some of our other cavalry brothers might also find it interesting.
So what say you all?...Do you do a 45 degree or a 22 degree oblique?