Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

[Silas]

This link is to an old thread I've bumped on the Grist Mill. The first message contains only the commands from Gilham's. A subsequent message contains the entire text with commands from Hardee's Revised.

Thought this might be of use to those who do not have the skirmish drill handy.

[RJSamp]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

Thanks Silas!

I like the part about the 1st and 2nd Lieutenants BOTH having a bugler near them. Add one for the Captain....and one for the Colonel.....

Now we know why units like the 1st MASS and 83rd PA had 11+ buglers in their midst. The goal of the 1st and 2nd USSS was 3 buglers per company.....plus 1 at the regiment.....so they might deploy 30-50 buglers on a Corps skirmish line (as at Gettysburg on July 2nd 1863). Berdan's Buglers were rifleman first.....they all carried Sharp's rifles and bugles.

Here's a gray area for us.....deploying the entire Regiment, Brigade or even Division as skirmishers......and manuevering over hill and dale by the bugles. How'd they do that?

[Coatsy]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

Gents, if you are going to the Chick, take the time to peruse the link Silas gave out, or hit the books. The one thing I do know is that skirmish drill will be used at some point during the weekend.

RJ......What do the 1st MASS, 83rd PA, 1st, 2nd USSS have to do with the Chick? :wink_smil

[Tenthtexas]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

I am not sure of the last part of your question "undt dale by bulgeS..."
But how did they do it over hills and with obstacles in the way of sight?
Actually, if that is the question, then that is the purchase of the buglers. We have done this once before and the battalion was 300 yards to the front and only a 1/3 of the battalion could be seen. But the bugle calls were heard very distinctly and everyone moved with precision. Was pretty cool to see. That is what we are planning on doing this year.

Art Milbert

[Bushrod Carter]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

RJ, Silas:

Ever seen a skirmish line of 124 rifles deployed, covering 500+ yards, and commanded ONLY by bugle calls till they were advanced enough to where they were out of sight - but still following and obeying the commands of the commander several hundred yards behind them?

I have.

Photos of that can be found under "Battalion Images" at www.westerindependentgrays.org

[Silas]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

To participate in a large skirmish line commanded by the bugle at this particular battlefield is a significant reason for me wanting to attend. Missed the one in 2003 as I did that other event - which cannot be named - several weeks later.

Yeah, this is what I want to see :

[coastaltrash]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

Silas,
That was only half of the line too

[Charles Heath]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

Not that this has anything to do with Chickamauga later in the month, but last weekend bugler extraordinaire George Rabbai sounded pretty darned good doing this very thing. Thank you, Jerseymen.

[markj]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

For whatever it's worth (see attachment). Seems that at least one Federal officer, from his own experience, thought the system of skirmish drill then in place left quite a bit to be desired. In turn, he offered some helpful suggestions.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[Jim of The SRR]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

Here is another picture from the 2003 Chick event. When I saw that line for the first time reality set in. You can only move it via bugle calls.

Jim Butler

[Pritchett Ball]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

What specific Skirmish Commands would be the most needed/used to study for this event?

I’ve been looking/studying the Skirmish Drill, there is a lot of info. I just want to make sure I don’t waste time looking at information that would probably not be used.

The 03 pictures are really getting my interest up for this event!
Respectfully:

Kevin Dally

[Silas]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

We're portraying Confederates at Chickamauga. The four most likely commands ought to be these :

To deploy forward.

1. First platoon - as skirmishers. 2. On the left file - take intervals. 3. MARCH (or double quick - MARCH).

Then :

To advance in line.

1. Forward. 2. MARCH (or double quick - MARCH).

Then :

To fire marching.

Commence - FIRING.

And finally the command of HALT should be given as skirmishers arrive at the Chattanooga city limits. There should be no other commands given.

[john duffer]

Re: Skirmish Drill Commands and Text

That skirmish line was one of the single coolest things I've participated in. I had the left flank company and could see down the entire line. I particularly remember LIE DOWN being played and the line instantly vanishing in the grass, suddenly reappearing at RISE UP; the entire line all firing or cease firing at the same time and, as mentioned by Marse Craddock, being commanded by a little speck in the distance we could only see when we crested ridges. By the end of the event the bulk of the men had a reasonable handle on the calls.